Final approved plan - August 2019

Green infrastructure is Cecil County’s natural life support system, an interconnected network of forests, wetlands, waterways, and floodplains, which includes parks and other conservation lands, such as farms.

These places support native species, sustain air and water resources, and contribute to people’s health and quality of life. At broad scales, green infrastructure includes large blocks of forests, wetlands, and stream networks; and at the site scale, green infrastructure may focus on more natural solutions to reduce stormwater runoff, flood damage, and heat. In the long term, identifying and protecting a green infrastructure network can reduce impacts to water quality and flooding and help prevent future damage from increased storm activity.

The Cecil County Green Infrastructure Plan will explore opportunities and potential partnerships to protect, improve, and expand natural lands that can function to improve the capacity to manage intensified precipitation and its accompanying stormwater run-off and flooding. Green infrastructure can also reduce coastal storm damage from wave erosion. Additional benefits of a comprehensive green infrastructure network can reduce the effects of heat and provide additional recreational opportunities through connected parklands and greenway trails.  

Cecil County will be partnering with the Conservation Fund to prepare the mapping assessment and draft plan, the Susquehannock Wildlife Society to conduct habitat assessments and develop management recommendations on a sample of County-owned land within the GI network, and Jean Akers, AICP, PLA, to strengthen the public input process.This project will lead to a functional plan that supplements the Comprehensive Plan, and where consistent with other plans, will aid with future policy direction.

For more information, please contact the Cecil County Department of Land Use and Development Services at 410-996-5220

From the Second Community Workshop - 5/15/2019

Green Infrastructure Project Story Maps