Assist communities in developing strategies for protecting and conserving their ecological and cultural assets through environmentally-sensitive decisions, lifestyles and planning. We map natural resources and help communities create conservation and tree planting plans.
The GIC conducts research, economic analysis, land use planning and asset assessment and mapping, to provide the suite of tools needed by communities to protect and restore their green assets, The GIC builds habitat models to find and rank natural resources such as wildlife habitat, water resources, agricultural soils, wildlife corridors as well as human needs and uses such as nature-based recreation. The GIC also works in urban areas to map tree canopy, calculate urban tree benefits, and create strategies for restoring urban natural areas. The GIC primarily works with local and state agencies, community and neighborhood groups, and land trusts, conservation groups and schools. The GIC also conducts training workshops and publishes books, brochures, webinars and web pages to educate the public about the importance of assessing and protecting our natural resources to ensure healthy, vibrant communities.