"What if we start Seeing Memphis as Green & Growing?"

That's what Ed McMahon, Senior Fellow at the Urban Land Institute and Director of Land Use Planning for the Conservation Fund, recommended in Memphis a couple of weeks ago. 

Conservation of our natural resources, economic development, and prosperity go hand-in-hand he told audiences, and a couple of events this week show how Memphis is heading in that direction.  

Thoughts about economic development have changed McMahon pointed out. Today people are attracted to a place by beauty, recreation, and a family friendly environment, and cities, developers, conservation organizations, and landowners see that protecting natural resources is good for development. Homebuyers pay premium prices to live near nature and open spaces. This is about creating a place where people want to live, a city that is growing. 

"The 1st step is to figure out where not to develop, for instance places like a shore line, steep slope, or floodplain. If you figure out where not to develop, that points out where to develop," McMahon said. Views are important, too; locally you can ask anybody with a view of the River or a golf course, and they'll second that.

Green & Growing - Events this Week:

* Opening, Grizzlies Pop-Up Fitness Trail on the Riverfront in Tom Lee Park - Wed., 5-7 p.m.

* Public Presentation, Greenprint Plan for the Region - Thurs., 5:30-7 p.m., Hooks Main Library

* McKellar Lake Clean-up with Memphis River Warriors, Sat. 10 am

* Greenway Soiree benefitting Wolf River Conservancy, Sat. 6-9 pm, Wolf River 

Click HERE for an article by Amos Maki for the Daily News that includes more information about Mr. McMahon's talk.