Background

As the world's population increases and more people move from urban to rural settings, the amount of land remaining in a natural state is sharply decreasing. This undeveloped land, or open space, provides a multitude of benefits to the public. Open space protects ecosystems, wildlife habitats, water quality and provides wildfire protection, flood control and recreational opportunities.

The definition of open space varies from community to community. Open space can be pristine wilderness or its definition can include wilderness, farmland, recreation areas, public and private forests, wetlands or any area where ecosystems and watersheds are allowed to remain relatively undisturbed. Conversion occurs when trees and fields are replaced with buildings and pavement, destroying natural habitats as well as disrupting and rerouting watersheds. Fragmentation occurs when a zone beyond the area of development is disturbed, further breaking up areas of open space. As large tracks of forested land are subdivided into smaller pieces, parcelization occurs. Parcelization makes it harder to manage conservation efforts over many smaller properties and easier for property owners to develop those smaller properties.

Below is a map of open space in the continental United States:

  Source: www.fs.fed.us/openspace/loss_space.html

 United States

Many government and nonprofit entities are working hard to find creative solutions for maintaining open space without trampling on people's rights to use their own properties.  Nonprofit land trusts around the country buy or have donated land that can then be protected in perpetuity.  For example, the Land Trust Alliance is a network of land trusts all over the United States, which provides its members with conservation and legal tools to protect land. 

The U.S. Forest Service is very active in working to protect open space around the nation's forests.  In many environmentally sensitive areas, the U.S. Forest Service promotes the use of conservation easements that allow some forms of logging and recreational activities while prohibiting future development.  With a conservation easement, property owners retain ownership of the property as well as usage rights; however, the owner is restricted from subdividing or building on the land.  In addition to maintaining use of the land (for farming, recreation, limited logging, etc) the property owner receives a tax deduction.  In the United States, land trusts hold six million acres of conservation easements; on over half of those, logging activities exist side by side with conservation efforts.

New York

In New York, the state has a comprehensive plan for preserving open space that includes conditions for local food provision, preserving historic and cultural resources and maintaining natural resource industries such as farming, commercial fishing, forestry and tourism. The state updated its Open Space Conservation Plan in 2009 and is required to do so every three years. The latest plan focuses on responding to climate change, fostering healthy communities, connecting people to nature and safeguarding our natural and cultural heritage. We come closer to each one of these goals by maintaining open space in our living environment.

 NYLCVEF

 In the 2010 Policy Agenda, NYLCVEF encourages local leaders to promote smart growth principles, such as stimulating economic development where infrastructure already exists and discouraging green space development. Smart growth principles will ease pressure on farmland and thus help preserve available open space. Specifically, NYCLVEF urges local policymakers to:

• Promote local bond initiatives to protect open space before it is developed.
• Encourage local municipalities to support statewide Community Preservation Act and/or sponsor local preservation initiatives.
• Ensure NYS Agencies direct funds and planning towards smart growth principles, which preserve open space.

 References/Resources:

> Empire State Future

> Land Trust Alliance

> NY DEC Open Space

> Open Space Institute

> Regional Plan Association

> USDA Open Space Conservation