Every week, we bring you the latest news in placemaking, landscape architecture, the nature-mental health link, and much more. Check back each week for new roundups and items.
When Trees Die, People Die
The curious connection between an invasive beetle that has destroyed over 100 million trees, and subsequent heart disease and pneumonia in the human populations nearby.
Wildlife a good thing in S.F.
Mother Nature — or at least a hungry critter or two — is beating paths back to old haunts. It’s a reminder that even a big city has natural appeal. Wildlife can prosper in the most overlooked and neglected spots.
Everyone Loves Parks, But No One Wants to Pay For Them
Last November, the Philadelphia City Council approved a $2.67 million increase to funding for the Department of Parks and Recreation. But while the boost to parks and rec was hardly controversial among residents, it took nearly a year of campaigning and hundreds of volunteers to force the council’s hand.
Historic Gardens — Where Nature Meets Culture — Can be Urban Biodiversity Hotspots
Traditionally gardens have been seen as very special places, as paradises where people can enjoy sounds of water and birds, can rest their eyes on green grass and bright flowers and delight in the fragrance of roses. At the same time gardens are places of botanic practices and symbolic narratives of philosophy, art and history. Today, historic gardens play a very unique role in urban environment and need to be managed thoughtfully, with principles in mind.
Paving paradise? Effects of the urban interface on wildlife
Joni Mitchell sang how “(we) paved paradise to put up a parking lot.†But it’s not the actual pavement I’m concerned about — after all, we’ve all got to live somewhere. Rather, it’s the indirect impacts of a rapidly urbanizing landscape abutting against an otherwise natural Alaskan landscape.
Culture clash, or culture convergence? Rightist survivalism meets green urbanism
There is a very interesting and highly idealistic planned community in the works in northern Idaho. The idea is to be not only a true community, but also locally self-sufficient and resilient, including with respect to energy, where the planners hope to produce more than they consume. So what makes it stand out the most from other such proposals? The leader of The Citadel project is television pundit Glenn Beck and the plan calls for a walled and fortified city.
