Putting Smart Growth to Work in Rural Communities

Many rural communities are facing challenges, including rapid growth at metropolitan edges, declining rural populations, and loss of working lands. This report focuses on smart growth strategies that can help guide growth in rural areas while protecting natural and working lands and preserving the rural character of existing communities. These strategies are based around three central goals: 1) support the rural landscape by creating an economic climate that enhances the viability of working lands and conserves natural lands; 2) help existing places to thrive by taking care of assets and investments such as downtowns, Main Streets, existing infrastructure, and places that the community values; and 3) create great new places by building vibrant, enduring neighborhoods and communities that people, especially young people, don’t want to leave.

Download: Putting Smart Growth to Work in Rural Communities

Hard copies of the report are available by emailing nscep@bps-lmit.com or calling (800) 490-9198 and requesting EPA 231-K-10-003.

The National Summit of Rural America

From the Rural Tour blog......The National Summit of Rural America: A Dialogue for Renewing Promise.
The Rural Summit took place on the campus of Jefferson College in Hillsboro, Missouri.

The Summit was an opportunity for rural Americans to share their vision and ideas for creating a more prosperous and more promising future for rural America. Farmers, ranchers, and foresters from around the country, as well as policymakers from all levels of government and community leaders discussed the key priorities and policies necessary to get rural America growing again......To read the rest of the article please click here.