The Nature Conservancy's largest ever gift will preserve 24,000 acres of highly prized land in California. Jack and Laura Dangermond (cofounders of Esri) made the donation.
James Fallows reports: "A renowned tract of undeveloped California coastal land totaling more than 24,000 acres, or about 38 square miles, has been purchased by The Nature Conservancy (TNC) for permanent preservation, thanks to a $165 million donation by a wealthy tech-industry couple."
The tract of land (now called the Jack and Laura Dangermond Preserve, but previously called the Bixby Ranch) "includes hills and canyons, grasslands and brush, 2,000 acres of coastal live-oak stands containing perhaps 1 million trees, a creek, parts of the Santa Ynez mountain range—and a full eight miles of the bluffs and beaches that make up the coastline around Point Conception, west of Santa Barbara."
The tract is rare for its size and its mostly natural state. The land has never been subdivided, and now it never will.
FULL STORY: A Historic Gift of Pristine Land to Inspire Tech's Elite
Can Conservation and Drilling Coexist?
That's the question facing the nation's largest environmental organization (not the Sierra Club but The Nature Conservancy) regarding the management of its preserve in Texas. There is no question for Naomi Klein, who writes about it in her new book.
Nevada and Utah Groups Oppose Public Land Sell-Off Plan
A set of last-minute amendments to the budget reconciliation bill open up over half a million acres of federally managed land to sales.
New Trail Project Enhances Safety and Access to Rocky Flats National Wildlife Refuge
Jefferson County is improving safe access to Rocky Flats National Wildlife Refuge with new trails, a bridge, and signage, as part of the Rocky Mountain Greenway project, ensuring environmental safety and educating visitors about the site’s history.
Maui's Vacation Rental Debate Turns Ugly
Verbal attacks, misinformation campaigns and fistfights plague a high-stakes debate to convert thousands of vacation rentals into long-term housing.
Planetizen Federal Action Tracker
A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.
San Francisco Suspends Traffic Calming Amidst Record Deaths
Citing “a challenging fiscal landscape,” the city will cease the program on the heels of 42 traffic deaths, including 24 pedestrians.
Half of Post-Fire Altadena Home Sales Were to Corporations
Large investors are quietly buying up dozens of properties in Altadena, California, where a devastating wildfire destroyed more than 6,000 homes in January.
Opinion: What San Francisco’s Proposed ‘Family Zoning’ Could Really Mean
Mayor Lurie is using ‘family zoning’ to encourage denser development and upzoning — but could the concept actually foster community and more human-scale public spaces?
Jacksonville Launches First Autonomous Transit Shuttle in US
A fleet of 14 fully autonomous vehicles will serve a 3.5-mile downtown Jacksonville route with 12 stops.
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.
Gallatin County Department of Planning & Community Development
Heyer Gruel & Associates PA
JM Goldson LLC
City of Camden Redevelopment Agency
City of Astoria
Transportation Research & Education Center (TREC) at Portland State University
Jefferson Parish Government
Camden Redevelopment Agency
City of Claremont