Green Space Planning

Evergreen Common Grounds strengthens the ability of governments, community groups and other local partners to steward natural sites in urban communities across Canada.

Common Grounds also builds the capacity of land use professionals and community leaders who are working to protect threatened urban landscapes. We work with our community partners to find creative, consensus-based solutions to protecting our natural and cultural heritage. Our services include:

information resources including guidebooks and research reports;
professional counsel and referrals in the areas of land use planning, conservation tools, fundraising, becoming an incorporated non-profit organization and more; and
professional workshops and training seminars.

To learn more about the projects we supported check our green space planning projects.

To learn more about partnership-based approaches to protecting urban green space, check our Frequently Asked Questions.

To discuss ways that Common Grounds can support you, contact Stewart Chisholm.

Our Resources: Find the Common Grounds Resources section (our integrated family of print, on-line and video resources), Workshop and Conference Proceedings and Stewardship Project Information.

Project Registry: Find the Common Grounds database of community naturalization projects from across Canada.

Funding: Learn about funding opportunities for your project from a library of sources.

Library: Search the Common Grounds Library for Organizations (funders, nurseries, other) and Documents (print and on-line articles, Web sites, books).

The Nature of Cities

Development pressures, scarce budgets and increased public demand have strained the ability of local governments to provide sufficient supplies of healthy, accessible green space, and to adequately protect natural areas. Evergreen's The Nature of Cities project demonstrates how green space challenges are being met in Canadian communities. We highlight possible policy and program changes; partnership-based approaches to restoration and procurement; and collaborative, community-based planning. We currently work with land-use professionals, local government officials, and community leaders in British Columbia, Alberta and Ontario.

We offer presentations, training seminars, workshops and public forums. Our sessions are designed to bring together diverse stakeholders, share information and experiences, and inspire action.

Sessions include:

Policy tools
Development approaches
Partnership strategies
Stewardship programs
Health and economic benefits of urban green spaces

Through case studies, hands-on learning, and networking opportunities, participants learn how to address green space challenges within their communities.

To date, workshops have been held with the following municipalities:

BC

Abbotsford
Central Saanich
Colwood
Coquitlam
Delta
Gibsons
Highlands
Langford
Mission
Nanaimo
North Saanich
North Vancouver
Richmond
Sechelt
Sooke
Squamish
Sunshine Coast Regional District
White Rock

And with the Victoria Chapter of the BC Society for Landscape Architects.

Ontario

London
Kingston
Hamilton
Regional Municipality of York
Municipality of Clarington
Ottawa
2005 Annual Conference of the Ontario Professional Planners Institute, Burlington

Alberta

For summary proceedings from the Alberta workshops, including the topics explored and participant responses, click here Workshop summaries.pdf.

To download a copy of the Evergreen’s Power Point Presentation that was given at the sessions, click here Evergreen.ppt.

Download the case studies of municipal best practices that were shared with participants:

Download Evergreen’s fact sheets on the economic, social and health benefits of urban green space:

Download workshop presentations by guest speakers:

Karen Wilke, Policy Analyst, Canada West Foundation. Can West Fdn.pdf
Ross Wein, Professor Emeritus, Department of Renewable Resources, University of Alberta. University of Alberta.ppt
Carole Stark, Executive Director, The Chinook Institute for Community Stewardship. AlbertaNaturalAmenitiesRush.ppt
Tracy Tarves, Executive Director, Western Sky Land Trust. To download information about WSLT’s activities, click here Western Sky Areas of Activity.doc. For information about their tool box, click here Western Sky.pdf.

Regional project supporters include:

Smart Growth of BC
Planning Institute of BC
BC Society for Landscape Architects
Canadian Physicians for the Environment
Ontario Professional Planners Institute
Ontario Association of Landscape Architects
Alberta Association, Canadian Institute of Planners
Canada West Foundation

For more information on workshops and presentations available to you, please contact either Stewart Chisholm or Denise Philippe.

Background information gathering for The Nature of Cities in BC included the production of a summary report on urban green space in the Georgia Basin. To view or download the report from our Documents section click here.