The military presence in Afghanistan is expanding at a rapid pace, creating a military sprawl.
"But if the situation for ordinary Afghans is worsening, the machinery and industry of NATO's presence in their country is thriving. As I arrived at Kandahar Air Field this week for my second reporting stint in Afghanistan, I was struck by just how comfortably the West is settling in here. The NATO base, which grew from the rubble of the old Kandahar airport after the first round of fighting ended seven years ago, was a wonder even when I was here last, in spring 2007. Housing about 5,000 troops from several different nations, it had a sophisticated electricity system, fast-food outlets, cement plants and steak-and-lobster nights."
"The complex known simply as KAF has only multiplied since then."
"Like urban sprawl, new barracks have appeared on land I last saw being cleared of mines."
FULL STORY: Tom Blackwell in Kandahar: Urban sprawl behind the barricades
Mock Afghan City Helps Train Civilians
For more than 1,000 U.S. civilians being sent to Afghanistan to aid the nation's political and economic recovery, training starts in a small Indiana city where the Army and National Guard have built a mock Afghan city complex.
Commentary: We Need a Return to the Adaptability of Traditional Urban Form
How the rigidity of modern suburban development fails to prepare cities for the future.
Research: Sprawl Linked to Poverty
Low-income families living in high-sprawl neighborhoods are limited in their access to education, jobs, and other amenities, often trapping them in a cycle of poverty.
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