Environment
The Importance of Trails
Trails play a vital role in encouraging and facilitating outdoor recreation that contributes to the health and well-being of residents and visitors alike.
Stopping Climate Change Requires Doing, Not Studying
A $1.1 billion donation to Stanford seeks to mitigate climate change. As impressive as that gesture is, the real solutions to climate change lie in hearts and minds around the world—and not in Palo Alto, California.
Infrastructure Must Catch Up With Climate Change
The worsening effects of extreme weather events are accelerating the deterioration of critical infrastructure, leaving communities more vulnerable.
$7.3 Billion Federal Resilience Funding Program Announced
The Biden administration announced guidance for $7.3 billion in funding under the PROTECT Formula Program at the end of July.
Opinion: Beware ‘Gatlinburginazation’
Gatlinburg, Tennessee, located at the western gateway of Great Smokey Mountains National Park, serves as a cautionary tale in the debate about a proposed resort near Slade in Eastern Kentucky.
This Street Treatment Fights Extreme Heat
Applied to streets, parking lots, and other asphalt surfaces, a reflective epoxy coating can lower temperatures by as much as 10 degrees and cool neighborhoods vulnerable to extreme heat.
Advancing Parks and Recreation Through Storytelling
July is Park and Recreation Month and this year’s theme is “We Rise Up for Parks and Recreation.” One way for park and recreation professionals to rise up is for them tell their stories.
'Inflation Reduction Act' a Mixed Bag for Climate Action, Planning Innovation
A roundup of all the emerging news and commentary regarding the Inflation Reduction Act, which last week broke through a Congressional roadblock to resuscitate some, but not nearly all, of the Build Back Better legislation that failed in 2021.
In Battery Park City, Public Infrastructure Meets Climate Resilience
A massive project underway in Lower Manhattan seeks to protect the shoreline from future flooding and mitigate the effects of climate change and rising sea levels.
Portland Releases 43-Step Climate Action Plan
A draft plan outlines suggested actions to build resilience, minimize carbon emissions, and protect vulnerable residents from extreme weather events.
Oregon Issues Wildfire Risk Map
After homeowners received letters assessing their property’s fire risk, questions remain about the next steps in building fire resilience.
Clean Air Programs Increase Property Values, Study Says
What’s good for the planet is good for the economy, according to a recent study published by the Lincoln Institute of Land Policy.
Report Sounds the Alarm for Western Reservoirs
Without more immediate, long-term reductions in water demand, Lake Mead and Lake Powell, the West’s most important reservoirs, face imminent collapse.
How To Protect an Entire Town From Wildfire
In the wake of the destructive Camp Fire, a proposal to encircle the town of Paradise with a green belt could help keep future fires at bay and better protect vulnerable residents.
Boulder Launches ‘Zero Fare for Better Air’
The Colorado city will make public transit free during the month of August to boost ridership and reduce emissions.
‘Climate-Adaptive’ Park Planned for Ohio River Shoreline
The project aims to slow erosion along the riverbank and restore the formerly industrial area to a more natural state.
Protecting Urban Residents From Extreme Heat
With temperatures reaching record highs in cities around the country, local officials are implementing measures to ensure vulnerable residents have adequate cooling.
Vermont Program Encourages Walking for Grocery Trips
A Burlington program is using grocery trolleys to remind residents that, for many of them, a grocery store is less than a mile away.
North Branch of the Chicago River Transforming Into a ‘Wild Mile’
A remarkable transformation is underway along the North Branch of the Chicago River, after being channelized and brutalized for well over a century.
The Rise of Artificial Turf
Once scratchy and unrealistic, artificial grass has come a long way. Now, it’s quickly becoming a popular lawn replacement as droughts and climate change make traditional lawns harder to maintain.
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 Moorpark
City of Tustin
Tyler Technologies
City of Camden Redevelopment Agency
City of Astoria
Transportation Research & Education Center (TREC) at Portland State University
Regional Transportation Commission of Southern Nevada
Toledo-Lucas County Plan Commissions
