Biodiversity conservation is directly and indirectly related to how urban developments are designed and managed. People from all sectors of society are grappling with the issue of minimizing growth impacts both within a development's boundary and on surrounding habitats. The Green Leap presents a holistic picture of green development with a focus on biodiversity conservation: principles and practices discussed are relevant to concerned citizens, built environment professionals (e.g., developers, landscape architects, and civil engineers), and policy makers. The first part of the book outlines ... More

Biodiversity conservation is directly and indirectly related to how urban developments are designed and managed. People from all sectors of society are grappling with the issue of minimizing growth impacts both within a development's boundary and on surrounding habitats. The Green Leap presents a holistic picture of green development with a focus on biodiversity conservation: principles and practices discussed are relevant to concerned citizens, built environment professionals (e.g., developers, landscape architects, and civil engineers), and policy makers. The first part of the book outlines the key players and principles that are necessary to establish biodiverse communities. With this background, the second part of the book illustrates eight key design and management strategies, and for each strategy, the book provides unique case studies, concepts, tried practices, and real-world examples. Overall, The Green Leap explores the dynamic relationship among various urban decision makers and offers a way forward to build green communities. This book is not only useful for the construction of new subdivisions, but it will help people to retrofit existing yards and neighborhoods. The Green Leap is relevant both for scholars in the fields of natural resource conservation, urban design and planning, and for practitioners in public and private sectors.