Nature

An effort is underway to reintroduce a natural habitats along a stretch of postindustrial Chicago River canal-scape. Floating garden modules are being used to attract species back to the area.

July 11, 2018 - The Chicago Tribune

The healthiest neighborhoods are both walkable and green, according to a growing body of evidence.

April 3, 2018 - PlaceMakers

Everyone has a different answer on what makes a great place, depending on how wonky you'd like to get. Kaid Benfield lists his top 10 ingredients for a healthy community.

September 18, 2017 - PlaceMakers

Living near vegetation appears to be linked to a longer life and better mental health—for women, at least.

May 5, 2017 - CNN

After six years of successful Smart City Expo World Congresses in Barcelona, the island of Majorca will host one that focuses exclusively on islands. It will focus on technology and innovation, and address unique challenges islands face.

March 25, 2017 - Cities of the Future

All that pollen in the air giving you the sneezes is probably because of all the male trees your city has been planting.

March 17, 2017 - Greater Greater Washington

Designing trails means serving many masters. Those who do it professionally must balance aesthetics with practical concerns like drainage.

March 4, 2017 - 99% Invisible

Susan Henderson shares some thoughts about the alignment of issues contributing to well-being in cities.

February 1, 2017 - PlaceShakers

When nature is integrated into urbanism, wellness surges. Hazel Borys looks at the benefits.

January 17, 2017 - PlaceShakers

Researchers have made a positive link between increased greenery in a child's neighborhoods and a reduction in aggressive behavior.

July 5, 2016 - Pacific Standard

In the traditional view, nature and digital technology clash. But for many people, tech can offer ways to better engage with parks.

March 29, 2016 - KCET

Ecologists offer scientific lessons in how to better build cities for humans and wildlife.

January 19, 2016 - Steven Snell

The City of Calgary aims to restore 20 percent of its open space to increase biodiversity. Complex nature is—and needs to be seen as—foundational to our day-to-day lives, both for our well being, and the health of nature itself.

December 10, 2015 - Steven Snell

A city has always been understood and defined as a pattern of human settlement. This op-ed suggests that a city needs to be a product of its environment, rather than the environment simply being a product of it.

November 8, 2015 - Steven Snell

I wrote an urbanist Christmas wish list last week for Fast Forward Weekly. I figured I'd elaborate on one of my wishes for weedy nature and public art: disturbance oriented art.

December 14, 2014 - Steven Snell

NPR's Cities Project is crowdsourcing Instagram photos of nature creeping back into urban spaces.

September 26, 2014 - NPR Cities Project

There is already good evidence that exposure to green landscapes is good for people. The next frontier of research in the health impacts of designed environments is to be able to quantify connections between design decisions and life expectancy.

June 11, 2014 - ASLA The Dirt

Researcher Chris Ives suggests that rather than relying solely on economic gains to justify urban nature and biodiversity, community values may be more effective in gaining public support.

May 11, 2014 - Sustainable Cities Collective

For years, science has been catching up to the intuitive wisdom that spending time in, or adjacent to, nature has physical and mental health benefits. The ASLA has collected a trove of this research in one easy to navigate website.

September 11, 2013 - ASLA

Using two paradigms addressing synergies of nature and the city, Chuck Wolfe contrasts gradually merging animal and human habitats in the United States with calculated greening of city spaces overseas.

February 18, 2013 - The Atlantic Cities