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2 Putting Smart Growth to Work in Rural Communities What is Rural? Rural can be a difficult word to define. It depends on whom you ask and where you are —a rural community in a relatively high- population state can look dramati- cally different from a rural community in a less popu- lous state. The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Economic Research Service (ERS) defines rural areas as nonmetropolitan counties. Of the nation's 3,142 counties, nearly two - thirds are rural. By this defini- tion, rural communities in the United States comprise 17 percent of the population (49 million people) and about 75 percent of the total land area.' These descriptions, however, do not address the interaction between land and place that is so integral to under- standing rural development patterns or the challenges associated with growth and development facing rural communities. From a land use and development perspective, rural America includes towns and small cities as well as working lands, farms, prairies, forests, and range- lands. Historically, rural land has been used primar- ily for the production and extraction of resources. Towns grew as part of or adjacent to these working lands to provide a place where agricultural or natural resources could be traded for value -added goods or 91 shipped elsewhere (not surprisingly, many towns were located along rail spurs and river ports or at major crossroads). Supported by main commercial streets and relatively dense, walkable neighborhoods, valu- able infrastructure also developed in towns to serve civic, cultural, and social needs of rural communities. But the working lands — farms, prairies, forests, and rangelands — surrounding these towns were the reason for their existence. The environment provided more than attractive vistas —it was integral to the social and economic life of the town. Trends Challenging Rural America Today The land -based economy and its accompanying way of life in rural communities have been affected by a num- ber of outside forces. While many of these changes have been gradual, others have been more immediate. As these communities continue to change, rural identi- ties may be altered and communities may lose the opportunity to set their own agendas. By understand- ing the challenges that their communities are facing and thinking strategically about future growth and development, rural decision - makers can direct growth in a way that benefits the community while preserving its rural heritage and traditions. As these photos illustrate, rural can mean many different things. Rural communities, whether they are small towns and cities, working lands, or tourist -based economies, are characterized by an interaction between land and place. Smart growth strategies can be used to maintain the defining characteristics of rural communities as they grow and change. Photos courtesy of US EPA