Public Lands
Planning Trends for 2025: Creative Housing Solutions, Ongoing Transit Woes, and the Ever-Creeping Tentacles of AI
Urban planners have no shortage of urgent issues to delve into, from a deepening housing crisis to an increasingly unpredictable climate to a new federal administration bent on slashing key funding for everything from electric cars to housing assistance.
Poll Shows Residents of Western States Prefer Conservation Over Oil and Gas
The majority of the poll’s respondents identified as politically conservative or independent, with 40 percent supporting the MAGA platform.
Public Lands Can Help Us Tackle the Housing Crisis in the West
The U.S. owns more than 650 million acres of public lands, and it has the power to sell or lease limited parcels for affordable housing. But mass disposal of public lands, as some legislators have proposed, is not the answer.
National Parks Layoffs Will Cause Communities to Lose Billions
Thousands of essential park workers were laid off this week, just before the busy spring break season.
BLM Approves Controversial Oil and Gas Leases on Navajo Land
The parcels are located near a sensitive archaeological site, but some Indigenous leaders approve of the move, which will bring in millions in revenue.
National Monuments Under Threat From Mining Under New Executive Order
An executive order from the Department of the Interior could gut protections for public lands established under the Antiquities Act.
How the Trump Presidency Could Impact Urban Planning
An analysis of potential changes in federal housing, transportation, and climate policies.
Supreme Court Declines to Hear Utah’s Case Against the BLM
The state wants more local control of public lands not designated as national parks or monuments.
Biden Approves Two New National Monuments in California
The Chuckwalla and Sáttítla National Monuments will protect natural resources and sites of cultural significance for California native tribes.
Commentary: Colorado Will Forge Ahead With Conservation Work
While federal policy may become less friendly to environmental efforts, support from state legislators and agencies can prevent the state from backsliding.
Key Wins for Conservation in 2024
The year brought some important victories to advocates for public lands, national monuments, and the reclamation of Indigenous history.
More States Push Back on BLM’s Conservation Rule
Twelve states and industry groups are supporting Utah’s lawsuit against the Bureau of Land Management, arguing the agency can’t bar extractive uses on ‘unappropriated’ public lands.
US Forest Service Announces Hiring Freeze for 2025 Fiscal Year
A looming budget cut has led the Forest service to hit pause on seasonal staff hires and hiring external candidates for permanent agency positions, prompting concerns about the agency’s ability to achieve its mission.
Western Conservationists, Tribes File Legal Motion to Defend Public Lands Rule
Some states and industry groups have sued to stop the Bureau of Land Management from enforcing the new rule, which promotes the conservation and restoration of public lands and shifts focus away from extractive uses.
5 Books, 3 Films to Help You Celebrate National Public Lands Day
Can’t make it to a national park or forest this Public Lands Day? Here are five books and three films to help you honor the occasion from the comfort of your own home.
Future Uncertain for Housing Program Tied to Farm Bill
A provision that allows the federal government to lease some of its lands for affordable housing development could lapse if Congress fails to renew the Farm Bill.
BLM Proposes Opening 31 Million Acres of Public Lands to Solar Development
The Biden administration has released a proposal that would open tens of millions of acres in 11 Western states to solar development, a move that has clean energy advocates celebrating and environmental groups concerned.
Utah Sues Over Public Lands Access
State leaders say they want to open 18.5 million acres of unappropriated federal lands to recreation, conservation, and extractive uses.
Grand Teton Foundation Races to Fundraise — or Lose Key Wildlife Corridor
Wyoming could sell a currently protected parcel of land, key to elk and other hoofed mammal migration paths, to private developers.
How Project 2025 Could Threaten Public Lands
If enacted, the conservative plan could ‘decimate’ public lands and protected habitats.
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
