| | | NPSG13-115 | | A Nation of Vibrant Communities: Through the Lens of Urban Trees Speakers: Kate Corwin, Founder, Green Works Kansas City; Nancy Hughes, Executive Director, California Urban Forests Council; David Rouse, AICP, ASLA, PP, LEED AP, Principal, SRT | Wallace Roberts & Todd, LLC. Moderator: Phillip Rodbell, Program Specialist, Urban and Community Forestry, USDA Forest Service Northeastern Area It is our nature to want it all: healthy, attractive communities to live, work and play in, good jobs, more equitable distribution of resources, clean air and water. Should these be out of reach for us in our cities and towns? 25 diverse national leaders (from planning, water, forestry, local government and other sectors) didn’t think so when they converged in 2011 to create “Vibrant Cities: A Call to Action,” advocating for improved urban forests and green infrastructure to create more resilient and green communities. Building on their recommendations, the Sustainable Urban Forests Coalition, a multi-disciplinary network of green community advocates, is now coordinating its members, innovators and stakeholders to help drive change from the neighborhood up. This session showcases how non-traditional partners integrate urban trees into local, regional and national projects and campaigns. They showcase snapshots of their work in communities (all sizes), weaving in water quality, social equity and more. Audio CDs: 1 | | Audio CD | | $15.00 | | $15.00 | |
| | | NPSG13-116 | | Land Banking: Pathways Toward Sustainable Urban, Suburban and Rural Land Reclamation Speakers: Christopher Norman, Executive Director, Fulton County/City of Atlanta Land Bank Authority; Julie Porter, Executive Director, Greater Kansas City LISC; Sly James, Mayor, Kansas City, MO. Moderator: Kim Graziani, Vice President of Capacity Building, Center for Community Progress Using recent land-banking breakthroughs in Kansas City, Missouri, and the state of Georgia as a backdrop, this session delves into land banking as an effective strategy for urban, suburban and rural land preservation and reclamation. These case studies offer a range of strategies that were spearheaded and enacted by a diverse set of stakeholders, including county commissioners, mayors and nonprofit community development practitioners. The experts leading this session have been intimately involved in these efforts and look forward to discussing the current best practices of land banking in the country, including how the laws are successful in communities of all sizes and how land banks can enable disinvested communities to think strategically as they put properties back to productive re-use. | | MP3 | | $10.00 | | $10.00 | |
