Natural Connections
Greenmapping.org is the Chicago region’s first comprehensive database of green infrastructure featuring data for a 19-county region, which can be used to create customized maps, developed in partnership between CNT and Openlands to support natural resource protection and land preservation efforts across parts of Wisconsin, Illinois and Indiana.
The project team compiled the best available data for a 19-county region, including data from more than 60 local, state, and federal agencies, as well as private land trusts and conservation groups. The data layers include publicly owned lands, existing and proposed greenways, waterways, trails, and other natural areas and open spaces. Selected highways, towns, and state and county borders are also included for reference purposes.
One product that resulted from this project is a two-sided poster-size map, displaying the green infrastructure in 14 counties in Wisconsin, Illinois and Indiana, while identifying the most promising opportunities for bi-state cooperation, highlighting important resources that lie along the Wisconsin-Illinois and the Indiana-Illinois borders. A data archive was created that allows users to download most of the data collected (some data is protected by confidentiality agreements) and obtain information on how to use green infrastructure to improve their communities. Finally, an interactive web mapping tool enables users to create customized maps of the region’s green infrastructure.
The project arose from a 2000 Openlands conference on natural resource protection in the tri-state area. While preparing for the conference, Openlands could not find a map of the three state’s green infrastructure, and members noticed that the majority of information on natural resources is limited to counties and states. Natural Connections began as an effort to more effectively address green issues at the regional level, combining data on natural resources with CNT’s powerful geographic mapping resources to create data that provides a more holistic view of the tri-state region.
To learn more, visit the website at http://www.greenmapping.org/.
The Joyce Foundation provided funding for Phase I; they are also supporting Phase II along with The Boeing Company, the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency and Chicago Wilderness.
