Rehabilitation of the City’s greenbelt system with conversion to native prairie vegetation: 

Janesville has been working on rehabilitating the city’s greenbelts as an ongoing project since 2007. There were two reasons for starting this program. First, because of the relatively recent EPA and WDNR stormwater regulations, the city is now required to clean stormwater runoff prior to the water entering a lake or stream. Second, because the greenbelts have become so degraded there is a need to rehabilitate these environmental corridors. The process of managing a greenbelt includes the removal of invasive trees and shrubs. This is followed by planting a ground cover, nursery crop, and prairie grasses. About a year later, wildflowers are planted within the greenbelt. Three years after the initial restoration, greenbelt lands are evaluated for a scheduled and supervised burn of prairie grasses and continued maintenance and restoration needs. The primary purpose of this project is to provide surface water run-off and prevent flooding and property damage. Greenbelts provide open space and encourage active and passive recreational activities. They also support wildlife, natural prairie growth, trail use, enhance adjacent property values, and overall aesthetics of the city. Future greenbelt plans include planting additional prairie, prescribed burns, and trail improvements.