Table 2.

Recommendations for the integration of incidental nature experience design elements into landscape planning for daily nature experience opportunity

Green infrastructure
Design category	Design attribute	Design purpose
Access	Water	Sensory experience of water via route proximity, bridges, docks, etc.
	Views	Opportunity to look beyond the immediate, or to gain a protected view—overlooks, outlooks (observation towers), blinds, etc.
	Wildlife	Structures to enhance wildlife habitat, e.g., nest boxes and platforms in proximity to human experiencea
	Furnishings	Placement of public chairs and benches for human enjoyment and relaxation proximate to water, vegetation, and views
Connectivity	Mobility	Nature-rich routes for human mobility (note that wildlife corridors are another aspect of green infrastructure planning with different priorities—this focus is upon human access to nature)
Vegetation	Structural variety	Variation in plant size, shape, texture, growth pattern, etc.
	Biodiversity	Variation in species and species distribution
	Seasonal interest	Plant cycle variation (e.g., blooming vegetation, fruiting vegetation, seed variation and availability, autumn color, winter weeds, winter fruit, etc.)
	Wildlife	Vegetation to enhance conditions for a diversity of wildlife* (providing food and shelter)
Earthen structure	Refuge	Refuge created via use of topographic structure to eliminate distracting noise or views or to separate areas of conflicting land use (buffering function)

^aAccommodations to protect wildlife well-being must be considered in conjunction to human proximity; for example, the sensitivity of nesting for many species demands careful consideration