• Brandywine Corridor
• Bucks Agricultural Heritage Area
• Chester County Agricultural Area
• Chester, Ridley, Crum & Darby Priority Area
• Delaware River
• Highlands Region
• Hopewell Big Woods
• Neshaminy Corridor
• Neshaminy Headwaters
• Pennypack Greenway
• Schuylkill River Corridor
• Skippack and Perkiomen Creeks
• Wissahickon

Overview

Purpose

The Regional Green Plan identifies and prioritizes land for future open space preservation and/or acquisition in the five-county southeastern Pennsylvania area. The report prioritizes open space for three distinct purposes: agricultural preservation, conservation of ecological resources, and natural resource-based recreation. It encourages partnerships among state, federal, local, and private conservation groups and others to protect critical open spaces in the region while sustaining beneficial economic growth.

View map of open space priority lands

Need

The Plan notes the need for and benefits of protecting open space and setting regional priorities, including the supply and quality of water; flood control; natural diversity; farm products; quality economic development; preservation of scenic, historic, and rural characteristics; recreational amenities; and use of financial resources.

Findings

The region has tremendous assets in its open space lands and stream/river corridors. However, open space is disappearing rapidly. Further, it is not simply the rate of loss that threatens our region; a further problem is the fragmented way in which we have chosen to consume these valuable assets.

Priorities can be set for protection based on two kinds of lands: "Rural Conservation Lands," where large-scale regional protection should be focused, and "Urban/Suburban Lands," where the focus should be on stream corridors and greenways. Thriving communities require the protection of lands important to water quality, recreation and wildlife habitat.

Recommendations

1. Preserve open space in both rural and urban/suburban lands and tailor preservation approach accordingly.
2. As a guideline, ensure that at least one acre of undeveloped land is protected for every acre that is developed.
3. In the rural conservation lands, permanently protect no less than 50% of remaining undeveloped and unprotected lands.
4. Recognize that stream and river corridors integrate rural lands with urban/suburban lands, and are therefore a critical resource for the region. Dedicate planning and funding resources to the permanent protection of these corridors.
5. In the urban/suburban lands, concentrate on protecting high-resource-value lands for recreational purposes and, where possible, for ecological resource and specialty agricultural uses.
6. Enact comprehensive plans and land use ordinances and promote multi-municipal cooperation to protect open space.
7. Develop funding strategies combining federal, state, county, municipal, and private sources for financing preservation.
8. Focus on attracting new revenue sources to protect open space.

Learn more about the Regional Greenspace Priorities project