Session 6: Protecting Biodiversity and Sustainable Land Use and Planning

Reading: Please read chapters 13 & 14 of "The Natural Step for Communities" before meeting with your study circle for Session 6.

Questions: Please consider the following questions while reading the relevant chapters of the book, and use them to guide discussion during your study circle.

1. Why are forests, wetlands, soil, rivers and streams, and wild creatures important to us as humans? Are they important in and of themselves, and if so, why? Why might the very diversity of species in this planet be critical?
2. What are some important ecosystems in your area? What kind of efforts are going on to protect them?
3. What do you think city and town planning is, and why is it important? Why could it be a useful or important avenue for working toward a sustainable community? What are some planning "successes" or "failures" in your community?
4. Are there some examples of "sprawl development" in your community or region? What are the characteristics of sprawl development? How does sprawl development affect people's quality of life experience? How does it violate each of the four sustainability objectives?
5. Imagine you are a member of a community/municipal task force assigned with the job of coming up with new standards to guide development in the municipality or region. Based on what you came up with in the previous question, think of some standards for new development or for redevelopment in your community that could guide it in the direction of each of the four sustainability objectives. (Try for 2-3 standards for each sustainability objective.) After you are done, see if any of your standards guide development toward all four sustainability objectives concurrently.
6. One way to begin understanding biodiversity in your community is to identify important habitats, flora and fauna that may have influenced its history and patterns of development. It is important to determine if any of these species are considered rare or threatened by the State of New Hampshire or the federal government. Often, one may find plants and animals that can serve as indicator species for biodiversity (bioindicators). The character of Portsmouth may also be influenced by the presence of special habitats. In your opinion, what native flora and fauna might be considered bioindicators in and around the City of Portsmouth? Explain. What habitats do you consider important and why?
7. What is your opinion on how well the city planners are doing in terms of protection of habitats you identified above? Is there consideration of connections among wilder lands (corridors) in the Portsmouth Master Plan and current zoning regulations? Why do you think this might be important? What is the current buffer width required for wetlands and streams in Portsmouth? Do you think this distance is great enough or too great? Why? Can you identify planning succof biodiversity protection in Portsmouth?

Workforce Housing Coalition of the Greater Seacoast

Study Guide Chapters

• Overview: Guideines, Facilitators, Openings and Circle Questions
• Session 1: Introducing the Natural Step Framework and Sustainability (Chapters 1, 2 & 3)
• Session 2: Changing to Renewable Energy Resources and Alternative Transportation (Chapters 5 & 6)
• Session 3: Eco-Housing and Green Building/Business (Chapters 7 & 8)
• Session 4: Eco-Economic Development and Ecological Schools/Education (Chapters 9 & 10)
• Session 5: Sustainable Agriculture and Dealing with Waste (Chapters 11 & 12)
• Session 6: Protecting Biodiversity and Sustainable Land Use and Planning (Chapters 13 & 14)
• Session 7: What Gets in the Way of Change and Three Change Processes That Work (Chapters 15 & 16)
• Session 8: Steps to Change and Process Leader (Chapters 17 & 18)