Frederick Law Olmsted, Green Infrastructure, and the Evolving City

Over the past decade, green infrastructure has emerged as a subject of significant interest in city and regional planning; yet, this discussion is not entirely new. Significant elements can be traced to the work of Frederick Law Olmsted, Sr., in the nineteenth century, and the roots of the urban planning and landscape architecture professions. As evidence, this article frames three aspects of Olmsted’s work within contemporary green infrastructure theory and practice: ecosystem services and human well-being; environmental restoration; and comprehensive planning. The article then addresses Olmsted’s philosophy regarding the civilizing influence of urbanism and concludes that green infrastructure may be integral to the evolution of the twenty-first century city.