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<br /> COMMON GROUND VOL. 14 NO. 1 JANUARY-MARCH 2O03
<br /> ISM
<br /> S M A L L
<br /> The most comprehensive analysis of devel- Urban sprawl, deforestation and other
<br /> The Conservation Fund opment in the U. S . has ranked the River- major changes in land use caused by hu-
<br /> Vital Statistics side-San Bernardino area in California as the mans may affect climate change more than
<br /> Land protected by TCF most sprawling of 83 metro areas examined . the accumulation of heat-trapping gases like
<br /> and partners, 2002: "Measuring Sprawl and Its Impacts " (smart carbon dioxide, a new report argues .
<br /> Acres protected: 227,454 growthamerica . org) , by Smart Growth "Through land cover changes over the last
<br /> Est. value: $168,971,889 America, is based on a three-year study by 300 years, we may have already altered the
<br /> Land protected, 1985-2002, researchers at Cornell and Rutgers universi- climate more than would occur . . . with the
<br /> by TCF and partners : ties . The report used 22 variables to rate radiative effect of a doubling of carbon diox-
<br /> Acres protected : 3,387,760 metro areas on four aspects of their develop- ide, " said Roger Pielke of Colorado State
<br /> Est. value: $1 ,811,646,653 ment: residential density; neighborhood mix University, lead author of "The Influence of
<br /> TCF has received top of homes, jobs and services; strength of activ- Land-Use Change and Landscape Dynamics
<br /> ratings from the American ity centers and downtowns; and accessibility on the Climate System: Relevance to Cli-
<br /> Institute of Philanthropy for of the street network . Overall scores on all mate-Change Policy Beyond the Radiative
<br /> its program effectiveness four indicators averaged 100, with lower Effect of Greenhouse Gases " (blue . atmos .
<br /> and 1 % fund-raising scores indicating more sprawl and higher colostate . edu) . The large-scale, human-
<br /> expense.
<br /> scores less sprawl. Following Riverside-San caused changes in land use in Europe, North
<br /> The Conservation Fund Bernardino ( 14 . 2) on the most sprawled list America and Southeast Asia redistribute
<br /> is a 501 (c) (3) nonprofit were Greensboro, N . C . (46 . 8 ) , Raleigh, N. C . heat regionally and globally within the at-
<br /> organization established to
<br /> advance land and water (54 . 2) , Atlanta, Ga . (57 . 7) , Greenville, S . C . mosphere, potentially affecting surface tem-
<br /> conservation in America. (58 . 6 ) , and West Palm Beach, Fla . (67 . 7) . The peratures, precipitation and climate more
<br /> The Fund is a member of least sprawled were New York, N .Y . ( 177. 8) , than greenhouse gas increases that are the
<br /> Earth Share and participates Jersey City, N .J . (162 . 3) , Providence, R. I . focus of many policy makers and scientists,
<br /> in the Combined Federal (153 . 7) , San Francisco, Calif. ( 146 . 8) , and the scientists argue . The researchers propose
<br /> Campaign as #0930. Honolulu, Hawau (140 . 2) . a new method of measuring impacts of both
<br /> greenhouse gases and land cover changes
<br /> .Earth Share The Environmental Protection Agency to quantify the amount of heat that is redis-
<br /> recently presented its first annual National tributed from one area to another .
<br /> Awards for Smart Growth Achievement
<br /> Conservation Leadership (epa . gov / smartgrowth) to the state of The United States ranked lowest among
<br /> Courses Massachusetts and localities in California, 147 countries for its inefficient water usage
<br /> "The Practice of Environ- Colorado and Virginia . Massachusetts was but 32nd overall on the first World Poverty
<br /> mentally Sensitive honored for creating the Community Preser- Index created by international reseachers
<br /> Development Online," vation Initiative, which provides state and water professionals . The index (www .
<br /> Feb . 6—March 5 . Anne matching grants, "build-out" maps and fiscal worldwatercouncil . org) , released by the
<br /> Desmarais, 703 / 525-6300 . impact tools to the state ' s 351 communities United Kingdom' s Centre for Ecology and
<br /> " GIS Design for Regional to demonstrate what current and alternative Hydrology and the World Water Council,
<br /> Conservation Planning," zoning and planning scenarios produce . The precedes the 3rd World Water Forum, to be
<br /> March 10-14. Shepherds- City / County Association of Governments of held in March in Kyoto, Japan . The index
<br /> town, W.Va. 304 / 876-7452 .
<br /> San Mateo County, Calif. , was cited for de- rates the countries in five water-related ar-
<br /> "The Practice of Environ- voting $5 . 2 million in state transportation eas—usage, access, resources, capacity and
<br /> mentally Sensitive funds to encourage new housing near rail environmental impact. Scoring highest over-
<br /> Development, " April 8-9 .
<br /> 800 / 321-5011e stations based on incentives of up to $2,000 all were Finland, Canada, Iceland, Norway
<br /> per bedroom. In Colorado, the town of and Guyana, while Haiti, Niger, Ethiopia,
<br /> "Building Partnerships Breckenridge was honored for the restora- Eritrea and Malawi ranked lowest. The U .S .
<br /> Between Gateway Commu- tion and conversion of 42 acres of mining ranked sixth in environmental impact, but
<br /> nities and Public Lands .
<br /> (Interactive TV Workshop) . land into a 122-11nit affordable housing scored lower in resources because of the
<br /> March 20 . 304 / 876-7462 . neighborhood with 20 acres of parks and scarcity of water in the West . The dead-last
<br /> open space . And Arlington County, Va . , in score on usage reflected the nation' s massive
<br /> suburban Washington, D . C . , was cited for its consumption of water in agriculture coupled
<br /> success in encouraging clustered, mixed- with the sector' s tiny contribution to the
<br /> used development at five Metro stations that gross domestic product. The U . S . also ranks
<br /> has gained 2,500 apartments and condos, 1 . 5 high in per capita domestic water use and
<br /> million square feet of office space, 379,000 volume of water per dollar of industrial pro-
<br /> square feet of retail space, and five miles of duction, making the U . S . the world' s highest
<br /> bike lanes in three years . per capita water consumer .
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