States are increasingly becoming major players of land conservation agreements between private landowners and preservation groups.
Seeking to connect the dots of environmentally sensitive areas, more states are dedicating significant funds for land acquisition and joining forces with nonprofit conservation groups to protect entire landscapes and watersheds.
Seizing the opportunity to create a southwest Florida conservation corridor, the "Florida Forever" land acquisition program helped to finance the purchase of 74,000 acres in that part of the state. In California, the state led an effort to acquire the development rights for the 128-square-mile Hearst Ranch, gateway to the Big Sur and overlooking the Pacific Ocean. And the "Yellowstone to Yukon" initiative envisions the creation of a 2,000-mile wildlife corridor stretching from Wyoming to the Arctic Circle.
The blend of public and private investment with voluntary agreements and easements from private landowners is seeking to make the buzzword "ecoregionalism" a reality.
FULL STORY: Green Pieces
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Planetizen Federal Action Tracker
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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.
Central Transportation Planning Staff/Boston Region MPO
Heyer Gruel & Associates PA
Institute for Housing and Urban Development Studies (IHS)
City of Grandview
Harvard GSD Executive Education
Regional Transportation Commission of Southern Nevada
Toledo-Lucas County Plan Commissions