Conservation
The Year in Public Lands
Public policy decisions that will impact land and water conservation in the American West.
Historic Conservation Agreement Reached on Last Day of COP15
The international framework pledges to protect 30 percent of land and water by 2030, but critics say it doesn’t go far enough to address the urgency of biodiversity loss and climate change.
Western Voters: Yes to Conservation, No to Extremism
Voters in Western states generally favored candidates who support public land conservation in this November’s election and rejected extremist rhetoric.
Federal Protection Proposed for Chesapeake Bay
Two Maryland lawmakers will introduce legislation to create the Chesapeake Bay National Recreation Area to protect the region’s important ecological and cultural resources.
Proposed Legislation Sounds Alarm on Mississippi River Drought
Without concerted restoration efforts, the river’s historically low levels could dramatically impact shipping activities and economic development throughout the region.
New National Monument Proposed South of Joshua Tree
The 700,000 acre monument would protect threatened species and important historic and cultural sites.
New Parks Needs Assessment Standards in L.A. County
The report contains data and analyses in support of expanding land conservation and restoration, transit to parks, and other strategies to meet regional and rural needs in Los Angeles County.
Preserving More Hillside Land for Conservation and Biodiversity
The Los Angeles City Council recently approved an ordinance giving the Santa Monica Mountains Conservancy first right of refusal to purchase any surplus hillside land owned by the city so it can be preserved.
Chumash Tribe Opposes Offshore Wind in Proposed Marine Sanctuary
Environmentalists decry the proposed wind farm as harmful to the fragile ecosystem of the Central California coast.
What Is CEQA?
Designed to assess the environmental impacts of new projects and provide mitigation measures, the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) has a controversial history, sometimes serving as a convenient tool for groups intent on stopping or slowing development.
Everglades Restoration To Receive $1.1 Billion in Federal Funds
An 'unprecedented' investment of more than one billion dollars will go toward efforts to restore and conserve the fragile and troubled South Florida ecosystem.
The Sixth Extinction Has Likely Already Begun
Scientists believe we have entered a sixth mass extinction event, calling for conservation and documentation of species before they are lost forever.
Land Trusts Had a Big Decade
Land trusts are diversifying, racking up victories, and conserving millions of acres of land in recent years, according to a recent report.
Santa Monica Mountains Acquires More Land For Conservation
The Mountains Recreation and Conservation Authority has acquired the final 150 acres of the 325-acre Triangle Ranch open space in the Santa Monica Mountains.
Opinion: To Protect Biodiversity, Eliminate All Leaf Blowers
Electric and battery-powered leaf blowers have a reduced impact on pollution and human health, but our lawn care practices continue to harm plant and animal habitats.
Returning to a Wilder World
The pandemic induced an accidental 'rewilding' in many places as animals took over cities and streets devoid of humans. As we emerge from our isolation, can we co-exist peacefully?
Assessing Biden's '30 by 30' Conservation Plan
The president's ambitious commitment to protect 30% of U.S. land and water by 2030 might be too broad in attempting to satisfy all land users.
Biden Administration Seeks More Protection for Wetlands
In a reversal from Trump-era policy, the Biden administration wants to reinstate protections that prevent the contamination of streams and waterways.
Denver Voters Will Weigh Open Space Development
Two competing initiatives seek to change city regulations for residential and commercial development on the city's parklands and open spaces.
Opinion: We're Loving Our National Parks to Death
A reservation system could help the struggling national parks system manage crowds and protect our public lands from overuse, according to this article.
FREE Course: Walkable City 1: Why Walkability?
After describing his path towards focusing on walkability as the essence of good planning, Jeff Speck marches through his five principal reasons for making more walkable places.
Reinventing Malls: Planning Alchemy—Turning Gray Fields Into Gold
The course focuses on the opportunities and imperatives that shape reinvention of mall sites.
Harvard University Graduate School of Design
KFH Group Inc.
Greater Baltimore Committee
The Architects Foundation
University of Cincinnati Online
The Pocatello Development Authority
The Urban Renewal Agency of the City of Pocatello
