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Biodiversity: A Guide

2012
Authors: Elana Richman
Biodiversity encompasses the diversity of life – the varying and different species, genes, and ecosystems of the Earth. The ongoing loss of biodiversity threatens human well-being and makes the need for conservation ever more pressing.
Last Modified
Jul 03, 2019
Viewed
5082 times

Bird Research and Conservation

2017
Authors: Nate Lotze
Initiatives in Pennsylvania and on a national level promote the study of bird populations and the protection of their habitat.
Last Modified
Jul 03, 2019
Viewed
3400 times

Economic Benefit of Conserved Rivers: An Annotated Bibliography

2001
Organizations/Sources: National Park Service
This resource offers an extensive list of studies, papers, and articles on the economic benefits of river conservation, with summaries of their content.
Last Modified
Jul 03, 2019
Viewed
5171 times

Economic Benefits of Land Conservation: A Guide

2011
The conservation of natural lands and of working farms and forests can generate financial returns, both to governments and individuals, and create significant cost savings. [Print version of ConservationTools.org guide]
Last Modified
Jul 30, 2020
Viewed
6940 times

Economic Benefits of Wetlands

2006
Organizations/Sources: U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
Wetlands filter and clean water, which decreases the costs of drinking water treatment, and they reduce the frequency and intensity of floods. They support the life cycle of 75% of the fish and shellfish commercially harvested in the U.S., and up to 90% of the recreational fish catch. For example, in South Carolina it would require a $5 million treatment plant to remove the pollutants filtered by the Congaree Bottomland Hardwood Swamp.
Last Modified
Jul 03, 2019
Viewed
19507 times

How Cities Use Parks for Economic Development

2002
Organizations/Sources: American Planning Association
This study gives five key points on how city parks are a source of positive economic benefits and provides case studies for each. City parks positively affect real property values; increase municipal revenues; attract and retain affluent retirees; attract knowledge workers and companies; and attract homebuyers.
Last Modified
Jul 02, 2019
Viewed
8241 times

Impacts of Natural Land Loss on Water Quality

2012
Authors: Elana Richman
Forests, riparian buffers, wetlands and other natural lands are essential for the protection of water quality and aquatic habitat.
Last Modified
Jul 03, 2019
Viewed
5883 times

Livable Places: How Protecting Land Benefits Us All

2007
Organizations/Sources: Land Trust Alliance
Investing in parks and natural areas yields fiscal relief, improved public health, strengthened neighborhoods, environmental protection, and the preservation of natural beauty, all of which makes communities more livable. Open space protection does not “cost”; rather, it “pays”. Examples include San Antonio, Texas’ Riverwalk Park, which was created for $425,000 and is now the most popular attraction of the city’s $3.5 billion tourism industry, and New Jersey, where the $65 million protection of the Sterling Forest from a proposed development avoided the construction of a $160 million water treatment plant.
Last Modified
Jul 02, 2019
Viewed
8733 times

Open Space Is a Good Investment: The Financial Argument for Open Space Preservation

2004
Municipal investment in open space and farmland is usually less costly than allowing development, though the cost savings may not be seen for several years. This resource paper gives several case studies throughout New Jersey.
Last Modified
Jul 02, 2019
Viewed
6705 times

Protecting the Source

2004
Authors: Caryn Ernst
Organizations/Sources: The Trust for Public Land
Healthy, functioning watersheds slow surface runoff, increase water infiltration into the soil, naturally filter pollutants, decrease soil erosion, and moderate water quantity by decreasing flooding and recharging groundwater reserves. For every 10% increase in forest cover in a drinking water’s source area, treatment and chemical costs decrease by approximately 20%. This report presents a series of best practices on source protection and gives case studies of communities that have effectively linked land protection, water protection, and water treatment cost savings.
Last Modified
Jul 02, 2019
Viewed
6049 times

Shade: Healthy Trees, Healthy Cities, Healthy People

2005
Organizations/Sources: Georgia Urban Forest Council
Businesses that invest in trees realize far reaching and ever growing returns: they increase property value, increase the amount shoppers will pay for products, decrease air conditioning needs, and increase employee productivity, satisfaction and retention. Trees decrease health care costs by luring people outside and encouraging increased physical activity and by providing cleaner, safer air.
Last Modified
Jul 03, 2019
Viewed
5701 times

The Benefits of Parks: Why America Needs More City Parks and Open Space

2006
Authors: Paul M. Sherer
Organizations/Sources: The Trust for Public Land
City parks and open space improve our physical and psychological health, strengthen our communities, and make our cities and neighborhoods more attractive places to live and work. Numerous studies have shown the social, environmental, economic, and health benefits parks bring to a city and its people. For example, they attract tourists, serve as community signature pieces, offer a marketing tool for cities to attract businesses and conventions and host festivals, concerts and athletics events, as is the case in Minnesota’s Chain of Lakes park, which is the state’s second-biggest attraction.
Last Modified
Jul 02, 2019
Viewed
67559 times

The Economic Benefits of Trails

Organizations/Sources: American Hiking Society
Trails allow communities to increase commerce, support and create jobs, increase property values, reduce commuter costs and provide low-cost health benefits by encouraging exercise. Two examples are: After just one season following the opening of the Missouri River State Trail, 61 businesses along the trail found the trail positively impacted their businesses, 11 said it strongly influenced their decision on where to locate, and 17 increased their business size. A 1995 survey of metro-Denver real estate agents found 73% believed a home near a trail would be easier to sell.
Last Modified
Jul 02, 2019
Viewed
7504 times

The Value of Green Infrastructure

2010
Green infrastructure is a network of decentralized stormwater management practices such as preservation of undeveloped areas near a water source, green roofs, tree planting, rain gardens and permeable pavement. This paper gives an overview of the methods used to measure the benefits of green infrastructure on water, energy savings, improved air quality, climate change mitigation, urban heat island mitigation, improved community livability and improved habitat. Multiple case studies are provided.
Last Modified
Jul 03, 2019
Viewed
5887 times

Why America Needs More City Parks and Open Space

2004
Organizations/Sources: The Trust for Public Land
This white paper outlines the critical need for city parks, particularly in inner-city neighborhoods. It address the social, environmental, economic, health and community-development benefits parks bring to a city and its residents.
Last Modified
Jul 02, 2019
Viewed
5483 times

Why Preserve Farmland?

2023
Authors: Nate Lotze and Andrew M. Loza
Farms feed us and provide a host of other public benefits. However, every day, the amount of fertile farmland diminishes as development spreads. When farmers think that the farms around them will be sold for development, which would result in the enterprises that support farming leaving and the loss of their support network, this can set off a downward spiral in a farming community: farmers leave farming or stop reinvesting in their farms because they fear the consequences of being one of the last farmers in an area. Farmland preservation programs can provide assurance to farmers that there will always be a critical mass of farms in an area, bringing stability to the local farm community and economy. WeConservePA guide. 5 pages.
Last Modified
Feb 08, 2023
Viewed
4401 times

Why Save Farmland

2003
Organizations/Sources: American Farmland Trust
Preserving farmland and promoting farmland best management practices have direct, positive effects on local economies through product sales, job creation, the use of support services and businesses, and the supply of lucrative secondary markets such as food processing. Conversion of farmland to residential lots puts a burden on local government budgets for the provision of services. Distinctive agricultural landscapes bring tourism dollars into communities and farmland preservation paired with sustainable management practices protects the provision of ecosystem services, without which governments would have to pay to artificially replace.
Last Modified
Jul 03, 2019
Viewed
6972 times