Conservation
Huge Swath of Land Preserved in Pennsylvania's Fastest Growing County
Preservationists have bought one reprieve from the ongoing expansion of developed land in Chester County, Pennsylvania.
Bag Tax Making a Big Difference in Chicago, Study Finds
NYU study finds 30% decrease in use of disposable bags since the city of Chicago implemented a seven-cent tax on them.
Antiquities Act Executive Order Calls for Review of Large Designations
The Executive Order does not roll back the Antiquities Act nor rescind any designations made by presidents Clinton, George W. Bush, or Obama, but does call for their review if over 100,000 acres. President Trump feels that the act has been misused.
Celebrating a Rare Win for the Environment from the Trump Administration
It may be a small but nonetheless significant win for conservation over energy extraction, particularly for Grand County, Colorado, near Rocky Mountain National Park.
Legal Battle Over Wildlife Refuges in Northern California and Southern Oregon
A lawsuit marks the latest twist in an ongoing legal battle over what conservationists consider one of the most important waterfowl sanctuaries in the country.
California Water Plan Foretells Tension Between Cities, Farmers
Recognizing the ongoing drought's severity, Sacramento is set to adopt a new statewide conservation plan. But some say the regulations don't place enough pressure on California's agricultural sector.
EPA Awards Grant To Monitor Wetlands Using Unmanned Aircraft System
Community and Regional Planning Associate Professor Zhenghong Tang received an Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) grant to explore the use of drones to monitor wetlands.
Jamaica Bay: Wilderness in the City
Created so people could "experience nature in the midst of crowds," New York's Jamaica Bay National Wildlife Refuge embodies the characteristics of all modern national parks: abundant, welcoming, and threatened.
Why the Sierra Club Owns a $2.2 Billion Coal Reserve
Through a series of legal maneuvers associated with a coal giant's bankruptcy, the Sierra Club made good on a conservation opportunity worth $2.2 billion and weighing 53 million tons.
'Native Plants' Won't Save Urban Biodiversity
Part literature review, part political appeal, this article makes the case for rethinking the concept of what makes plants native—especially in the face of climate change.
China's Last Wild River Could Remain Free of Dams
Plans to dam China's last wild river have been circulating since 2003, but now it seems that conservationists could emerge victorious
19 Mansions May Be Headed to Los Angeles Wilderness
A fight is brewing over a plan to build 19 luxury homes on an expanse of wilderness in Los Angeles' San Gabriel Mountains.
Houston's Floods a Reminder of the Importance of Wetlands Protection
The executive director of the Bayou Land Conservancy takes to the pages of the Houston Chronicle to describe the conservationist and landscape-focused efforts that can prevent floods like those that struck Houston this week.
Environmentalists Disagree On Bikes in the Wild
Environmental groups are split over legislation that would remove the nationwide ban on bicycles in the wild.
Wise Use Movement Galvanizes Oregon Wildlife Refuge Occupation
In an news analysis for The New York Times Sunday Review, Alan Feuer sees the occupation of the Malheur National Wildlife Refuge in Harney County, Oregon as another struggle between the Wise Use movement, which began is the 1980s, and the mainstream.
Op-Ed: Lake Powell No Longer Needed
Eric Balken makes the case that Lake Powell, anchored in place by the Glen Canyon Dam, is too inefficient a reservoir during times of water scarcity. Lake Mead, he says, is more than up to the task.
The Science of Wetlands Conservation
Research by the University of Nebraska-Lincoln's Zhenghong Tang is helping conserve key south-central Nebraska wetlands that provide habitat for millions of migratory birds.
Mapping the Age of Every Building in Los Angeles
Developed using open data from local government sources, built: LA is a mapping tool that displays the age of every building in the county. Much of the area's built environment is surprisingly old.
Seattle Zealously Protects Its Parkland
Based on a history of park-friendly ordinances, Seattle parks and urban forests are largely off-limits to developers. Landowners who flout these regulations must provide the city with an adjacent and equivalent parcel.
China Plants 'Great Green Wall' of Trees
Net deforestation continues, but at a slower rate as the world's largest ecological engineering project stretches for a planned 2,800 miles. It is hoped the new trees will halt the advance of the Gobi Desert.
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.
City of Albany
UCLA Lewis Center for Regional Policy Studies
Mpact (formerly Rail~Volution)
Chaddick Institute at DePaul University
City of Piedmont, CA
Great Falls Development Authority, Inc.
HUDs Office of Policy Development and Research
