ecosystems

Close-up of desert tortoise in Nevada desert.

BLM Allocates Funding to Study Renewables Impact on Public Lands

The large-scale study will assess how proposed solar farms and other renewable energy projects could impact animals, plants, and habitats.

January 1, 2024 - KLAS

Eucalyptus Tree

The Ongoing Debate Over California's Eucalyptus Trees

The eucalyptus is an exotic species in California, and studies suggest it has contributed to an increase in wildfire hazards. But defenders of the trees say the eucalyptus is just an ecological scapegoat.

December 28, 2019 - The Guardian

Kennebec River

20 Years of Dam Removal Projects

Dam removal has its benefits, according to the example set by a particularly historic dam removal in the United States, which took place on July 1, 1999.

July 2, 2019 - American Rivers

Logging

A Surprising Source of Carbon Emissions in Oregon

The ecosystems of Oregon’s Coast Range are some of the most adept ecosystems for absorbing carbon in the entire country. The same trees that absorb that carbon can be turned into a major source of emissions in the hands of humans.

May 25, 2018 - High Country News

Vacant Lot in Detroit

Innovation in Detroit Turns to the Worm

Faced with an estimated 24 square miles of vacant land, Detroit is turning its empty lots into test beds of urban innovation.

October 13, 2015 - Detroit Free Press

Ancient Cities Were Unsustainable Too

Over the last several decades, researchers have examined how our cities deplete natural resources and change the climate and ecosystems of their surrounding areas. But new evidence shows that such impacts aren't a purely modern phenomenon.

January 9, 2014 - Smithsonian

New Study Reveals Importance of Conserving Unbuilt Land

A new study mandated by the federal Resources Planning Act predicts that developed land in the U.S. will increase by 41 percent in the next five decades. Such development could have dramatic impacts on our natural resources and ecosystems.

January 9, 2013 - NRDC Switchboard

The New Promise of Urban Ecology

Courtney Humphries takes a look at recent federal investment in research on the complex interrelationship between human settlements and the natural environment.

November 26, 2012 - Nature

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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.