Building Community
Creating Places
Using Commmon Sense
Project Areas
Major Initiatives
Special Features
PPS Favorites
- What If We Built Our Cities Around Places?
- Great Waterfronts of the World
- Pride of Place
Governing Magazine - Placemaker Profile: Allan Jacobs
Environmental Benefits
Photo: Toronto Parks and Recreation
- The Case for Greener Cities
Sprawl is inflicting major damage on forests essential for livable communities. Here's American Forest's view on how to take a stand for the trees.
- Green Enhances Growth
But unfortunately, the urban forest is disappearing in many communities around the country, according to Edward McMahon, Director, the Conservation Fund.
- Greenways Fact Sheet
A helpful primer on greenways, including a list of resources on benefits (air quality, flood control, etc.), from the Trails & Greenways clearinghouse.
- American Forests Toolkit
Helpful materials on trees, cities & sprawl, including ways to get a GIS survey of your tree cover!
- Chicago Greening Puts Nature in the City
Chicago's Motto is "Urbs in Horto -- City in a Garden." This article from Conscious Choice tells why.
- Do Trees Strengthen Urban Communities?
Two researchers at the University of Illinois find evidence that trees may reduce violence.
- Creative Discovery Garden Flourishes in New Park
A design process that gathered input from schools and in-kind donations from businesses and organizations turned a children's play area, and the environmental restoration project surrounding it, into a backyard, a schoolyard and a science classroom.
- Why Trees Are Good
Beyond Joyce Kilmer- stats and other useful information about contributions trees make to neighborhood environmental quality, visitor perceptions, and more.
- What are the Benefits of Community Gardening?
What does a garden contribute to a neighborhood? How does it enhance the quality of life for people living there and working in it? Find out here.
- What Good Is Community Greening?
Research that supports the common sense answers you've been using for years -- from the American Community Gardening Association.
- Youth Corps and Conservation Case Study
A description of a project using teen volunteers to do water quality monitoring and conservation/restoration efforts in Portland.
- Benefits of Recreation in Winter
An overview of the "benefits" literature and some specifics as they pertain to winter recreation.
- Saving Urban Trees
An article from LA Weekly on street trees and the urban environment in Los Angeles.
- The Benefits of Parks: Why America Needs More City Parks and Open Space
A highly informative examination of the essential role parks play in urban neighborhoods, this white paper from Trust for Public Land includes chapters on the health, environmental, economic, and social benefits of parks and open spaces.
