Washington, DC (June 17, 2008)- The State of the Nation's Ecosystems 2008 report released by the Heinz Center provides authoritative documentation of key environmental trends. A companion report calls for bold federal and state action to strengthen and integrate the nation's environmental monitoring.
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 Heinz Center Releases Report: State of the Nation's Ecosystems 2008 Climate Protection Strategies and Best Practices Guide Seattle, WA (June 15, 2008)- This report on U.S. cities' efforts to conserve energy and reduce the greenhouse gas emissions that threaten our planet has been prepared for the Mayors Climate Protection Summit in Seattle. It is based on information submitted to The U.S. Conference of Mayors by mayors who applied for the First Annual Mayors' Climate Protection Awards, announced in June during our 2007 Annual Conference of Mayors in Los Angeles, and by mayors planning to participate in the Seattle Summit. For more, click here...Forests Impact Climate Change Washington, DC (June 13, 2008)- In today's issue of Science, Gordon Bonan of the National Science Foundation's National Center for Atmospheric Research (NCAR) presents the current state of understanding how forests impact global climate. The report says there are roughly 42 million square kilometers of forest on Earth, covering almost a third of the land surface, and those environments play a key role in both mitigating and enhancing global warming. Bonan said, "Forests have been proposed as a possible solution [to mitigate global warming], so it is imperative that we understand fully how forests influence climate." For more, click here...Millions of US Workers Stand to Gain from Green Industries Washington, DC (June 3, 2008)- A report released by a coalition of conservation and labor groups claims that workers at every skill level will be in high demand and enjoy greater job security in those key industries essential to building a clean energy economy in America and fighting global warming. The report, "Job Opportunities for the Green Economy," takes a state-by-state look at existing jobs skills across a wide range of occupations and income levels that would benefit from America's transition towards a clean energy economy. The report quantifies the number of workers who can apply their skills to six categories of green industries-building retrofits, mass transit, fuel-efficient automobiles, wind power, solar power, and cellulosic biomass fuels. For more, click here...Tree-lined Streets Cut Asthma New York, NY (May 1, 2008)- Children who live on tree-lined streets have lower rates of asthma, a New York-based study says. Columbia University researchers found that asthma rates among children aged four and five fell by 25% for every extra 343 trees per square kilometre. They believe more trees aids air quality and encourages children to play outside. The study appears in the Journal of Epidemiology and Community Health. For more, click here...Climate Change Greatly Affecting the World's Children London (April 29, 2008)- A UNICEF UK report found that the world's poorest and most vulnerable children are being hit the hardest by the impact of climate change. The report, "Our Climate, Our Children, Our Responsibility: The Implications of Climate Change for the World's Children," says access to clean water and food supplies will become more difficult, particularly in Africa and Asia. Further, children in poorer countries face a future in which disasters, violence and disease will be more frequent and intense, clean water and food supplies will diminish, and incomes and productivity will fall. For more, click here...Quick Guide on Community-Owned Forests Baltimore, MD (April 21, 2008)- The Communities Committee offers a Quick Guide that provides an introduction to community-owned and managed forests as an approach to conserving private forests that has been gaining increasing attention. The Quick Guide captures key information and learning shared at the conference and from more recent experiences in community-owned forests. It discusses what community forests are and the benefits they provide, outlines the background leading to efforts to increase community ownership of forestlands, provides examples of community forests from across the country, and introduces how communities can acquire and manage forests. For more, click here...Physicians Say Climate Change Already Affecting Human Health Washington, DC (April 7, 2008)- A report by Doctors for the Environment Australia, entitled "Climate Change Health Check 2020," predicts a growing incidence of heat stress, heat-related illness and trauma from extreme weather changes and infectious diseases. Co-author Dr. Graeme Horton says climate change is already a reality and is set to become a key challenge for the health system over the coming decade. Horton said, "Clearly, climate change will place our health system under increasing stress, and as always the elderly, children and the vulnerable will be hardest hit." For more, click here...Newly Published Research on the Urban Forest Kealia, HI (March 1, 2008)- This book, Engaging Uninvolved Communities in Urban Forestry: It's About More Than Trees, rich with colorful photographs and vivid case studies, takes you to inspiring urban greening projects across the nation. Though the settings and social issues at the project sites vary they have one thing in common: urban greening was used as a catalyst to improve living situations. For more, click here...Manual for School Tree Nurseries Flushing, NY (March 1, 2008)- As part of the reauthorization of the 1990 Farm Act, Congress provided $20 million to begin a national tree-planting initiative. The National Tree Trust (NTT) was created to invest and use these funds. As its program was developed, a partnership was established with a number of large forest products companies, such as Georgia Pacific and International Paper. Through this partnership, millions of small tree seedlings were distributed to thousands of locations across the country. Volunteers in rural and exurban areas were able to use the seedlings and successfully execute planting projects; however, in urban areas, this system did not work well because the seedlings were too small to be successfully out-planted in most cities. For more, click here...Sustainable Sites Initiative Washington, DC (March 1, 2008)- The Preliminary Report on the Standards and Guidelines for Sustainable Sites is the result of more than a year of work by a diverse group of experts in development, design, construction, and maintenance of landscapes. It is based on a review of current science as well as best practices in the industries involved. The report details the important contributions to the environment made by soils, hydrology, vegetation, and materials and how sustainable sites benefit people who view and enjoy them. For more, click here...Urban Tree Utilization and Why It Matters By: Steve Bratkovich, Jim Bowyer, Kathryn Fernholz, and Alison Lindburg Boston, MA (March 1, 2008)- Most analyses related to U.S. timberland and timber production focus on forest land that is producing, or is capable of producing, more than 20 cubic feet per acre per year of industrial wood crops under natural conditions, is not withdrawn from timber use, and is not associated with urban or rural development. It's quite reasonable to focus our research and attention on these commercial forest lands due to their size and economic, social and environmental importance. However, there are other categories of forested areas in the U.S. that tend to "fall through the cracks," and that are rarely researched or discussed regarding their potential to provide wood-based products. Urban forests of the United States are such an example. For more, click here...STRATUM: New Tree Guides and New City Analyses Davis, CA (February 1, 2008)- For those who live in the Interior West or the Northeast, there are new versions in the series of Community Tree Guides. These peer-reviewed publications provide regionally based information and quantification of the many benefits that trees provide. They offer help adapting the data to fit your city's circumstances and suggest ways to maximize benefits through strategic planting. For more, click here...Developing and Managing an Urban Forestry Program for Public Works Washington, DC (February 1, 2008)- The American Public Works Association received a grant from the U.S. Forest Service to develop a series of best management practices on effective urban forestry management. Teaming up with the Society of Municipal Arborists and Davey Resource Group, American Public Works Association developed this project to strengthen communications between urban foresters and public works professionals by creating a series of reports and conducting an education campaign on urban forestry management. For more, click here...Community Context and Strip Mall Retail: Public Response to Roadside Landscapes By Kathleen Wolf Seattle, WA (January 13, 2008)- Kathy Wolf's latest research about how trees support the success of retail districts focuses on shopping plazas and mini-malls. A ubiquitous land use across the country, thousands of small shopping plazas are reaching the end of their lifespan and present a prime opportunity for redevelopment. As these shopping areas are redeveloped, the University of Washington researcher offers a convincing argument for additional investment in landscaping. Similar to patterns found among main street retailers, Wolf found that consumers are willing to pay 8.8% more for good and services in well landscaped malls. For more, click here...2008 College Sustainability Report Card Cambridge, MA (January 1, 2008)- The College Sustainability Report Card is a comparative evaluation of campus and endowment sustainability activities at colleges and universities in the United States and Canada. In contrast to the academic focus on sustainability in research and teaching, the Report Card examines colleges and universities, as institutions, through the lens of sustainability. For more, click here...Community Nature & Network Community Action Guide Santa Fe, NM (January 1, 2008)- In the United States, Canada and overseas, there is a growing concern among parents, educators, physicians, and others. Children aren't playing outside much anymore-not even in the back yard or the neighborhood park. This change in our relationship with nature has profound implications for the mental, physical, and spiritual health of future generations- and for the health of the natural world. Young people need opportunities to experience and learn from nature during their growing years in order to become citizens and future decision makers. For more, click here...State of the Urban Forest Final Report Released San Francisco, CA (December 19, 2007)- The Center for Urban Forest Research has just published the San Francisco Bay Area State of the Urban Forest Final Report, written by Jim Simpson and Greg McPherson. The document provides a wealth of information about the benefits of the area's trees, as well as the historic changes in the urban forests of the San Francisco Bay area. It also offers inspiration for residents of other regions to learn about the ecosystem services their urban forests provide and to work to care for their trees. For more, click here...Research Results from the Community-based Forestry Demonstration Program Ft. Collins, CO (December 15, 2007)- In 2000, the Ford Foundation initiated the Community-Based Forestry (CBF) Demonstration Program to help communities build forest and natural resource assets in order to provide sustainable new jobs and enterprises, increase family income, revitalize land-based cultures, and improve ecosystem health. Financial and technical support were provided to 13 "Implementing Partners" across the U.S. to initiate or enhance innovative tools and strategies that would lead to the demonstration program's goals. For more, click here...Volunteer Management Best Practices Study Camden, NJ (December 1, 2007)- In the summer 2007 semester, the Rutgers Business School consulting team worked with the high school student exchange organization, AFS-USA, to research successful volunteer practices of up-to 100 successful nonprofit organizations in a variety of services and industries. The companies selected to participate, including the Alliance for Community Trees, were based on Rutgers' web/library research and with the assistance/advice of AFS-USA. The hope is that these results could be used to benefit a diverse array of organizations to continuously improve their volunteering program. For more, click here...Urban Forestry Strategic & Management Plans Madison, WI (December 1, 2007)- The Wisconsin DNR- Bureau of Forestry has released a new publication: A Technical Guide to Developing Urban Forestry Strategic Plans & Urban Forest Management Plans. Planning is key to effective management of any program. Good plans make the difference between cost-effective, proactive management and costly crisis management. Plans establish focus and direction. They provide the framework for program implementation and a basis for consistent decision making. They are tools for determining budgets and other support needs. For more, click here...Regreen Guidelines- Public Comment Period Washington, DC (November 15, 2007)- A first draft of the Regreen Guidelines has been completed and is currently available for public comment through December 10. Any member of the public can comment on the Regreen guidelines draft, but they are particularly interested in getting feedback from professionals to whom these Regreen guidelines are most directed. For more, click here...Penn State Scientists Study Beetles for Cellulosic Ethanol Production Philadelphia, PA (November 1, 2007)- Dr. Kelli Hoover, Associate Professor of Entomology at Pennsylvania State University, is leading research to determine the potential role of Asian Longhorned Beetles in the biofuel industry. The beetles, which measure 1-1.5 inches and have black shells with white specks, carry microbes in their guts that can break up lignin, the material that makes living trees hard. The cellulose left behind can be broken down further and then fermented into ethanol that has a higher net energy balance and reduces greenhouse gas emissions even more than does corn starch ethanol. For more, click here...Why Shade Streets? The Unexpected Benefit Davis, CA (November 1, 2007)- We would all prefer to walk down a tree-lined street to one without trees, but did you know that the street itself prefers to run under trees? This report examines the cost-saving benefits of having shaded streets. All other factors equal, the condition of pavement on tree-shaded streets is better than on unshaded streets. In fact, shaded roads require significantly less maintenance and can save up to 60% of repaving costs over 30 years. For more, click here...Hyattsville's Trees Benefit The Bay, Save On Energy Bills And Mitigate Global Warming Hyattsville, MD (October 29, 2007)- The Maryland Department of Natural Resources (DNR) Forest Service recently completed a study of Hyattsville's 2,900 roadside trees. The total annual value of benefits provided by the trees equals $281,389. Each individual tree contributes $96.30 in annual benefits and $18.53 in annual benefits per capita. The study utilized the USDA Forest Service iTREE software. For more, click here...Majority of Americans Want Local Action on Global Warming New Haven, CT (October 5, 2007)- GfK Public Affairs and Media, a division of GfK Custom Research North America and the Yale School of Forestry & Environmental Studies today released the first installment of a new quarterly survey called the GfK Roper/Yale Survey on Environmental Issues. The first of its kind to measure public opinion of local government-led green initiatives, the survey found that a majority of Americans support a variety of city and local climate change policies to minimize the effects of global warming. For more, click here...Rainwater as a Resource: A Report on Three Sites Demonstrating Sustainable Stormwater Management Los Angeles (September 17, 2007)- This 50-page report offers a candid description of the integrated, multi-partner process used to implement three projects that showcase alternative technologies for capturing and using stormwater. From concept to completion and beyond, the publication looks both at the successes and the challenges encountered. The case studies, which include a single-family home and two school campuses, reveal the feasibility of retrofitting existing sites to function as miniature watersheds by using stormwater best management practices such as cisterns, swales, infiltration basins and strategically-planted trees. Technical information and plans are also presented. For more, click here...Parking Spaces Outnumber Drivers 3 To 1 Science Daily (September 12, 2007)- From suburban driveways to the sprawling lots that spring up around big retailers, Americans devote lots of space to parking spaces- a growing land-use trend that plays a role in heating up urban areas and adding to water pollution, according to a recent study. Purdue researcher Bryan Pijanowski says vast expanses of parking lots help raise urban temperatures and add to water pollution. For more, click here...Engineered Soil Greens Up Parking Lots By Tracy Staedter Washington, DC (September 10, 2007)- Paved areas pollute. They harbor exhaust-spewing cars, absorb and radiate heat, and collect contaminants that are eventually washed into the ground through rainwater runoff. But a new kind of engineered soil could curb pavement pollution. Made with natural and locally available materials, the aggregate can filter storm water as well as provide a better soil bed for trees, which offer shade, scrub the air of emissions, reduce ambient temperatures, and intercept rainfall. For more, click here...City Trees Sustainability Guidelines and Best Practices Minneapolis, MN (August 20, 2007)- This publication was created by Tree Trust, a Minnesota nonprofit, and Bonestroo, a Minnesota planning and engineering firm, to better institutionalize codes and standards for designing communities with trees. These guidelines will help organizations integrate urban forestry goals with urban development projects. For more, click here...UGA researcher leads effort to sequence and catalog conifer genes for future biofuels research Athens, GA (August 17, 2007)- Jeffrey Dean, professor of forest biotechnology in the University of Georgia Warnell School of Forestry and Natural Resources, is spearheading a project at the U.S. Department of Energy's Joint Genome Institute (JGI) that will greatly expand the gene catalog for pines and initiate the first gene discovery efforts in five other conifer families. For more, click here...GreenWorks! Guide The GreenWorks! Connecting Community Action and Service Learning Guide is for educators who want to partner with a business, nonprofit, or other community organization on an environmental action project- and for the people in those organizations who want to partner with a local school. The guide also supports teachers wanting to involve their students in service learning activities. For more, click here...Taking Action on Climate Change New York (August 2007)- The William and Flora Hewlett Foundation has released a new report discussing the complexity of the climate change problem, the policy and legislation needed to create change, and the increasingly important role that philanthropy can play in this area. For more, click here...Urban Stormwater Retrofit Practices Ellicott City, MD (August 2007)- Over the last four years, the Center for Watershed Protection produced a series of 11 manuals that describe the techniques to restore small urban watersheds. The entire series of manuals were written to organize the enormous amount of information needed to restore small urban watersheds. Manual 3: Urban Stormwater Retrofit Practices has now been released. For more, click here...Stronger, Healthier Cities through Trees: A Resource Guide Atlanta (August 1, 2007)- The Home Depot Foundation has released Stronger, Healthier Cities through Trees: A Resource Guide in three parts. The Guide makes the case for greener cities, presents a strategy for growing with trees, offers some successful policies and programs for urban forestry, features community forestry case studies, and provides various other resources and contacts. For more, click here...Great Expectations: Boomers and the Future of Volunteering San Francisco, CA (August 1, 2007)- This new study from VolunteerMatch, presented with the support of the MetLife foundation and sponsored by Atlantic Philanthropies, takes a closer look at the types of volunteer opportunities older adults are looking for in order to provide useful insights for nonprofits interested in expanding their capacity to attract and engage this talented population. For more, click here...Climate Change Linked to Increase in Hurricanes London (July 29, 2007)- A study published in the Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society of London blames global warming for an increase in tropical storms. "We're seeing a quite substantial increase in hurricanes over the last century, very closely related to increases in sea-surface temperatures in the tropical Atlantic Ocean," said study author Greg Holland of the National Center for Atmospheric Research (NCAR) in Colorado. For more, click here...Neighborhoods Can Reduce the Risk of Obesity Washington, DC (July 1, 2007)- Obesity is the most serious public health problem confronting America today. Obese and overweight Americans face elevated risks of chronic illness and disability. As the obesity epidemic worsens, researchers are zeroing in on environmental factors that may contribute to the problem or, conversely, help to prevent it. It is increasingly clear that neighborhoods play an important role in stimulating exercise and reducing the risk of obesity. For more, click here...Protocols for Estimating Greenhouse Gas Benefits of Urban Forests Davis, CA (June 26, 2007)- The Urban Forest Carbon Protocol Outline is a framework for calculating carbon storage and greenhouse gas emissions reduction benefits provided by urban trees. Developed by USDA Forest Service research Greg McPherson, it is intended to be used by entities that own, control, or manage large numbers of urban trees (e.g., cities, utilities, universities). For more, click here...Benefits and Risks of Urban Roadside Landscape: Finding a Livable Balanced Response By Kathleen Wolf and Karen Dixon Seattle, WA (June 25, 2007)- Placement of trees and landscape features within the urban right-of-way is often perceived by transportation officials as a safety risk. Conversely, there are many community benefits that may result from having roadside landscape, and advocates of urban forestry encourage roadside plantings. Within urban environments transportation mobility and accessibility needs should be balanced with urbanites' health and welfare. For more, click here...Pop Media Misleading- Trees Do Reduce CO2 and Greenhouse Gases By Greg McPherson, Ph.D. Davis, CA (March 12, 2007)- Several stories have appeared recently in popular news outlets suggesting that trees are not a solution in the fight against global warming. While these pop-media pieces represent the views of a few researchers, an overwhelming body of peer-reviewed research from forest scientists around the world point to the importance of forests in reducing carbon dioxide in our atmosphere, and slowing the build-up of that greenhouse gas. For more, click here...New Cool Roof Brochures Oakland, CA (June 1, 2007)- The Cool Roof Rating Council (CRRC) has developed three brochures on cool roofs, aimed at: a) building owners, facility mangers, architects, and roofing specifiers; b) Code bodies and building officials; and c) Roofing manufacturers and sellers. For more, click here...Clinical Benefits of Trees Tied to Reduced Stress, Faster Surgery Recovery, and Decreased Use of Painkillers In 1984, Roger Ulrich completed the best-known and most thorough study linking views of nature to hospital recovery. Records on recovery after cholecystectomy of patients in a suburban Pennsylvania hospital between 1972 and 1981 were examined to determine whether assignment to a room with a window view of a natural setting might have restorative influences. For more, click here...Earth Portal Earth Portal is a comprehensive resource for timely, objective, science-based information about the environment. It is a means for the global scientific community to come together to produce the first free, expert-driven, massively scaleable information resource on the environment, and to engage civil society in a public dialogue on the role of environmental issues in human affairs. It contains no commercial advertising and reaches a large global audience. For more, click here...Green Roof Energy Analysis Cocoa, FL (May 18, 2007)- The Florida Solar Energy Center has recently produced a final report on building and commissioning and green roof technology. With a second season of summer data, this report is an update to a previous study they published on green roof energy analysis. For more, click here...Free Building Products Evaluation Software Building for Environmental and Economic Sustainability (BEES) is a free software tool for selecting environmentally preferred, cost-effective building products. Environmental and economic performance are combined into an overall performance measure using the ASTM standard for Multi-Attribute Decision Analysis. Version 4.0 updates data on more than 200 products and adds 30 new products for review. It also offers users the option of a new set of consensus weights for scoring the environmental impact of individual building products. For more, click here...Stormwater Impacts of Greening Washington, DC (May 15, 2007)- Casey Trees recently released the results of a year long study modeling the stormwater impacts of greening scenarios, including enhanced tree canopy and the increased use of green roofs in the District of Columbia. Green roofs present a unique opportunity in DC because of the prevalence of high density town houses with flat roofs that could accommodate green roofs. Per unit area, green roofs intercept and store almost four times more rainwater than trees. For more, click here...Cool Roof Calculator Discussion Group Washington, DC (May 14, 2007)- A discussion group on developing an integrated cool roof energy savings calculator to replace the two existing federal calculators has been formed. Comments are being sought. For more, click here...Wildlands for Children: Consideration of the Value of Natural Environments in Landscape Planning by Rogert A. Hart Usually landscape planners think of gross motor activity when they think of planning and design for children: running, jumping, swinging, and climbing. This is seen as important to the physical health of children. If one simply reflects upon ones own childhood, however, it becomes clear that this is a limited view. It is equally important to consider opportunities for diversity of sensory experience and aesthetic development; the development of competence and autonomy through freedom to explore and manipulate the environment; cooperation with others; and experience with other living things for their psychological and existential value. For more, click here...Climate Initiatives Reviewed Medford, MA and Washington, DC (May 2007)- Say you are a European musician who is on tour in the US, or a researcher from Boston who needs to attend a conference on the West coast, or you just would like to visit your grandmother who lives back in India. With airtravel still being cheap, you will probably not think much and just book a flight to that the destination. Some of us fly so frequently, we can even afford to upgrade to business class at no extra cost. With Al Gore's movie 'An Inconvenient Truth' and the aftermath of hurricane Katrina, many of us have become more sensitized to the serous threats of climate change. If you travel frequently, air travel, unfortunately contributes a disproportionate amount of greenhouse gases to your personal climate change footprint. The Tufts Climate Initiative and the Brookings Institution review several carbon curbing solutions. For more, click here...New York's Community Gardens A 2003 study by the Trust for Public Land reinforced that urban forestry and community gardens are good partners. Largely basing this assertion on a University of Illinois study, they concluded that trees help to foster an environment of reduced stress and a better aware community. For more, click here...Trees Help Girls Succeed In a study conducted in Chicago's Robert Taylor Homes public housing development, girls who lived in apartments with greener, more natural views scored better on tests of self-discipline than those living in more barren but otherwise identical housing. For more, click here...Mellon Financial Corporation Nonprofit Guide The Mellon Financial Corporation is offering "Discover Total Resources: A Guide for Nonprofits," a guide to help board members, staff, and volunteers discover resources that have been used effectively by a variety of nonprofits. The guide goes beyond "checkbook philanthropy" to the concept of total community resources by shifting from the traditional emphasis on volunteers, corporations, and foundations to focus on people, money, goods, and services. A checklist of resources and techniques is included to help nonprofits reduce their vulnerability and increase their opportunities. For more, click here...Greening America's Schools: Costs and Benefits Some 55 million students spend their days in schools that are too often unhealthy and restrict their ability to learn. A rapidly growing trend is to design schools with the specific intent of providing healthy, comfortable and productive learning environments. Trees are an important aspect in green school construction from several angles including facility energy savings and cleaner air for children at play. For more, click here...Smart Growth for Clean Water The National Association of Local Government Environmental Professionals, Trust for Public Land, and ERG put out a study in 2003 to help communities address the water quality impacts of sprawl. Their findings reinforce the value of trees and links between urban forestry and stormwater management. For more, click here...Landscape Trees and Global Warming by Michael Kuhns Logan, UT (March 2, 2007)- We all hear a great deal these days about global warming and its potential problems. And, we who work with landscape and urban trees have heard claims that we can greatly reduce these problems by planting and caring for trees. Certainly trees are good for our environment. But can trees make a difference in global warming? If so, how do they have an effect and how many trees are needed? For more, click here...Contribution of Public Parks to Physical Activity By Deborah A. Cohen, MD, MPH, et al. (March 2007)- Parks provide places for people to experience nature, engage in physical activity, and relax. This study shows how residents in low-income, minority communities use public, urban neighborhood parks and how parks contribute to physical activity. For more, click here...Proximity to freeways harms children's lungs According to a study that will appear in the February 17, 2007 issue of the journal, The Lancet, researchers at the Keck School of Medicine at the University of Southern California found that children who lived within 500 meters of a freeway since age 10 had substantial deficits in lung function by the age of 18 years, compared to children living at least 1,500 meters away. For more, click here...Most Challenging Places to Live with Asthma Rankings The Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America (AAFA) has released the findings from their annual ranking of the 100 most challenging places to live with asthma. For 2007, Atlanta, Georgia has been named as the top Asthma Capital. For more, click here...Ice Storm Publication Available A grant to the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point resulted in publication of a new 24-page resource for tree managers called, Trees and Ice Storms: Development of Ice Storm Resistant Tree Populations. For more, click here...Neighborhood Strategies to Preserve Open Space Los Angeles (February 8, 2007)- Thinking green does not take much space! Learn how even small bits of land can provide neighborhood green space and collective parcels of neighborhood green add up to a land use system that provides beauty, relaxation, and activity. Community practitioners and green experts from cities across the country will share their efforts to bring green space to the back door of citizens in dense, urban environments. For more, click here...Boomburbs: The Suburban Landscape and Smart Growth's Future Los Angeles (February 8, 2007)- Suburban communities have their own culture, growth patterns, and demographics. The suburbs are critical to the success of Smart Growth in dozens of regions across the country. Smart Growth policymakers must understand what drives suburban communities so they can fashion realistic planning, land use, and transportation strategies. For more, click here...Role of State & Local Agencies in Promoting Healthy Communities Los Angeles (February 8, 2007)- Public health plays an important role in creating healthier communities. State and local health agencies, in particular, provide the necessary leadership to assist in the development and implementation of innovative and creative smart growth policies and environmental modifications. For more, click here...Cities Leading the Way To Reduce Greenhouse Gas Emissions Los Angeles (February 8, 2007)- Global warming presents perhaps the most overwhelming challenge that we have met to date. Fortunately, state and local leaders are emerging to help address this enormous threat. A panel of those working at the local level will be lead by a forward-thinking member of the California Energy Commission with responsibility for addressing global warming through Smart Growth. For more, click here...Greening the Transect: Seeing Things Whole Los Angeles (February 8, 2007)- Using the natural landscape as a fundamental design component across the transect can create beautiful places that function well both environmentally and economically. Natural landscape functions--mimicked through "soft" engineering, protected in their original form, or restored through careful intervention--help create valuable amenities while also managing environmental quality and providing critical habitat. For more, click here...Shaping the Farm Bill to Better Serve Agriculture, Urban Communities and Smart Growth Los Angeles (February 8, 2007)- The 2007 federal Farm Bill provides a once-in-a-generation opportunity to fundamentally change U.S. agricultural policy so that it better serves farmers, consumers and those who care about the use of land. In particular, it could strengthen the ability of agriculture to withstand the pressures of urban sprawl and to improve environmental quality near populated areas, contributing to more livable cities. For more, click here...Addressing Health Disparities Through Building Healthier Communities: A Focus on California Los Angeles (February 8, 2007)- Across the country, the state of the built environment -- the design of neighborhoods and man-made structures such as buildings, roads and sidewalks -- is having detrimental effects on the public's health. Building healthier communities can help address existing health disparities. For more, click here...Retrofitting Strip Development Los Angeles (February 8, 2007)- Smart growth advocates are making impressive progress in revitalizing our downtowns; cutting-edge developers are providing us with some excellent models for greenfield developments; even some industrial areas are being transformed into hip, lively places to live. But what to do about that auto-dominated, look-alike, declining strip development found in communities all over the country? For more, click here...Changing the Climate Through Smart Growth Los Angeles (February 8, 2007)- Atlantic-based hurricanes are in a high occurrence cycle, the planet's temperature is rising, conventional development patterns are still the overwhelming norm and vehicle miles traveled is increasing throughout the country. Interest in climate change and the between growth patterns and their impacts is increasing. For more, click here...Smart Growth Strategies for Preserving Open Spaces and Creating Green Places Los Angeles (February 8, 2007)- A central principal of smart growth, open space preservation can be elusive due to a host of forces. Learn how two successful projects demonstrate lessons learned to create and preserve urban parks. Discuss vision, navigating the political climate, cross-government collaboration, and long-term stewardship, and learn to manage public participation, tap local knowledge, and generate grassroots support. For more, click here...Smart AND Green: LEED for Neighborhood Development and Municipal Green Building Programs Los Angeles (February 8, 2007)- Local governments across the country are looking to sustainable development practices to preserve the quality of life and promote greater environmental stewardship. Learn about two tools that can assist local governments in guiding development in a more sustainable direction. For more, click here...Forestry: Smart Growth Along the Urban/Rural Gradient Los Angeles (February 8, 2007)- Growth and land conservation are often seen as two opposing forces. Explore a new paradigm where development and conservation are compatible and complimentary. The Forest Service will moderate a discussion of three strategic and collaborative approaches to managing growth and conservation along the rural/urban gradient. For more, click here...Innovative Regional Strategies Linking Smart Growth, Infrastructure and Climate Change Los Angeles (February 8, 2007)- Learn about innovative ways in which regional agencies are working to simultaneously reduce traditional air pollution and greenhouse gases. These efforts are linked to new land use and transportation strategies developed to slow urban sprawl and encourage alternative modes of transportation beyond the auto, directly reducing vehicle miles traveled. For more, click here...The Power of Smart Growth for Health: Using Health Impact Assessment and the Built Environment to Optimize Health Los Angeles (February 8, 2007)- Discuss the fundamentals of Health Impact Assessment (HIA), provide examples of HIA from different aspects, all in the context of smart growth. In addition, work through a "rapid" HIA exercise that will give hands-on experience and the knowledge necessary to leave the room and conduct a prospective health analysis of a built project. For more, click here...Weaving the Fabric of Smart Growth: Linkages between Crime Prevention, Pedestrian Safety, Public Health and Economic Vitality Los Angeles (February 8, 2007)- Concurrently tie together the multi-disciplinary fabric of smart growth for professionals of all backgrounds and experience levels. Based on the success of this session at the 2006 New Partners Smart Growth in Denver, conference participants will be provided with a fresh, thought-provoking understanding of how key smart growth principles contribute, simultaneously, to important quality of life issues. For more, click here...Partnerships for Building Crime-Resistant Communities Los Angeles (February 8, 2007)- Public safety is a critical factor in smart growth planning, given that crime and fear have such a pronounced impact on property values, the ability of children to walk to school, the success of businesses, prospects for new investment and the overall health of residents. Likewise, planners and community developers can greatly influence crime patterns as they shape the physical environment and the landscape of economic and social opportunities in a given place. For more, click here...Planning, Designing, and Building for Health: Healthcare Facilities as a Source of Health Promotion Los Angeles (February 8, 2007)- Uncover key opportunities, responsibilities and challenges for the health sector in designing and building facilities that promote community health. Past and current strategies in designing healthcare facilities to be "healthy buildings" have focused on environmental sustainability and environmental health issues, such as the siting of buildings and the use of "green" materials. For more, click here...Eminent Domain: Getting Your Arms around the Mine Field of Land Use and Property Rights Los Angeles (February 8, 2007)- 2006 was a banner year for critical state eminent domain and takings legislation that is re-shaping local capacity to redevelop and build smart, compact communities of choice. With a flurry of action in over 30 states and several major initiatives currently in play, smart growth, local government, and community advocates are on the front line of land use regulation. Learn about what is happening, implications for communities, and challenges they face challenges to come in 2007. For more, click here...It's Easy Being Green... and Healthier Too! Los Angeles (February 8, 2007)- Smart growth looks at where we build and attempts to curb the sprawl that's become prevalent across the U.S. But to really grow smartly we need to look at not just where we grow, but how we grow. The built environment plays a major impact on our environment - the building sector consumers 40 percent of all the world's energy and material resources. For more, click here...Making Rating Systems Work Los Angeles (February 8, 2007)- There are various rating systems around the nation, each designed to measure the successes of specific programs. While there may be spin-off benefits, but there also pitfalls with adopting these systems. Learn about the LEED-ND rating system (which will be in its pilot stage), what it is designed to promote, and its intended audience. For more, click here...Smart Schools and Smart Growth Los Angeles (February 8, 2007)- An important angle of Smart Growth is coalition-building and linking concerns between smart growth advocates and education equity and reform advocates. Cutting-edge collaborations across the country are working to break through the longtime intractable problems that held back both schools and the communities in which they serve. For more, click here...Acquiring Land to Curb Sprawl Los Angeles (February 8, 2007)- Many urban areas are dealing with vacant and abandoned properties while at the same time experiencing booming land prices. Beyond using eminent domain or tax liens, most cities do not have the capacity to acquire property and hold it for redevelopment at the right time. Learn how entrepreneurial nonprofits are working with financial institutions and foundations to create long-term acquisitions funds that help reclaim vacant, abandoned or underutilized land in urban areas. For more, click here...The Tax Toolbox: Financing Mechanisms for Encouraging Smart Growth Los Angeles (February 8, 2007)- Ever feel overwhelmed by the financing options that make smart growth happen? What will be the most effective? Which will provide the most return on investment? What steps can I take to ensure that the tools that I use can encourage smart growth? Explore some of the most common, but at times, misused and misunderstood resources from the tax toolbox. For more, click here...Smart Growth 101 Los Angeles (February 8, 2007)- This introduction is geared towards those who are new to the practice of implementing smart growth solutions, learning about topics such as the ten principles of smart growth, the process of how land development typically occurs, and the basics of planning and zoning for smart growth. For more, click here...Water, Water Everywhere: Exploring Stormwater Strategies in Smart Growth Communities Los Angeles (February 8, 2007)- Join national experts and designers to explore different regional and site-specific strategies for minimizing stormwater runoff in smart growth communities. Examine approaches for allocating projected growth regionally and then apply site specific stormwater strategies to further minimize runoff, and work with architects and urban designers to figure out the best stormwater strategies for a variety of urban design barriers, such as infill sites, narrow streets, and compact buildings. For more, click here...New Publication Highlights Health Benefits of Parks Just published, The Health Benefits of Parks: How Parks Help Keep Americans and Their Communities Fit and Healthy draws from the latest research to outline the ways in which parks, open space, greenways, and trails support and promote healthy lifestyles, potentially decreasing health care costs. The second in Trust for Public Land's planned series of white papers on park benefits, the 24-page report is intended to help park professionals and volunteers make the case for parks as a wise community investment. For more, click here...Study Shows Poor Planning Harms Health in Several Ways Chicago (January 2007)- Researchers have shown for the first time that the same pattern of unwise land use can adversely affect a wide range of health indicators, including obesity and air pollution. This comprehensive study is the first to be commissioned by a local government to assess multiple health impacts of the built environment. The study's findings were reported in the special health edition of the Journal of the American Planning Association (JAPA), the scholarly journal of the American Planning Association. For more, click here...California Health Interview Survey 2005 Data The California Health Interview Survey (CHIS) is the largest state health survey and one of the largest health surveys in the United States. Data from the 2005 CHIS is now available. CHIS data on asthma rates and other health issues may be useful to environmental advocates. Asthma prevalence measures from the 2005 CHIS data show that 1 in 6 children has been diagnosed with asthma, up from 1 in 7 in 2003. For more, click here...Connections Between Public Health and Community Design Washington, DC (January 29, 2007)- Dr. Georges Benjamin, Executive Director of the American Public Health Association, is a well-known leader, practitioner and administrator in the world of public health. Here, he talks about the connections between land use and public health, and the important role that community design plays in protecting and improving health. In addition, he discusses ways public health practitioners can bring value to discussions in partnership with those engaged on designing and building more livable communities. For more, click here...Slideshow: Woody Biomass Energy One of the nation's largest new renewable energy projects is now in service in Portsmouth, New Hampshire, producing power to tens of thousands of homes and businesses in the state through the burning of wood chips. This slideshow walks through the steps involved in converting woody biomass to energy. For more, click here...RAND Study Finds Neighborhood Parks Associated with More Physical Activity In Adolescent Girls Washington, DC (January 6, 2007)- Adolescent girls who live within one-half mile of a public park are significantly more physically active than other girls, according to a RAND Corporation study issued today. For more, click here...Stern Review on the Economics of Climate Change London (January 2, 2007)- Commissioned by the United Kingdom's economics and finance ministry, the Stern Review is an independent report assessing the evidence and building understanding of the economics of climate change. For more, click here...The Importance of Play in Promoting Healthy Child Development and Maintaining Strong Parent-Child Bonds By Kenneth R. Ginsburg Washington, DC (January 1, 2007)- Play is essential to development because it contributes to the cognitive, physical, social, and emotional well-being of children and youth. Play also offers an ideal opportunity for parents to engage fully with their children. Despite the benefits derived from play for both children and parents, time for free play has been markedly reduced for some children. This report addresses a variety of factors that have reduced play, including a hurried lifestyle, changes in family structure, and increased attention to academics and enrichment activities at the expense of recess or free child-centered play. This report offers guidelines on how pediatricians can advocate for children by helping families, school systems, and communities consider how best to ensure that play is protected as they seek the balance in children's lives to create the optimal developmental milieu. For more, click here...More Trees = Reduced ADHD Symptoms Two surveys of parents of children with Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) have shown that performing activities in green settings can reduce the symptoms of ADHD. Adding trees and greenery near homes and schools and encouraging kids with ADHD to go outside may help supplement established treatments to improve functioning. For more, click here...State of Childhood Asthma Report A report released by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) in December 2006 shows that death rates for asthma among children under age 18 have declined since 1999, while doctor visits for the condition have more than doubled. While the death rate has been decreasing, the overall prevalence of childhood asthma cases is at historically high levels in the United States following dramatic increases from 1980 until the late 1990s. For more, click here...Calculate your Carbon Debt One way to help counteract carbon dioxide emissions is to plant trees. Trees absorb CO2 from the air, and use it during the process of photosynthesis. During photosynthesis, CO2 is chemically broken down into oxygen, which is released into the atmosphere, and carbon, which is stored, or sequestered, in the tree's trunk, branches and roots. According to estimates by American Forests, one tree will sequester over 600 pounds of carbon over a 40-year period. For more, click here...More Trees = Less Crime Chicago's Robert Taylor Homes is the largest public housing development in the world. The Robert Taylor Homes consist of 28 sixteen-story apartment buildings. Most of the complex is an urban desert- concrete and asphalt cover the spaces between the buildings- but there are pockets of trees here and there. In 2001, Frances Kuo and Bill Sullivan of the University of Illinois Human-Environment Research Laboratory studied how well the residents of Robert Taylor were doing in their daily lives based on the amount of contact they had with these trees. For more, click here...Ash Replacements Guide Emerald Ash Borer (EAB), members of the genus Fraxinus, is a non-native insect that is currently attacking ash trees throughout the country. First identified in southeastern Michigan in July 2002, emerald ash borer has already killed more than 10 million ash trees in Michigan's cities and forests. Emerald ash borer is a selective pest; it's larvae feeds only the cambium between the bark and wood of ash trees. This produces galleries (look like mazes on bark) that eventually girdle and kill branches and entire trees. Infested ash trees have also been found in Maryland and Virginia. The spread of emerald ash borer is unlikely to be effectively contained. Many communities have discontinued the planting of new ash trees and are now making plans for how to manage future EAB losses. To assist with recovery, Ohio State University Forestry Extension has assembled a publication that identifies tree species that can be used to replace existing ash, when appropriate, or used in future plantings if ash species are not available or are inappropriate for planting. For more, click here...Urban Tree Utilization The purpose of this guide, assembled by the USDA Forest Service, is to make officials of municipalities aware of an alternative strategy for using their street tree removals; a "recycling" strategy which can potentially turn a cost burden scenario into an income-generating opportunity. The strategy involves merchandising sawmill size logs from street tree removals to sawmills or other companies that have unique uses for street tree logs. For more, click here...Green Streets- Stormwater management system for paved areas A unique structural soils system is being designed to retain 100% of runoff from a 25-year storm event. The Initiative How to Build Support for Your Cause: A Strategic Communications Primer This ten-part series is adapted from a "communications primer" created by Biodiversity Project staff- Peter Alexander, Executive Director of the Biodiversity Project- for groups working on Great Lakes issues. For more, click here...Teen vs. Adult Perceptions of Urban Green Space While demand for urban park space has been increasing, information about the sorts of urban park space preferred by various user groups is uneven. Children and teenagers, for example, constitute a leading group of urban park users, yet are largely ignored in preference surveys. A team of researchers from University of Southern California is learning how inner city teens perceive and use green spaces. Findings suggest that teens just want trees and grass, as close to home as possible. For more, click here...Greenprint The Sacramento Tree Foundation is working with the elected officials of the SACOG to double the region's tree canopy over the next 40 years! The goal is to maximize the benefits of our urban forest (air quality, water quality, energy, real estate and businesses). For more, click here...Trees and Transportation Transportation systems have traditionally been designed for traffic mobility and driver safety. New research suggests that urban road projects could safely accommodate more trees than are currently allowed in transportation building codes. "In my opinion, the transportation policy in regard to trees is based on outdated information," said Kathleen Wolf, a social sciences researcher at the University of Washington's College of Forest Resources and lead author of the study. For more, click here...2006 Green Roofs in the NY Metropolitan Region New York (2006)- New York City faces a suite of environmental and human health challenges in the 21st century. The need to understand the nature of these challenges, and to evaluate potential mitigation and adaptation strategies, requires innovative scientific research and assessment, coupled with sound land-use planning, technological innovation, and urban policy. This research explores the development of 'green' or vegetated rooftops as an ecological infrastructure in New York City. For more, click here...Engineered Soils Study Sacramento, CA (October 23, 2006)- Dr. Qingfu Xiao, a hydrologist from UC Davis, is collaborating with scientists at Cornell University and Virginia Tech to study the impacts of different kinds of engineered soils on stormwater runoff. In the first stage of the project, Dr. Xiao compared UC Davis engineered soil with Cornell soil and Carolina Stalite soil in laboratory tests. For more, click here...Main Street Program as a Smart Growth Tool Washington, DC (October 19, 2006)- The National Trust's Main Street Program turned 25 last year with an impressive record of success in working with small towns and urban neighborhoods to revive commercial districts. Main street revival can be an important component of smart growth. For more, click here...Trees as Biotechnology to Improve the Environment Institutionalizing urban forestry as a 'biotechnology' to improve environmental quality. Urbanization concentrates people, materials, and energy into relatively small geographical areas to facilitate the functioning of society. Urbanization often degrades local and regional environmental quality as natural landscapes are replaced with anthropogenic materials. Byproducts of urbanization (eg., heat combustion, and chemical emissions) affect the health of the local and regional landscapes, as well as the health of the people who reside, visit and/or work in and around urban areas. For more, click here...Annual Meeting Conference Proceedings Urban Forest Advocacy- Growing Possibilities Benchmarking Survey Research: trees make streets safer, not deadlier By Robert Steuteville Ithaca, NY (September 2006)- Proposals for planting rows of trees along the roads a traditional technique for shaping pleasing public spaces are often opposed by transportation engineers, who contend that a wide travel corridor, free of obstacles, is needed to protect the lives of errant motorists. Increasingly, however, the engineers beliefs about safety are being subjected to empirical study and are being found incorrect. Eric Dumbaugh, an assistant professor of transportation at Texas A&M, threw down the gauntlet with a long, carefully argued article, Safe Streets, Livable Streets, in the Summer 2005 issue of the Journal of the American Planning Association. A follow-up article by Dumbaugh, in the 2006 edition of Transportation Research Record, will present further evidence that safe urban roadsides are not what the traffic-engineering establishment thinks they are. For more, click here...22 Benefits of Urban Street Trees By Dan Burden Orlando, FL (August 2006)- U.S Forest Service facts and figures and new traffic safety studies detail many urban street tree benefits. Once seen as highly problematic for many reasons, street trees are proving to be a great value to people living, working, shopping, sharing, walking and motoring in and through urban places. For more, click here...Report Highlights the Importance of Greenways The Conservation Fund has produced a new report called Green Infrastructure: Linking Landscapes and Communities. The report examines green infrastructure, a concept that connects environmental, social, and economic health. It advances smart conservation: large-scale thinking and integrated action to plan, protect and manage our natural and restored lands. The book is a valuable resource for anyone who wants to understand innovative approaches to conservation-minded land use. For more, click here...Smart Growth Guide for the Design of Buildings and Corporate Graphics The National Trust for Historic Preservation has produced The Community Design Assessment: A Citizens' Planning Guide, which provides a step-by-step process for evaluating the design and visual impact of buildings and corporate graphics in your community in order to guide decisions about future development. For more, click here...Land Use Tool The ICMA offers a tool for estimating impacts of land use change. If you know the soil type and dimensions of a proposed development project, you can use this online tool to estimate community impacts. For more, click here...Trees - A Prospectus This report provides a retrospective look at the urban and community forestry movement since 1990, with a focus on the role of nonprofit organizations and community-based groups as key to regreening American cities. For more, click here...When Plants Thrive, So Do People (June 30, 2006)- Remember back in college when you lived in a dorm, and your parents gave you a plant to keep in your room, noting, "If the plant survives, so will you." It may have been a joke, but it is true that most of us feel better when there's a little green in our environment. Plants can even make the environment healthier. For more, click here...Storm Preparedness and Damage Assessment Dudley Hartel (USDA Forest Service) and Dr. Jerry Bond (The Davey Institute). For more, click here...Homeowner's Guide to Sudden Oak Death Riverside, CA (June 22, 2006)- A plant disease commonly called Sudden Oak Death (SOD) continues to threaten coastal forests in California and Oregon. Though SOD is a forest disease, it is common in urban Wildland interface areas, so it presents many challenges for homeowners. For more, click here...Structural Soil Davis, CA (June 20, 2006)- The USDA Forest Service, Pacific Southwest Research Station’s Center for Urban Forest Research, is currently working on a project to quantify the benefits tree crowns have on runoff reduction. They also seek to build on that by studying how the use of structural soils can enhance the role that trees play in onsite storm water management. Developing green infrastructure technologies that protect water quality by reducing contaminants in urban runoff is gaining interest among regulators, developers, and consultants. For more, click here...Helper's high: volunteering makes people feel good, physically and emotionally People who exercise vigorously often describe feeling high during a workout -- and a sense of calmness and freedom from stress afterward. Research reveals that these same emotional and physical changes can be produced with activity requiring much less exertion -- helping others. For more, click here...Urban Growth, Opportunities and Air Quality Edens Lost & Found This four-hour PBS series showcases extraordinary stories of environmental rebirth in four very different American cities. For more, click here...Smart Growth- The Massachusetts Experience Washington, DC (May 15, 2006)- Anthony Flint, Director of Smart Growth Education in Massachusetts' Office of Commonwealth Development, spent 16 years as a reporter for the Boston Globe focusing on growth issues, a year as a visiting scholar at the Harvard School of Design, and is now head of smart growth education in the Massachusetts commonwealth government. For more, click here...Careers in Arboriculture DVD A newly produced short film about careers in arboriculture will soon be available from Tree Fund. The project is sponsored by the USDA Forest Service and provides an engaging overview of career paths available to high school graduates, associates degree holders, and college graduates. For more, click here...SHADE: Trees Make Dollars and Sense In 2006, the GUFC published a new edition of SHADE magazine featuring how "Trees Make Dollars and Sense" in Georgia's communities. This custom magazine features welcome letters from Atlanta Mayor Shirley Franklin and Director of the Georgia Forestry Commission, Ken Stewart. For more, click here...Tree Canopy and UV Radiation Green Infrastructure- Linking Landscapes and Communities Washington, DC (April 26, 2006)- Green Infrastructure is a strategic approach to integrating natural areas into plans for growth that focus on maintaining ecosystem functions. This minimizes the need for "grey infrastructure" such as storm drains, as well as providing open space amenities. Ed McMahon, Senior Resident Fellow, Urban Land Institute and author of Green Infrastructure: Linking Landscapes and Communities, is the speaker for this event. For more, click here...Tales from Urban Forests- Trees Mean Business In an age of big-box retailers and soul-less shopping malls surrounded by acres of parking, the idea of a timeless Main Street lined with mature trees is positively nostalgic, right? Well, not quite. According to one researcher, shoppers like to stroll among the urban trees as they browse for purchases. And they're willing to spend more to do so. For more, click here...Tales from Urban Forests- Love Me from a Distance The Pacific Madrone - a beautiful and distinctive tree of the northwest found from California to British Columbia. It likes sandy soil, and grows near cliffs and along the seashore. But it's highly sensitive to human activities - road building, development, even kids climbing on it. The Pacific Madrone can't thrive in an intense urban setting. It's a tree best left alone and perhaps that's incompatible in a city. What happens to a tree that doesn't like human company? For more, click here...Tales from Urban Forests- Urban Heat Island: Human Health Since the 1970s, Atlanta, Georgia has grown from a city of about a million people - to a city of four million. The increase has also led to an increase of pollutants, mainly from automobiles. And even though Atlanta recently met the federal standards that specify how high pollutant levels can be at any one-hour period, the city -- admittedly - has a long way to go. We take a look at life in Atlanta as it grows in popularity, but also in pollutants. For more, click here...Tales from Urban Forests- Watershed 263 In urban areas across the country, we've replaced trees and grass with pavement and concrete. Storm water runoff from these paved surfaces in cities can be saturated with harmful substances such as gasoline, oil and trash. We head to the inner city of Baltimore, Maryland where partners have joined forces to clean up the runoff flowing into the harbor and into the Chesapeake Bay. For more, click here...Tales from Urban Forests- Technology and Trees We visit an inner city high school where students are learning how software tools can be used for urban planning, right on their school grounds. They are using Geographic Information Systems software in their efforts to increase tree canopy in the nation's capital. |