Green infrastructure in western Washington and Oregon: Perspectives from a regional summit

Green infrastructure (GI) has grown in acceptance as a sustainable means to manage stormwater in urbanizing landscapes, while providing a multitude of additional benefits that range from improving community health to protecting local ecosystems. The mandated use of GI for the management of stormwater is arguably more prevalent in the Pacific Northwest, where GI is a required practice per municipal stormwater regulations in western Washington State, and the City of Portland OR. However, adoption in the region has faced several challenges. A regional summit to elucidate some of these successes and challenges was organized in Oregon and drew attendees from western Oregon and Washington. Six challenges that impact GI adoption, and six themes that emerged as possible strategies to overcome these challenges, were identified. The six challenges that were identified were: the lack of coordination, traditionalism, site-specific scales, environmental costs, a lack of expertise, and little consideration for maintenance. The six emergent themes identified were: the need for adaptive design and maintenance, the placement of GI for maximum impact, the concept of collective impact, valuation of GI, equity and GI, and the intersection of GI and community health.