Balancing growth and staying green

As many areas in the South expand at a mind-boggling pace, Southerners are faced with the challenge of finding ways to balance strong growth with a commitment to environmental responsibility. Southern progressives need to lead the pack when it comes to creative solutions to and strong advocacy for this vital balance.

A story in today's Tennessean points to a booming area, Murfreesboro, Tenn., and how it is working with developers to maintain green space in the rapidly-developing city:

Murfreesboro is the biggest city in Rutherford County, recently named by the U.S. Census Bureau as the 53rd fastest-growing county in the nation. All that growth was bound to cut into the area's tree population, but an ordinance requiring commercial developers to submit a landscaping plan helps to stave off the effects.

"Are we losing tree canopy? Definitely. But does the ordinance help? Definitely," Holloway said.

One of the most important notes in the article focuses on the need to underscore to residents that environmental issues are not just about appearances:

But the benefits of great landscaping will go beyond pretty, said Jennifer Smith, executive director of the Tennessee Urban Forestry Council.

"Not to downplay the beautification, of course, but we have to think of trees beyond beautification now," Smith said. "To get the government to spend the money on these programs, we have to reinforce the benefits to air quality, water quality and storm-water management."

This is an area where environmentally-minded Southern progressives can make an impact. We need to find ways to explain these issues, especially in areas where growth is booming. To so many of us who grew up in the South, we were blessed with natural resources so abundant that we take them for granted. Periods of growth are truly make-or-break for these communities.