Common Resources

Land Conservation and Sea Level Rise—Florida Edition

If you’re a fan of crime fiction with a dash of humor, you might have read some of Carl Hiaasen’s books—Skinny Dip, Nature Girl, Paradise Screwed, to name three. If so, you’ve probably noticed Hiaasen’s love of nature, specifically the wild and woolly swamps and back woods of south Florida. In early November, Hiaasen wrote […]

Will Philanthropy Solve Park Funding Problems? Not Likely

State and local park system budgets have been slashed in recent years, leading many communities to turn their attentions toward philanthropy. Oftentimes, especially in large cities, the philanthropy works through park conservancies and other nonprofit organizations. In other cases, there is direct fundraising. The new crowdfunding movement, in which small monetary contributions are solicited from […]

Valuing Conservation in the Context of Climate Change

In the twentieth century, flooding caused more deaths and property damage in the United States than any other natural disaster. Most climate models predict that flooding will worsen in the future, a prospect that is leading a growing number of communities to explore the use of natural areas as protection against extreme events. These areas […]

Looking for a Sustainable Funding Model for State Parks

Many state park systems are struggling. And in some states, the legislature is making matters worse. It is time to rethink the approach to financing parks and work toward a more sustainable and efficient long-term funding system. The Kansas City Star recently reported that the Kansas state legislature is proposing to rob Peter to pay […]

Tough Times for the Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF)

On July 6, President Obama signed the two-year, $127 billion surface transportation bill. Mostly unreported in the media coverage of the event was the sharp cut in funding for the Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF) that was also part of the legislation. The original Senate bill (S. 1813) had proposed $700 million in funding […]