This report from the Environmental Law Institute examines the role and relative success of 28 open space protection and conservation efforts. It offers guidelines for creating land use plans that allow for development and conservation.
"The conservation of biodiversity supports efforts to ensure the long-term stability of wildlife species and habitats, ecosystems and economies, and public health and welfare. Because the greatest threats to wildlife and biodiversity in the United States are habitat destruction, degradation, and fragmentation, purchasing land outright or protecting it through the acquisition of a conservation easement ensures the protection of lands important for habitat. However, which lands are conserved-and in what pattern they are conserved-is equally important for maintaining habitat connectivity and minimizing the corrosive effects of habitat fragmentation. Prioritizing lands for acquisition maximizes the conservation benefit of each dollar spent."
"The momentum surrounding biodiversity and wildlife conservation continues to grow nationwide and planning efforts such as the State Wildlife Action Plans have thrust the concept of prioritization and planning further into the spotlight. Open space programs may capitalize on this increasing awareness by seeking to codify the prioritization of lands for their wildlife and biodiversity value."
Thanks to Jon Cecil, AICP
FULL STORY: The Nature of Open Space Programs: Linking Land Protection and Biodiversity Conservation

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.

Chicago’s Ghost Rails
Just beneath the surface of the modern city lie the remnants of its expansive early 20th-century streetcar system.

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.
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