Essex County Forum runs periodic workshops. Check our Coming Workshops page for updates. Below are summaries of relevant written material, including guides and reports.
Preserving the Future: a Guide for Creating a Municipal Open Space Inventory February 2006
Through partial funding from New England Biolabs we have created a guide that will help the land protection community gather accurate, up-to-date information about the land within its jurisdiction. Essex County natural landscapes are disappearing at an alarming rate. Between 1971 and 1999, 30,000 acres, or 9 percent of the land in the County, was developed. If current rates of development continue, what will be our future landscape, and how will unchecked development patterns affect our natural environment and resources? Creating and maintaining a municipal open space inventory is an important step for ensuring that we are prepared to face these challenges and successfully work together to protect critical parcels in our communities.
Presentation of Preserving the Future: A Guide for Creating a Municipal Open Space Inventory
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Access the guide here.
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Growing Cooler: the Evidence on Urban Development and Climate Change
Meeting the growing demand for conveniently located homes in walkable neighborhoods could significantly reduce the growth in the number of miles Americans drive, shrinking the nation’s carbon footprint while giving people more housing choices, according to a team of leading urban planning researchers. In a comprehensive review of dozens of studies, published by the Urban Land Institute, the researchers conclude that urban development is both a key contributor to climate change and an essential factor in combating it. More information and link to purchase at http://www.smartgrowthamerica.org/gcindex.html
The Smart Growth - Climate Change Connection
What is the relationship between "smart growth" and climate change? Put another way, does where we develop the land, and in what form, affect greenhouse gas emissions? Several studies document a relationship between land use patterns and the amount people drive, typically expressed as vehicle miles traveled (VMTs) or in vehicle trips. Few such studies, however, express their findings in terms of the greenhouse gas emissions impacts of this driving. This paper from The Conservation Law Foundation analyzes a number of these studies and considers the question of how to correlate VMTs and vehicle trips with greenhouse gas emissions. It concludes that the studies demonstrate that discouraging low density, "sprawl" development and fostering concentrated development – what can be called smart growth – can significantly reduce both VMTs and vehicle trips, and is therefore an important component of a greenhouse gas reduction strategy.
Access the report here.
Communicating Smart Growth
Implementing the Frame: Improving Our Communities
With ActionMedia, the Funders’ Network for Smart Growth and Livable Communities developed a strategy for a more inclusive discussion of growth and development issues. The intent was to unearth the pertinent values and widely shared perspectives of a broad spectrum of citizens. This study created a new framework for talking about Smart Growth with the general public in a way that avoids the current Sprawl v. Smart Growth dichotomy. This paper, published in 2004, presents their findings supported by examples re-framing the message of select smart growth organizations and examples re-framing issue-specific concerns such as transit, equity, affordable housing, and health. The fundamental argument is, to more effectively communicate the Smart Growth message advocates must lead with the core values of the community.
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