Description
Book SynopsisTrailblazing greenway projects from vision to reality.
In this eye-opening journey through some of America's most innovative landscape architecture projects, Charles Flink shows why we urgently need greenways. A leading authority in greenway planning, design, and development, Flink presents inspiring examples of communities that have come together to build permanent spaces for the life-sustaining power of nature.
The Greenway Imperative reveals the stories behind a variety of multiuse natural corridors, taking readers to Grand Canyon National Park, suburban North Carolina, the banks of the Miami River, and many other settings. Flink, who was closely involved with each of the projects in this book during his 35-year career, introduces the people who jump started these initiatives and the challenges they overcame in achieving them.
Flink explains why open green spaces are increasingly critical today. "Much more than a path through the woods," he says, greenways conserve irreplaceable real estate for the environment, serve as essential green infrastructure, shape the way people travel within their communities, reduce impact from flooding and other natural disasters, and boost the economies of cities and towns. Greenways can and should dramatically reshape the landscape of America in the coming years, Flink argues. He provides valuable reflections and guidance on how we can create resilient communities and satisfy the human need for connection with the natural world.
Table of Contents
- Foreword
- Introduction
- 1. A Close Family Legacy: Anne Springs Close Greenway, Fort Mill, South Carolina
- 2. Come Hell and High Water: Greater Grand Forks Greenway, Grand Forks, North Dakota
- 3. Turning Trash into Trails: Swift Creek Recycled Greenway, Cary, North Carolina
- 4. Something Grand: Grand Canyon Greenway, Grand Canyon National Park, Arizona
- 5. Open Space in Vegas—It's a Sure Bet: Las Vegas Open Space and Trails, Las Vegas, Nevada
- 6. Miami Means "Sweet Water": Miami River Greenway, Miami, Florida
- 7. Lowcountry Life: Charleston County Greenbelt Plan, Charleston County, South Carolina
- 8. Callin' the Hogs: The Northwest Arkansas Razorback Regional Greenway, Arkansas
- 9. White Russia: International Greenway Efforts in Belarus
- 10. America's Longest Urban Greenway: East Coast Greenway, from Maine to Florida
- 11. A National Greenway System: Envisioning a Coast-to-Coast Greenway System
- Acknowledgments
- Glossary
- Notes and Sources
- Index
