Part literature review, part political appeal, this article makes the case for rethinking the concept of what makes plants native—especially in the face of climate change.

Erle C. Ellis writes of the scientific approach to conserving biodiversity as the footprint of human settlement spreads across the planet—an approach that requires several breaks from the status quo.
First Erle argues that cities are the most important location for the fight to conserve biodiversity: "As climate change, land use, pollution, and other anthropogenic forces displace wildlife from their historical habitats, urbanizing landscapes are increasingly where the conservation action is — and needs to be."
Then Earle sets about debunking a widely held assumption about the kinds of plants that comprise urban biodiversity:
Nevertheless, a focus on native plantings as the key to biodiversity conservation in urban areas can create more problems than it can solve. To begin with, the concept of “native species” itself can be the problem.
With a bit more detail:
To define a spatial limit where a species is “native” — and where it is not — when climate is changing so rapidly may already be more of a problem than a solution.
Instead of turning the built environment into a kind of museum for biodiversity, Earle suggests instead that it's time to "embrace a dynamic vision of what it means to be native — to belong in a place — whether it is urban, agricultural, semi-natural or wild."
FULL STORY: Cultures of nature: What does it mean to be native in the city?

Rethinking Redlining
For decades we have blamed 100-year-old maps for the patterns of spatial racial inequity that persist in American cities today. An esteemed researcher says: we’ve got it all wrong.

Montreal Mall to Become 6,000 Housing Units
Place Versailles will be transformed into a mixed-use complex over the next 25 years.

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

Connecting Communities to Nature Close to Home
Los Angeles County’s Nature in Your Neighborhood program brings free, family-friendly wellness and nature activities to local parks, making it easier for residents to enjoy and connect with the outdoors.

Palmdale’s Beloved Water Park Gets $2 Million Upgrade
To mark its 20th anniversary, DryTown Water Park has undergone major renovations, ensuring that families across the Antelope Valley continue to enjoy safe, affordable, and much-needed water-based recreation in the high desert.

Help Stop the Beetle Killing Southern California’s Oak Trees
Claifornia residents can join a volunteer “blitz” this June to help detect and map infestations of an invasive beetle that is killing thousands of oak trees across Southern California.
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Planning for Universal Design
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