Environmental Commission Report: Greenspace in Bloomington Continues to Shrink

For more information:
Heather Reynolds, Chair, Environmental Commission, City of Bloomington, 339-7916

Bloomington, IN -- Greenspace within Bloomington's City Planning Jurisdiction has declined substantially over the last 14 years according to a report issued by the City of Bloomington Environmental Commission. 

The report, entitled "Greenspace Trends in Bloomington, Indiana, 1993-2007," updates a previous study conducted in 2003, and finds that 2,065 acres of greenspace - nearly a quarter of the city's total greenspace - have disappeared since 1993.

Greenspace is operationally defined as open land in a natural or restored state with vegetation and permeable ground. For the purposes of the Environmental Commission's report, greenspace was defined as vegetated, permeable land greater than one contiguous acre in size and at least 10 feet from any manmade development.

"Greenspace should be viewed as valuable green infrastructure," said Heather Reynolds, Environmental Commission Chair, "because it provides a range of social, economic and environmental benefits that include improved air and water quality, climate moderation, erosion control, habitat for wildlife, and opportunities for recreation and tourism."

Environmental Commission Intern Jacob Mazer worked with Geographic Information System (GIS) specialist Chuck Winkle of the City of Bloomington Information and Technology Services and the City's Planning and Parks and Recreation Departments to measure changes in Bloomington's greenspace by comparing a series of aerial photographs taken between 1993 and 2006, augmented with data from building permits and site visits current to 2007.

The study found that the greatest losses have occurred within what is referred to as "in play" greenspace - land that is not under the jurisdiction of Indiana University or the City Parks and Recreation Department - the category into which about 60% of Bloomington's greenspace falls. Winkle's analysis shows that 2,301 acres - more than 35% of "in play" greenspace - has been eliminated since 1993, most of it due to residential development. While 297 (13%) of these lost "in play" acres were converted to city parks, the majority (2,004 acres or 87%) went into the private domain.

At these rates, it would take about 181 years for the city to acquire all of the remaining "in play" greenspace, but only about 27 years to lose all of the remaining, developable greenspace within the City Planning Jurisdiction. Much of the loss has been concentrated in the southeastern side of town, which in the last 14 years has seen 42% of its greenspace disappear. Greenspace controlled by the university has remained fairly close to its 1993 levels.

The City of Bloomington dedicates a percentage of its property tax income to greenspace acquisition each year. The Environmental Commission has recommended an increase in funds dedicated toward acquiring greenspace, as well as the formation of a taskforce to facilitate a proactive program to protect Bloomington's remaining greenspace. 

"We need to act in this window of opportunity to ensure that Bloomington has a solid foundation of green infrastructure on which to build an ecologically, economically and socially healthy future," said Kelly Boatman, Environmental Commission Vice-Chair.

For information about the Environmental Commission and to view the full greenspace report, visit bloomington.in.gov/environment/. The Environmental Commission can be reached by phone via the City Planning Department at 349-3423, or contacted via e-mail to: environment@bloomington.in.gov.

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