Environmental Action Plan (EAP)
The Environmental Action Plan (EAP) is a guide for city leaders, staff, and members of the community to implement sustainability visions and principles. To date, the City of Harrisonburg has taken steps to address the quality and care of our natural resources; however, the latest science indicates that more ambitious actions are required to mitigate the impacts of environmental degradation and the changing climate that will affect our community’s health, economy, and well-being. Adopting and implementing the EAP helps the City support global targets for a stable climate and a resilient community. For more information visit the EAP webpage.
Stormwater Management
Stormwater Management is our community's effort to provide water quality protection of our streams and rivers. The City of Harrisonburg's Stormwater Management Program is a city-wide effort depending on the cooperation of nearly all city departments (most often Department of Public Works, Department of Community Development and Planning, Department of Public Utilities, and the Department of Parks and Recreation) and citizens like you! For more information visit the Stormwater Managment webpage.
Harrisonburg Conservation Assistance Program (HCAP)
The purpose of this program is to provide cost-share and technical assistance to address natural resource and stormwater concerns by assisting in the voluntary installation of certain stormwater Best Management Practices (BMPs) within city limits. HCAP also aims to assist the City with the Municipal Separate Storm Sewer System (MS4) implementation and the challenges meeting the Chesapeake Bay Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) goals. For more information visit the HCAP webpage.
Urban Forestry
The City of Harrisonburg recognizes the value of green infrastructure to our community. Through Harrisonburg's Urban Forestry Program, City staff work to increase tree canopy in Harrisonburg improving the air we breathe, reducing urban noise, filtering our water, helping control stormwater runoff, providing shade and habitat for a wide variety of living things, and enhancing the beauty our urban landscapes.
To manage and improve the City’s Urban Forests, the Public Works Department utilizes the skills of five certified arborists on staff, three of which are International Society of Arboriculture (ISA) Tree Risk Assessment Qualified (TRAQ). For more information visit the Urban Forestry webpage.
Harrisonburg Pollinator Program
In early 2019, Harrisonburg Public Works and Parks and Recreation departments began planting pollinator spaces that are creating a pollinator corridor through The Friendly City.
What is a pollinator corridor and why is it important? A pollinator corridor is a pathway of gardens and meadows planted with native pollinator flowers, grasses, and trees that appeal to our native pollinator species of bees, butterflies, moths, birds, and even bats. This corridor planted through an urban area helps keep our local ecosystem working by providing a pathway for pollinators to travel, rest, and feed. Did you know 1 out of every 3 bites of the food you eat is thanks to a pollinator? That's right, pollinators touch 1/3 of the food we consume, over 150 food crops in the United States depend on pollinators. For more information visit the Pollinator Program webpage.