Sprawl could spell extinction for nearly 1,200 species of plants and animals, according to a new report.
If you needed one more reason to hate urban sprawl, Smart Growth America is happy to help: It's imperiling species left and right. According to a report by the National Wildlife Federation, Smart Growth America, and NatureServe, the next 25 years will see more than 22,000 acres of habitat lost to development in 35 of the sprawlingest metropolitan areas in the U.S. This comes as bad news to the 553 species the groups identified as unique to those areas. "The bottom line is that these species are at risk of extinction due to habitat destruction," said John Kostyack, an NWF lawyer and one of the report's authors.
"And in these metro areas, the leading cause of habitat destruction is sprawl -- development of homes and office buildings and roads in outlying forests and farm fields." To ease the imperilment, the groups recommend preserving open spaces, giving incentives to build in already-developed areas, and encouraging developers to construct more high-density projects.
Thanks to Grist Magazine
FULL STORY: Groups: Urban sprawl threatens species
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.
Bend, Oregon Zoning Reforms Prioritize Small-Scale Housing
The city altered its zoning code to allow multi-family housing and eliminated parking mandates citywide.
Amtrak Cutting Jobs, Funding to High-Speed Rail
The agency plans to cut 10 percent of its workforce and has confirmed it will not fund new high-speed rail projects.
LA Denies Basic Services to Unhoused Residents
The city has repeatedly failed to respond to requests for trash pickup at encampment sites, and eliminated a program that provided mobile showers and toilets.
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.
planning NEXT
Appalachian Highlands Housing Partners
Mpact (founded as Rail~Volution)
City of Camden Redevelopment Agency
City of Astoria
City of Portland
City of Laramie