Public Lands
Most Public Lands Are Safe — For Now
A proposal to sell off federally owned lands was removed from the Republican spending bill on procedural grounds.
US Forest Service Could Open Millions of Roadless Acres to Logging
The USDA indicated it plans to repeal the ‘Roadless Rule,’ a Clinton-era regulation that prevents new road-building in undeveloped federal forest areas.
Map: Where Senate Republicans Want to Sell Your Public Lands
For public land advocates, the Senate Republicans’ proposal to sell millions of acres of public land in the West is “the biggest fight of their careers.”
DOJ Says Trump Has Power to Roll Back National Monuments
The opinion sheds light on how the administration may justify its effort to eliminate protected public lands.
Nevada and Utah Groups Oppose Public Land Sell-Off Plan
A set of last-minute amendments to the budget reconciliation bill open up over half a million acres of federally managed land to sales.
BLM To Rescind Public Lands Rule
The change will downgrade conservation, once again putting federal land at risk for mining and other extractive uses.
March Must-Reads: Top 10 Articles From Last Month
Proposed housing solutions, Chicago transit in peril, and executive actions in limbo.
New Executive Order Renews Attack on Public Lands
An order issued late last week pushes for increased mineral extraction on federally owned public lands.
HUD Announces Plan to Build Housing on Public Lands
The agency will identify federally owned parcels appropriate for housing development and streamline the regulatory process to lease or transfer land to housing authorities and nonprofit developers.
Planning Trends for 2025: Creative Housing Solutions, Ongoing Transit Woes, and the Ever-Creeping Tentacles of AI
Urban planners have no shortage of urgent issues to delve into, from a deepening housing crisis to an increasingly unpredictable climate to a new federal administration bent on slashing key funding for everything from electric cars to housing assistance.
Poll Shows Residents of Western States Prefer Conservation Over Oil and Gas
The majority of the poll’s respondents identified as politically conservative or independent, with 40 percent supporting the MAGA platform.
Public Lands Can Help Us Tackle the Housing Crisis in the West
The U.S. owns more than 650 million acres of public lands, and it has the power to sell or lease limited parcels for affordable housing. But mass disposal of public lands, as some legislators have proposed, is not the answer.
National Parks Layoffs Will Cause Communities to Lose Billions
Thousands of essential park workers were laid off this week, just before the busy spring break season.
BLM Approves Controversial Oil and Gas Leases on Navajo Land
The parcels are located near a sensitive archaeological site, but some Indigenous leaders approve of the move, which will bring in millions in revenue.
National Monuments Under Threat From Mining Under New Executive Order
An executive order from the Department of the Interior could gut protections for public lands established under the Antiquities Act.
How the Trump Presidency Could Impact Urban Planning
An analysis of potential changes in federal housing, transportation, and climate policies.
Supreme Court Declines to Hear Utah’s Case Against the BLM
The state wants more local control of public lands not designated as national parks or monuments.
Biden Approves Two New National Monuments in California
The Chuckwalla and Sáttítla National Monuments will protect natural resources and sites of cultural significance for California native tribes.
Commentary: Colorado Will Forge Ahead With Conservation Work
While federal policy may become less friendly to environmental efforts, support from state legislators and agencies can prevent the state from backsliding.
Key Wins for Conservation in 2024
The year brought some important victories to advocates for public lands, national monuments, and the reclamation of Indigenous history.
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.
planning NEXT
Appalachian Highlands Housing Partners
Mpact (founded as Rail~Volution)
City of Camden Redevelopment Agency
City of Astoria
City of Portland
City of Laramie
