Green Space
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.
Planting Trees Where They are Most Needed
Recently, the U.S. Forest Service awarded over $1 billion in competitive grants to expand equitable access to trees and their benefits. Grantees include Los Angeles County and TreePeople, who are working to plant trees where they are most needed.
Making California State Parks More Climate-Resilient
A recently released report offers recommendations for keeping state parks healthy and robust, including acquiring additional land for conservation and recreation.
LA County Releases Draft Community Forest Management Plan
LA County's Chief Sustainability Office just released the discussion draft of Room to Grow, the first Community Forest Management Plan for the county.
Creating More Green Schoolyards in Los Angeles
Led by the Trust for Public Land, the “28×28” Initiative seeks to green 28 schools in Los Angeles by the 2028 Olympics.
Rewilding the Golf Course
How former golf courses are being transformed from manicured lawns to vibrant habitats.
Planning for Trees in Los Angeles
The County and City of Los Angeles are working together on community engagement efforts for their Urban Forest Management Plans (UFMPs).
The Importance of Botanical Gardens
Southern California is home to some of the best botanical gardens around. TimeOut just released its list of the top Japanese and botanical gardens, mansion and institution gardens, and urban and hidden gardens.
Applying Trauma-Informed Design to Cities
How trauma-informed urbanism can make cities and their residents healthier and more resilient.
Healing Neighborhoods Through Park Equity
Learn more about ways to improve park equity with Norma García-González, the director of the Los Angeles County Department of Parks and Recreation, and Catherine Nagel, the executive director of the City Parks Alliance.
Green Spaces Benefit Neighborhoods—When Residents can Reach Them
A study comparing green space and walkability scores found that, without effective access to local parks, residents of greener neighborhoods don’t reap the health benefits.
Tenderloin Greenway Closer to Reality
The Golden Gate Greenway will provide much-needed permanent park and community space in the dense neighborhood.
Urban Design for Sustainability
The way we build cities can have significant impacts on public health and equity.
Urban Golf Courses: Publicly Subsidized, Privately Enjoyed
City golf courses, paid for by public dollars, are rarely used by the vast majority of residents. Some advocates want to see them opened to the public as parks or repurposed for housing.
How Cities Can Support Urban Gardeners
Urban agriculture can provide green spaces, fresh food, and healthy activities, but urban gardeners and foragers face many obstacles.
Even Small Urban Green Spaces Boost Biodiversity
A recent study from the University of Melbourne demonstrates the positive impacts small urban greening projects can have on city ecosystems.
Opinion: How to Fund Better Houston Parks
Houston’s iconic signature parks mask a major underinvestment in green spaces for most of the city’s neighborhoods, according to a new report.
Parks Departments Try to Build New Green Spaces on Shrinking Budgets
Even as the role of parks and urban green space in public and ecological health becomes more apparent, city budgets are hard-pressed to meet the costs of park construction and maintenance.
Advancing Park Equity Through Needs Assessments
City Parks Alliance, in partnership with Prevention Institute, recently hosted a webinar about park equity and collaboration, focusing on the Los Angeles Countywide Parks Needs Assessment.
The Resiliency of Urban Wildlife
A wide-ranging research study highlights the various qualities that make animal species living in urban environments thrive—and how biodiversity improves the health of our cities.
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.
New York City School Construction Authority
Village of Glen Ellyn
Central Transportation Planning Staff/Boston Region MPO
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
