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History of Landscape Inventories
in Rhode Island
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- 1950-1970 - RI development boom occurred, which led to
large expanses of land being transformed into suburban house lots and commercial
development.
- 1960's - Governor John H. Chafee initiated the "Green Acres
Program." Using a combination of state bond monies and matching federal and
local grants, Chafee raised $13 million towards purchase of land for open
space preservation.
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Kingston, RI. October, 2000
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- 1965 - Report on the Historic Points of Interest, Scenic
View Areas, and Special Topographical Features of the State of Rhode Island
- Statewide Planning Office - "the task of identifying, analyzing, and mapping
such areas was undertaken. . . so that they could be more easily protected
and preserved."
- 1980's - The character of RI land is changing fairly quickly,
especially in subdivisions in rural areas, "obliterating former clear distinctions
between rural, suburban, and urban landscapes." Improvements to roads make
traveling through the state faster and easier and changes the way Rhode Islanders
visually experience the landscape. Tangible elements of rural character are
measured through strategic tourism resources, the economic value of agricultural
lands, the open space needed to meet recreational demands (see Recreation),
the need to protect groundwater resources and wildlife habitats (see Habitat)
- 1983 - Open Space Preservation in RI: An Inventory of Significant
Sites, a landscape survey, is published.
- 1986-1991 - SCORP (see
Recreation) redefines the loss of scenic vistas, roads, open spaces, farmlands,
coastal areas, noted in the 1965 report. SCORP recommends a policy recognizing
that RI's "scenic rural landscapes, roads, and vistas of NB are important
cultural and economic resources." This is the first mention of the economic
capacity of rural character. This report demands an update of 1965 report.
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- 1987 -
Rhode Island General Law 42-17.1 is passed, commanding
the Director of the DEM to establish and maintain a list or inventory of areas
within the state worthy of special designation as
"scenic." This leads directly to the creation of the Rhode Island Landscape
Inventory.
- 1988 - RI General Assembly passed an act requiring all
cities and towns to adopt community comprehensive plans by 1991, which would
be an inventory of all the significant natural and cultural resources (air,
water, and land-based), open space areas and recreational resources for each
community.
- 1990 - Rhode Island Landscape Inventory (DEM Division of
Planning and Development) is created.
- 2000 - A new survey is in the process of being created.
Whiteman and Taintor Planning, Policy, and Development
Consultants are working with the Scenic
Byways Program to create the survey.
All above data derived from RI
Landscape Inventory: A Survey of the State's Scenic Areas; State of Rhode
Island Department of Environmental Management, Division of Planning and Development,
1990.
Rural Character
Main/Open Space Main/RI
Indicators