Conservation & Recreation

get the children outside!

If children are the future, we seem to be very short-sighted when it comes to urban design. Very little, if any at all, of the current discourse on the type of cities we should be building truly considers whether these cities will be child friendly.[read more]

angels in LA

Not all angels have wings. Some are clearly grounded and quietly working in Los Angeles city parks thanks to the partnership between the Recreation and Parks Department and the Los Angeles Parks Foundation.[read more]

skate parks

Nowadays, skateparks seem to be the new form of the traditional town squares we all remember visiting during our childhood and adolescence years.[read more]

Green Lake Park, Seattle

While the greenbelt was the prevailing feature of the master plan, John Charles Olmsted also intended to locate a park or playground within a half mile of every home.[read more]

wilderness amid industry

An alliance of nearly 270 organizations, which have banded together under the name Chicago Wilderness, are working towards improving green infrastructure and creating access to nature for children, among other things.[read more]

Shanghai market

In a city of over 20 million people, with about 3500 people living in each square kilometre, finding a space that provides an intimate sense of community may seem next to impossible.[read more]

Nottingham's forest plans

In the United Kingdom, Nottingham currently boasts the Kingdom’s top green space ranking. However, its lack of vision to make parks more attractive could be hurting the city financially in the long term.[read more]

water abuser?

As Americans we use a lot of water—per capita, more than any other country on the planet. A huge portion goes to thermoelectric cooling, or removing heat from our fossil fuel burning power plants.[read more]

Sandy's damage

We never experience the same forest twice, as both people and place are constantly evolving. Carroll Park is different, post-Sandy. My perception of it has changed, as I have changed, deepening my understanding of public space.[read more]

onshore wind farm

Onshore wind energy is the most competitive form of renewable energy in Ireland, but its stochastic nature is a barrier to unlimited development. Should this form of renewable energy development be stifled to retain the landscape?[read more]

Jen Krouse is a fellow member of Congress for New Urbanism. She's a consultant who applies classical business training and communications expertise to place-making firms trying to improve the built environment.When she's not looking for new things to see and new ways to see things, Jen travels, jogs, skis, and volunteers for favorite...[read more]

transport? catalyst? both?

Fast, efficient and individualistic, the bicycle is no ordinary mode of transport. It’s a church, a gym, a community creator. It is touchable, attainable freedom. It is also a tool for nature conservation.[read more]