Groundwork USA’s Post

Not only does the city of Bridgeport have the lowest tree canopy in the state, but the east side has the lowest tree count in the entire city. Tree canopy cover is scant — 5% — with threats of damaging storms or emerald ash borer always looming. The lack of trees also diminishes air quality, creating the perfect storm for respiratory conditions, like asthma, which is prevalent in this community, particularly in children. But the story of Bridgeport is far from one of yet another city that has fallen into disrepair, as residents came together to rebuild the social fabric, health, and vitality of the area with the help of trees. Thanks to our partners at Groundwork Bridgeport, 50 trees were distributed to residents to plant in their yards and neighborhoods that will help save on energy bills, cool their streets, create more green space, and unite the community 💪🌳 https://lnkd.in/gksMc9F5

Parks are essential for a healthy, thriving community. During the pandemic, we realized that access to green spaces is vital for relaxation, socialization, and well-being. Not everyone has a backyard. Parks offer an equitable way for all residents to connect with nature. Studies show that spending time in nature reduces stress levels and improves mental health. Trees and greenery absorb carbon, reduce pollution, and cool our city during hot summers. As climate change intensifies, we must prioritize parks and green spaces. Neighborhoods with fewer trees can be up to 20 degrees hotter than those with ample greenery. Let’s protect our parks and urge the San Jose city council to vote NO on these fee cuts. https://lnkd.in/gavCKxMg

If you know me at all, you know that I am a big proponent of smart growth, adaptive reuse and quality infill building for vibrancy. Infill, when done well, leads to healthier, more vibrant, and economically successful communities. It can also help manage sprawl, and grow diverse and healthy local neighborhood economies. I can't wait to see our own Railyards develop and change the face of Sacramento! Tell me about your favorite examples of infill development.

Are you a resident of Lynn, MA? As a part of our studio work this semester, the Urban Planning program is working directly in collaboration with the City of Lynn to better understand the climate related issues affecting the community and its public spaces such as Lynn Beach, which I visited on a very cold and blustery day. In 2023, King's Beach in Lynn, which is free and open to the public, was closed due to poor water quality and high bacteria counts more days than it was open. Neighboring beaches on either side, just few miles away, and which charges $10 for resident parking ND $40 for non-residents along along Lynn Shore Drive, don't suffer nearly the same levels of pollution and wastewater contamination. For King's beach to remain un-swimmable and inaccessible to Lynn's predominantly Brown and Black citizens, highlights a persistent climate justice challenge. But is beach access the most pressing issue for residents? We'd like to know! Our goal is to develop tools for climate mitigation that work for the people of Lynn in meaningful ways, and in collaboration with the organizations that are already doing the work to make Lynn the great city that is. If you are a Lynn resident, I'd like to invite you to take this short 5-minute survey that will help us to better understand the concerns of citizens. And if you're not, please feel free to share amongst your networks and spread the word. https://lnkd.in/ebyrqygW #climateaction #urbanplanning #urbanism #climateresilience #communityengagement

For more than a century, the Saw Mill River in Westchester County, NY, has been plagued by pollution, putting both public health and the environment at risk. But now, community initiatives have revitalized the site, turning it into a thriving and vibrant green space. ✅ Groundwork Hudson Valley and the City of Yonkers are working together to bring the river back, letting it flow freely and restoring the ecosystem for cleaner urban water, thriving native species, and community enjoyment. These improvements are already making a difference in some areas, but there is still more to do. Cleaning up the Saw Mill River depends on everyone pitching in - from the community lending a hand to government support and ongoing water quality monitoring. Discover more about this exciting initiative that's not only creating a vibrant community hub but also protecting urban waterways and addressing the challenges of climate change. https://lnkd.in/ez42f6CZ #UrbanWaters #WorldWaterDay #ClimateAction

It's spring & that means it's time for "spring clean-ups". As discussed in this article from @StrongTowns, neighborhood clean-ups strengthen community & perform a useful service at the same time. Learn what goes into a successful clean-up event here: https://zurl.co/vJeH

Nils Peterson is another new board member for WakeUP. Nils has been in Wake County for almost 20 years and is currently a Wildlife Professor at NC State. His personal and professional work has been focused on ensuring North Carolina is a better place to live - using his expertise to focus on conservation of wildlife resources in our state while teaching the next generation of conservation students to carry this forward. If you were only allowed one sentence, what would you say about the importance of future planning? What else can we plan for? It's everything. What are Wake County's biggest opportunities/advantages when it comes to growth? Growth itself is an advantage because it allows change. I also think the current status of high tree cover and low density allows our county lots of flexibility when it comes to planning future transportation, conservation, and housing infrastructure. All those interstitial spaces can lead to great things. What is the connection between affordable housing, transportation, and land use as they relate to planning? A bright future requires affordability, and housing and transportation are the two primary and mandatory costs people face. Land use is tricky, because poor decisions can drive down housing costs by reducing desirability of a region. The trick is land use planning that creates desirable places to live paired with policy protecting affordable housing. What makes you hopeful about Wake County in the future? The people are ambitious, future oriented, highly skilled, and optimistic. The people. If you had a magic wand, what is one thing you would change about our community? I would create connectivity between greenways...green ones. #wakeupwakecounty #boardspotlight #wakecounty #thrivingcommunities #beapartofthesolution #sustainablegrowth #urbandevelopment #growwithus #climatechange #landuse #affordablehousing #equity #environment

"All trails should be repaired every year." - U.S. Forest Service 1915 How we manage and invest in trails across the US impacts everything we do in nature, yet the money spent on natural lands is different from its needs or economic impact. Short-term investments like the Great American Outdoors Act are bandaids to a larger problem: the need for sustainable funding. The outdoor recreation industry makes up over 4% of our GDP, yet public lands get less than 0.25% of a tax dollar, less than a quarter of a penny. While well-built trails might need to be repaired every year, they cost money to build and maintain. Protecting natural resources, ecosystem services, and outdoor recreation access are all expensive works that require stable funding. We saw this as a priority 100 years ago, and we're seeing communities nationwide find ways to sustainably prioritize it today. Get ready for an age of ecosystem services taxes like the flood plain tax in Tacoma.

Rapid Development around Denver in all directions Discover how the town of Elizabeth has transformed from a small town to a rapidly developing area. Learn about the potential water issues that could slow down its growth. Join us as we discuss this topic with a water expert. #ElizabethDevelopment #RapidGrowth #WaterIssues #TownTransformation #DevelopmentChallenges #CommunityGrowth #WaterExpertConsultation #LandUseAnalysis #UrbanPlanning #SmallTownTransformation

This is a long but super-interesting article about preserving dirt roads, but really it's about protecting land and open space, a critically important gesture almost always ignored in our sprawling, terrible urban plans. Let's re-direct the conversation to healthy land use, appropriate zoning and urban planning that values undeveloped land, habitat and nature. https://lnkd.in/eMgMV4Bz