Amid data showing a dwindling supply of prime Canadian agricultural land, a commencing study seeks to strengthen preservation policies.
“The way farmland is managed in British Columbia and across Canada is being put under the microscope in a three-year study that will involve nine researchers from six different universities,” writes Mark Hume.
“The biggest cities in Canada are where the best farmland is, said David Connell, an associate professor of environmental planning at the University of Northern British Columbia in Prince George, and that has led to constant and increasing pressure to develop agricultural land for golf courses, condominiums and shopping malls…”
Over the past four decades nearly 12,000 square kilometers of prime agricultural lands have been lost, much of this in Southern Ontario where ongoing urban expansion continues to threaten some of the country's most productive farmlands.
FULL STORY: Developers winning out over farmland preservation, B.C. planner says
New Jersey Agrivoltaic Project Combines Solar Energy With Farming
A Rutgers University-New Brunswick demonstration farm will evaluate solar array designs to understand how they can best support grazing and agriculture on the same site.
Solar Production Threatens Fertile Farmlands
Solar installations are causing soil erosion and raising concerns among farmers in some of the nation’s most productive agricultural regions.
Maine Law Promotes Smart Growth
New state legislation encourages cities to plan around ‘smart growth’ principles to preserve farmland and open space, and use infill development to build more housing.
Alabama: Trump Terminates Settlements for Black Communities Harmed By Raw Sewage
Trump deemed the landmark civil rights agreement “illegal DEI and environmental justice policy.”
Planetizen Federal Action Tracker
A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.
The 120 Year Old Tiny Home Villages That Sheltered San Francisco’s Earthquake Refugees
More than a century ago, San Francisco mobilized to house thousands of residents displaced by the 1906 earthquake. Could their strategy offer a model for the present?
In Both Crashes and Crime, Public Transportation is Far Safer than Driving
Contrary to popular assumptions, public transportation has far lower crash and crime rates than automobile travel. For safer communities, improve and encourage transit travel.
Report: Zoning Reforms Should Complement Nashville’s Ambitious Transit Plan
Without reform, restrictive zoning codes will limit the impact of the city’s planned transit expansion and could exclude some of the residents who depend on transit the most.
Judge Orders Release of Frozen IRA, IIJA Funding
The decision is a victory for environmental groups who charged that freezing funds for critical infrastructure and disaster response programs caused “real and irreparable harm” to communities.
Urban Design for Planners 1: Software Tools
This six-course series explores essential urban design concepts using open source software and equips planners with the tools they need to participate fully in the urban design process.
Planning for Universal Design
Learn the tools for implementing Universal Design in planning regulations.
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Jessamine County Fiscal Court
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Harvard GSD Executive Education
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