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OKI Land Use and the Environment |
OKI Greenspace Program
OKI promotes the conservation of greenspace for the benefits of conserving natural systems and their functions, adding economic value to communities, and improving the quality of people’s lives.
OKI’s Greenspace Program was established to address local interest in conserving greenspace as the region grows. OKI’s program advances greenspace through efforts to implement OKI’s Strategic Regional Policy Plan; to bring environmental considerations more fully into the transportation planning process; and to promote and facilitate the conservation of greenspace throughout the region.
Environmental Consultations Report
Full Document
Cover Page, Inside Page and Acknowledgements
Executive Summary
Table of Contents
Chapter One - OKI's Process for Local Environmental Consultations
Chapter Two - Discussion of Regionally Significant Environmental Resources
Chapter Three - Discussion of Recommended Transportation Improvements
Chapter Four - Discussion of Local Stragegies for Addressing Major Environmental Concerns
Chapter Five - Discussion of Strategies Suggested for Reducing Environmental Impacts
All Appendices
Appendix A - Participation and Schedule for Local Agency Consultations
Appendix B - Data Used for Comparison - Table of Contents | Map | Tables
Appendix C - Presentation of Regionally Significant Environmental Resources
Appendix D - Survey on Environmental Resource Categories
Transportation & The Environment
OKI environmental consultations are intended to reduce negative and costly environmental impacts through a process required for regional transportation planning. In the consultations process, participants consider the potential for environmental impacts to occur or be avoided, at the project level or as a cumulative effect of transportation improvements and related development. The intent is to produce better decisions for improving transportation and how development occurs.
During preparation of the 2040 transportation plan, OKI arranged for state and local agencies to compare proposed transportation improvements with environmental resources identified by the states for state conservation or protection (“Regionally Significant Environmental Resources”). Consultation participants were from state conservation and environmental protection agencies and local, mostly county-level, agencies involved in land use planning, conservation, storm water management, parks, or resource management.
OKI convened one session per state that involved a total of 19 state agency divisions and 28 local agencies (60 individual participants). Each session included a review of Regionally Significant Environmental Resources and their comparison with proposed transportation projects, briefings by state officials on local high-quality resources and their protection through state-level plans or programs, and discussion of options for avoiding impacts of greatest concern and for better protecting local environmental resources.
Below are the presentations provided by state agencies in March, 2012.
(Ohio) Significant Stream Resources in the OKI Region
Bob Gable, Scenic Rivers Program Manager, ODNR Division of Watercraft
(Ohio) Status of Water Quality: the 2012 Integrated Report
Jeff DeShon, Environmental Manager of Ecological Assessment Section, OEPA Division of Surface Water
(Kentucky) The Licking River: Protecting a Valuable Resource
Brooke Shireman, Environmental Technologist, KDOW Watershed Management Branch
(Kentucky) Integrated Report on Water Quality and Classifications of Water Bodies
Randy Payne, Environmental Scientist, KDOW Water Quality Branch
Kentucky Comprehensive Wildlife Conservation Strategy
Sunni Carr, Wildlife Diversity Program Coordinator, KDFWR Wildlife Diversity Section
Indiana Natural Heritage Program and Database
Cloyce Hedge, Natural Heritage Program Coordinator, IDNR Division of Nature Preserves
Regionally Significant Natural Systems
OKI’s Strategic Regional Policy Plan identifies the need to protect and improve the diversity and sustainability of the region’s natural systems. OKI strives to be a clearinghouse for incentives and programs that could be used by local governments to conserve regionally significant natural systems.
As such, OKI is currently inventorying local government efforts to protect or add trees. Local governments in the region are working to expand and maintain trees through Tree City USA, local ordinances, tree canopy assessments, memorial tree-planting programs, and other efforts. Based on inventory results, OKI will be providing information and developing strategies to help local and regional efforts to increase tree cover. If you would like to provide OKI with information on your jurisdiction’s tree-conservation efforts, experiences, or suggestions, please contact Margo Lindahl at Mlindahl@oki.org.
Directory of Local Greenspace Organizations
How is greenspace being conserved in the OKI Region? How can you or your community help maintain or add greenspace? Local organizations can provide information, technical assistance, opportunities for involvement, partnership, expertise and model programs. View websites to learn about local initiatives, resources and opportunities for conserving environmental resources and expanding greenspace.
County Soil and Water Conservation Districts and Conservation Districts
Environmental Stakeholder Groups
Land Trusts and Conservancies
Membership Organizations
Organizations that Promote Green Infrastructure for Stormwater Management
Organizations that Support Agriculture
Park Agencies/Departments and Greenspace Committees
Watershed Organizations
Other Resource Organizations
