Conservation

Cougar Death Highlights Urgent Need for Wildlife Crossing
A mountain lion was found dead on the 101 Freeway, less than half a mile from the steel and concrete endoskeleton of the Wallis Annenberg Wildlife Crossing.

Yosemite Meadow Undergoing Major Restoration
Rangeland recently acquired from private owners is being restored to a more natural state thanks to a purchase by the Trust for Public Land.

American Climate Corps Echoes New Deal Programs
A new federal initiative places young workers in jobs aimed at building climate resilience, but will it avoid the mistakes of similar programs?

Southern California’s Oak Trees are Under Threat
Goldspotted oak borers (GSOB) are invasive pests that are harming and killing oak trees across San Diego, Riverside, Orange, and Los Angeles counties.

California Bill Would Make Wildlife Connectivity Part of General Plans
The ‘Room to Roam Act’ would require cities and counties to consider local habitats and the impact of development on wildlife corridors and connectivity.

The Changing Nature of Wilderness
U.S. public lands management is undergoing a slow but significant shift.

Vermont Land Use Case Could Go to Supreme Court
Property owners argue that a new law protecting wildlife corridors amounts to an unconstitutional taking of property.

Illegal Roads Threaten Lake Mead’s Shoreline
As visitors seek out ways to reach the lake’s increasingly distant shoreline, officials say illegally created roads are damaging environmental and cultural resources and leading to hundreds of calls for rescue for stranded vehicles.

Regenerating and Healing Land Through Parks
Through thoughtful planning and restoration efforts, parks can help heal degraded land, meeting multiple community needs, improving soil quality, restoring native vegetation, and creating habitats for wildlife.

BLM Grazing Lands Largely Fail Health Assessment
Grazing lands under the agency’s management are not meeting its own criteria for ecosystem conservation and sustainable use.

Colorado Legislature Passes Enhanced Wetlands Protections
The bill would reinstate protections for wetlands and seasonal streams eliminated by a 2023 Supreme Court ruling.

Montana Ranchers Question Massive Solar Project
The $1.2-billion solar farm would provide power to data centers owned by Microsoft, Meta, and others.
Expansion of the San Gabriel Mountains National Monument Approved
President Biden just signed a proclamation to expand the San Gabriel Mountains National Monument by over 100,000 acres.

The BLM’s Conservation and Landscape Health Rule: An Explainer
Why is the agency’s effort to put conservation on an equal footing with other uses so controversial?

Opinion: Why Environmentalists Should Support NYC ‘City of Yes’ Zoning Reform
The housing-oriented component of Mayor Eric Adams’ City of Yes proposal could serve the double purpose of making housing more affordable and reducing GHG emissions and car dependency.

Just Transition: Bringing Equity to the Clean Energy Conversation
A new report from the Environmental Defense Fund offers a roadmap for countries, energy companies, and other stakeholders to navigate the complexities of transitioning to clean energy while ensuring equity at every step of the process.

Western Solar Plan Charts Course for Development on Public Lands
The BLM’s proposed maps could open up as much as 55 million acres to solar installations.

Opinion: Proposed Mining Law Could Have Devastating Consequences
A federal bill could give mining companies more leeway than ever before.

Making Solar Energy Land Use More Efficient
How an ‘ecovoltaic’ approach can balance energy production with conservation of sensitive land.

Transforming Landfills into Parks
Learn about eleven landfills that have been transformed into beautiful outdoor recreation spaces.
Pagination
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