New Director of Conservation Development: Betsy Thagard
Conservation development refers to land development techniques that allow a community to grow while simultaneously preserving its environment. By "growing green", communities can accommodate expanding populations while keeping intact the natural features that attract high-quality residents and businesses.
"Developers often find that conservation development techniques cost less than conventional strategies," noted Ms. Thagard. "For this reason, they result in "win-win-win" developments -- providing quality growth for communities, financial success for developers, and a more sustainable natural environment."
Ms. Thagard will lead CRS’s collaboration with developers and local governments to increase knowledge of the multiple benefits of conservation development techniques, particularly in regard to stormwater impacts on the Cahaba River. She will also support a statewide and regional partnership of watershed groups working to strengthen stormwater programs at the federal, state and local levels.
“CRS has already served as a resource by encouraging demonstration projects for water-wise developments such as Hewitt-Trussville High School,” said Beth Stewart, CRS Executive Director. “Our expansion of this program shows our commitment to greatly multiply the number of development projects that use river conservation design.”
Stormwater directed into the Cahaba and its tributaries can have a devastating impact on stream ecology. Old-fashioned stormwater systems often send thousands of gallons rushing into the river after major storms, eroding stream banks, flooding fragile ecosystems with silt, and increasing the cost to treat our drinking water. These mid-20th century systems also impact people by flooding riverside properties and reducing the overall amount of drinking water supplies.
Newer, more ecologically friendly stormwater systems filter rainwater through the ground. They dramatically reduce the flow of rainwater from culverts into the river and minimize pollutant loads from street run-off while recharging and safeguarding our vulnerable drinking water supply.
Interestingly, these 21st century stormwater techniques are often cheaper to install than the older "command and control" style systems with their expensive concrete curbs, retaining ponds and culverts. Betsy will offer expertise in these new stormwater systems, helping local governments and developers understand how they can help both the Cahaba and the business bottom line.
Ms. Thagard has spent many years working on programs that demonstrate the economic and ecological benefits of innovative development strategies. A Birmingham native, she is a graduate of Princeton University and Harvard Law School.
CRS has been working to address stormwater impacts for many years and will greatly expand those efforts through this project. CRS has funded this program through a partnership with Mobile Baykeeper that resulted in a major grant from the Charles Stewart Mott Foundation, and with matching funds from the World Wildlife Fund and individual donors. CRS’s innovative stormwater work was recently selected as one of only four projects nationwide that were funded by the Clean Water Network.