Green Space
Washington Cities Balance Housing Development and Tree Canopy
Cities like Seattle and Bellingham are working to increase housing density while also preserving urban trees and green spaces.
Expressway Expansion Could Threaten Brooklyn Bridge Park
Supporters of the waterfront park worry NYCDOT’s plan to potentially widen the Brooklyn-Queens Expressway could reduce green space in “one of the most expensive urban parks ever built.”
Los Angeles County Parks Department Releases Five-Year Strategic Plan
The L.A. County Department of Parks and Recreation recently completed a strategic plan which details goals, strategies, and actions that reflect the agency's commitment to advancing equity.
Backlash to San Francisco Development Spotlights City’s Conflicting Priorities
Residents of the Bayview neighborhood say they support new housing, but object to a proposed building that would replace one of the area’s only green spaces.
Data-Driven Effort to Re-envision Conservation and Prioritize Vulnerable Communities
The Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors has approved the 2022 Parks Needs Assessment Plus (PNA+), which focuses on environmental conservation and restoration, regional recreation, and rural recreation.
Identifying and Improving Schools Most In Need of Greening
Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD) has developed an index to help identify the schools that are most in need of greening resources.
How Urban Trees Save Lives
New research shows a strong connection between a healthy urban tree canopy and lowered mortality rates.
Winners of the 2022 American Society of Landscape Architects
The Society’s annual awards highlight projects focused on reconnecting communities to the landscape and creating healthy community spaces.
Investing in Green Schoolyards
California's budget now includes an unprecedented investment of $150 million to create green schoolyards and schoolyard forests at K-12 schools across the state.
Unsurprisingly, People Enjoy Walking More in Safe, Green Spaces
New research shows that people are likely to walk more in places that are both walkable and green.
Depave Paradise: Reclaiming Parking Lots for Park Space
The promoters of a new park hope to provide a model for how replacing surface parking lots with green space can mitigate urban heat and boost urban biodiversity.
How Rotterdam’s Green Rooftops Fight Urban Heat
An elevated park in Rotterdam shows how green roofs can cool cities and create public parks in tight quarters.
The Social and Economic Benefits of Green Schoolyards
New research suggests that switching from asphalt to green, park-like schoolyards brings economic benefits in addition to public health improvements.
NYC 25x25 Plan Would Reclaim ‘13 Central Parks’ From Cars
A plan backed by New York City Mayor Eric Adams would repurpose 25 percent of the city’s street space for multimodal transportation and pedestrian plazas.
Parks as a Weapon Against Climate Change
The 2022 ParkScore finds that cities are increasingly employing green space as a tool for mitigating heat and extreme weather effects, but the distribution of parks remains inequitable.
'Greening' L.A.'s Schoolyards
Advocates for increasing green space on school campuses say giving students a more healthy outdoor environment can also reduce the urban heat island effect and improve public health in historically underserved communities.
Magic Johnson Park to Reopen in February
A much-needed park in South Los Angeles will reopen to the public after undergoing major renovations.
Massive New Park Coming to the Inland Empire
A 3.5-mile long greenway will bring trails, recreational facilities, and open space to Ontario, in San Bernardino County, California.
Toronto Searching for a Future for its Public Golf Courses
Amid calls to convert the city's golf courses to other uses, Toronto, Ontario city staff are trying to figure out a middle ground between competing interests.
How Urban Design Affects Children's Cognitive Development
A European study suggests that good urban design can affect cognitive and motor function development in young children.
Pagination
City of Yakima
City of Auburn
Baylands Development Inc.
HUD's Office of Policy Development and Research
Mpact Transit + Community
HUD's Office of Policy Development and Research
City of Birmingham, Alabama
City of Laramie, Wyoming
Colorado Department of Local Affairs
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.