Bruce Babbitt Interviewed

Terrain.org interviews the former Secretary of the Interior and "Cities in the Wilderness" author.

1 minute read

April 14, 2006, 7:00 AM PDT

By David Gest


"With degrees in geology, geophysics, and law, Bruce Babbitt was elected to statewide office on his first foray into elective politics in Arizona at the age of 36. In 1978 he became governor, was twice reelected to that office and served nine years in all. In 1988, Babbitt was a candidate for the presidency of the United States and from 1988-1993 he practiced law and served as head of the League of Conservation Voters."

"Terrain.org: What exactly do you mean by a 'city in the wilderness'?

Bruce Babbitt: The boundaries that once separated our cities from the surrounding forests, farmlands, and natural landscapes are beginning to blur and disappear. Sprawl is erasing the distinction between the built environment and the natural environment. And both the quality of urban life and the integrity of our natural ecosystems are declining. Cities and natural landscapes (or wilderness) function best with a fair degree of separation, which is made possible by good land use planning."

Wednesday, April 12, 2006 in Terrain.org

portrait of professional woman

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching. Mary G., Urban Planner

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching.

Mary G., Urban Planner

Get top-rated, practical training

Logo for Planetizen Federal Action Tracker with black and white image of U.S. Capitol with water ripple overlay.

Planetizen Federal Action Tracker

A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.

April 30, 2025 - Diana Ionescu

Close-up on Canadian flag with Canada Parliament building blurred in background.

Canada vs. Kamala: Whose Liberal Housing Platform Comes Out on Top?

As Canada votes for a new Prime Minister, what can America learn from the leading liberal candidate of its neighbor to the north?

April 28, 2025 - Benjamin Schneider

Hot air balloons rise over Downtown Boise with the State Capitol building visible amidst the high rises.

The Five Most-Changed American Cities

A ranking of population change, home values, and jobs highlights the nation’s most dynamic and most stagnant regions.

April 23, 2025 - GoodMigrations

A large Google data center building in the Netherlands.

Rethinking Computing: Researchers Tackle AI’s Energy Demands

USC researchers are reimagining how AI systems are trained and powered — through smarter algorithms, innovative hardware, and brain-inspired designs — to dramatically reduce computing’s energy footprint.

2 hours ago - USC News

Close-up of smartphone with Zoox logo and screen with blurred image of Zoox autonomous vehicle in background.

Amazon-Owned Robotaxis to Begin Testing in LA

Los Angeles will become the sixth city where Zoox is testing its autonomous vehicle technology.

4 hours ago - Smart Cities Dive

NYC MTA train on elevated rail with Manhattan skyline visible in background.

New York MTA Says No More Borrowing, Will Cut Costs Instead

The agency says it won’t take out any new loans to finance its planned improvements and is finding other ways to cut costs.

6 hours ago - Bloomberg CityLab

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.

Senior Manager Operations, Urban Planning

New York City School Construction Authority

Building Inspector

Village of Glen Ellyn

Manager of Model Development

Central Transportation Planning Staff/Boston Region MPO