A plan to restore perennial plants to agricultural land could help reduce runoff and improve water quality across the Great Lakes region.
A group of nonprofits and land trusts in the Great Lakes region is collaborating on a new effort to improve water quality by returning certain croplands to perennial vegetation to reduce runoff and limit erosion.
According to an article in Midland Daily News, “Using state-of-the-art watershed modeling paired with local insights, the Greater Lakes Promise team selects high priority lands for conservation. These lands are then permanently protected with funding generated by individuals and businesses who live and work in the region.”
The restored land will enhance carbon storage and reduce pollution. “The team will develop a modeling framework to target areas with the highest potential for phosphorous loading, along with the lowest predicted land value, in order to maximize the overall return on investment and make sure funds are put to good use.”
If successful, the project offers a promising approach to the permanent conservation of ecologically important areas.
FULL STORY: New regional partnership to improve Great Lakes water quality
Report: European Rivers Are in Trouble
Some of the continent’s most important rivers are suffering from overuse and pollution.
How To Make the Clean Water Act Work Better
A legal scholar suggests mechanisms for closing loopholes that limit the law’s effectiveness.
Fighting Forest Pests With AI: A Hemlock Success Story
Fairfax County utilized GeoAI and ArcGIS technology to efficiently map and protect its hemlock trees from the invasive woolly adelgid, ensuring targeted pest management and preservation of its evergreen canopy.
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.
Retro-silient?: America’s First “Eco-burb,” The Woodlands Turns 50
A master-planned community north of Houston offers lessons on green infrastructure and resilient design, but falls short of its founder’s lofty affordability and walkability goals.
Delivering for America Plan Will Downgrade Mail Service in at Least 49.5 Percent of Zip Codes
Republican and Democrat lawmakers criticize the plan for its disproportionate negative impact on rural communities.
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Balancing Bombs and Butterflies: How the National Guard Protects a Rare Species
The National Guard at Fort Indiantown Gap uses GIS technology and land management strategies to balance military training with conservation efforts, ensuring the survival of the rare eastern regal fritillary butterfly.
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.
EMC Planning Group, Inc.
Planetizen
Planetizen
Mpact (formerly Rail~Volution)
Great Falls Development Authority, Inc.
HUDs Office of Policy Development and Research
NYU Wagner Graduate School of Public Service