sensible ronmentolist

By Dr. Patrick Moore

Dear Dr. Moore:

How much impact is urban sprawl having on our national forests?

According to the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), North American forests expanded by l0 million acres during the 1990s, and about two million acres over the past five years.

This is mainly the result of advances in sustainable forestry and agriculture. Over the past 50 years, we have learned how to grow more food on less land, so we're actually farming fewer acres. As a result, many lands previously cleared for agriculture have now been reforested.

That's the good news. The bad news is that urban sprawl is indeed a major problem. We've gone from a nation of farmers to one of subdivisions and two car garages, where the closest store is driving distance.

Across the country. nerv suburbs are consuming some of our best forests and farmland. They're outgrorvin-e ex isting infrastructures. requiring (among other things) nerv roads, water treatment plants and sewage systems-and the rate of development is accelerating.

For example. a study conducted by the U.S. EPA shorved that 5.000 people left Baltimore. Md.. for the outskirts over a recent six month period. resulting in 3.000 nerv septic permits and the loss of nearly 10,000 acres of forests and farmland. Unfortunately'. this is not uncommon.

Population grorvth is the main culprit, but it's also clear that our attitudes and the rvay rve have chosen to expand our cities are significant factors. Instead of building outward, rvhich is ener-sy intensive and creates vast amounts of pollution. rve should use rvhat rve knorv about environmentally sustainable building practices ro improve our cities and communities.

This is one of the principles behind "smart grorvth"-a philosophy supported by the EPA and many others. The idea is to plan development in a rvay that protects the environment. improves quality of life. and strengthens communities. It includes things like rvalkable neighborhoods. a mix of housin-9. commercial and retail structures. and the preservation of open spaces and forest canopy. (North America may have as much forest cover now as it did lfi) years ago. but this certainly isn't true of every community.) It also means directing development torvard existing cities.

Smart -srowth is an antidote to urban sprarvl that makes sense. For more information or to get involved. please visit www.smartgrowth.org.

- Dr. Moore hus been u leuder tf the enrir(m,rrenlul nutrentenl lor nurre than -10 tears. A <'o-rtunder uul lornter president of Greenpeu<-e. Ire fuilds u PhD in ecokryr und u 8S<' in lorest biolou. Send questiuts k, purri(.k@ sensibleenyinnunetilulisl.<'ont.

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