Preservation groups and land trusts are beneficiaries of the economic recession, as prices on land have dropped low enough for many to buy up land for conservation purposes.
"The purchases by conservationists and state and local governments assure that thousands of acres will be put aside in perpetuity for parks, watershed protection or simply preservation of open space.
'We are getting a second bite at properties that never should have been developed in the first place,' said Will Rogers, president of the Trust for Public Land, a national nonprofit group that buys land for preservation. 'We are working on dozens of these deals across the country, and I know other land trusts are as well.'
Although the bubble burst in 2008, it was only in the last six months to a year that many developers and banks became desperate enough to slash prices deeply enough for the trusts, Mr. Rogers and several other conservationists said."
Stalled housing projects and abandoned subdivisions are being bought by these groups and turned into parks and preserves all across the country.
FULL STORY: Preservation Groups Find Bargains in Housing Bust

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

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Amtrak Cutting Jobs, Funding to High-Speed Rail
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Ohio Forces Data Centers to Prepay for Power
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MARTA CEO Steps Down Amid Citizenship Concerns
MARTA’s board announced Thursday that its chief, who is from Canada, is resigning due to questions about his immigration status.

Silicon Valley ‘Bike Superhighway’ Awarded $14M State Grant
A Caltrans grant brings the 10-mile Central Bikeway project connecting Santa Clara and East San Jose closer to fruition.
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