Recreation Conversion
Converting irrigated agricultural land to recreational uses that reduce groundwater demand
Overview
Agricultural land could be converted to a spectrum of public recreational uses from highly developed parks to undeveloped publicly accessed land.
Water Savings
Eliminates irrigation extraction, significantly reducing groundwater demand on converted acres.
Other Benefits
Community benefit, habitat restoration, potential recharge, and storm surge protection.
Factors to Consider
Proximity to urban centers, accessibility, and susceptibility to erosion or degradation.
Recreation areas can also contribute to habitat, greenspace and overall landscape connectivity, which benefits biodiversity and the ability of land to provide multiple ecosystem services such as flood protection. Connecting small green spaces, wildlife conservation areas, wetlands, and riparian corridors can be accomplished with recreation spaces as well as those designed for habitat conservation.
Land trust easements are a potential tool to access technical support and funding.
Conversion to Recreation Quick Facts
- Agricultural land can be converted to a spectrum from highly developed parks to undeveloped publicly accessed land.
- Depending on development level, can realize multiple benefits: habitat, conservation cover, storm surge protection.
- Consider proximity to urban centers, accessibility, and erosion/degradation susceptibility.
- Recreation areas can contribute to habitat, greenspace, and landscape connectivity.
- Land trust easements are a potential tool for technical support and funding.
Resources
Conversion to Recreation — Summary
| Measure | Description | Water Savings Benefits | Other Benefits | Factors to Consider |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Conversion to recreation | Conversion to recreational landscapes for human use. | No irrigation. | Community benefit, habitat, potential recharge. | Previous land use, soil type, climate, topography, connectivity, proximity to users. |