Date of Award

6-2011

Degree Name

Master of City and Regional Planning

Department/Program

City and Regional Planning

Advisor

Adrienne Greve

Abstract

The Irish Hills Natural Reserve Conservation Plan is a unique component of the City
of San Luis Obispo’s green belt that provides a number of hiking and mountain biking
trails within a short distance from the downtown core as well as ensures that valuable
habitat be preserved into the future. As the subject of my thesis project, IHNR presented the opportunity to pursue an aspect of city planning that can often be over-looked and, conservation planning. Conservation planning is an important element of the planning profession in that it incorporates such elements into the future growth of cities. With proper planning it is possible to foresee future development patterns and thus be able to designate and protect high value natural resource areas as open space, in order to preserve and protect their resources. In addition to setting the guidelines for preserving and protecting the natural resources and important habitats of Irish Hills, the conservation plan has a secondary effect of ensuring the future health of the surrounding habitats.

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