How has the role of cities in human history undergone change?
In what ways is a city an ecological system?
Historically, what factors have determined the location of cities?
Historically, what has been the role of city planning in the urban environment?
What are some of the environmental risks urban dwellers encounter?
What are some of the effects of cities on local climate, hydrology, and soils?
How can the urban environment be designed to increase environmental quality
and quality of life?
Ecolinks On The Web
- http://www.nps.gov/cue/cueintro.html - - This is a National
Park Service, Center for Urban Ecology website.
- http://www.nbs.gov/luhna/tracks.html - - This is a USGS, National
Biological Service website that examines land use changes in North America
over time. See maps depicting urban growth in the Washington-Baltimore
area at: http://www.nbs.gov/luhna/hinzman.html See the urban night
lights imagery at: http://www.nbs.gov/luhna/imhoff/index.html Find out
about the NBS's Project Birdscape in Washington, D.C. at:
http://www.im.nbs.gov/birdscap/birdscap.html
- http://unep.unep.no/unon/unchs/scp/scphome.htm - - This is a United
Nations website for its Sustainable Cities Programme. A General
Information subdirectory provides an overview of the program.
- http://www.cityfarmer.org/ - - This is the home page for Urban
Agriculture Notes which is prepared by Canada's Office of Urban
Agriculture; this website links you to sites in Canada, the United Sates, and
a number of other countries. Find out what communities are doing to improve
their urban environment and quality of life while producing nutritious
vegetables.
- http://www.best.com/~schmitty/ueindex.shtml - - This website is
maintained by Urban Ecology, Inc. a not-for-profit organization from the
San Francisco Bay area.
- http://www.critpath.org/bfi/ - - This Buckminster Fuller Institute
website contains information about nontraditional city planning. Buckminster
Fuller, most famous for his geodesic dome structures, was one of the most
innovative and influential designers of the 20th century.
- http://www.amfor.org:80/dirt.html - - This is the conservation group,
American Forests, website; see the Green Cities subdirectory for
information about urban forestry, the Global Releaf program and
citizen and community action.
- http://www.ci.nyc.ny.us/ - - This is the official New York City website (note that the first image is of Central Park). See the Services and Attractions subdirectories for information on water supply, water quality, wastewater treatment, garbage disposal, recycling programs, air quality, environmental protection, and parks. There are also websites for:
- Boston , http://www.ci.boston.ma.us/
- Seattle , http://www.ci.seattle.wa.us/default.htm
- Los Angeles, http://www.ci.la.ca.us/
