Landscape Architecture and Regional Planning Research Guide
Internet Links

The following Internet sites have been carefully selected by the Library's Liaison as appropriate for academic researchers in Landscape Architecture and Regional Planning.

CAREERS
Careers in Environmental Psychology
Overview of the profession including a brief history, a typical day, pros and cons, education, employment, and occupational outlook.

DiversityWorking.com - Landscape Architect
Discusses the nature of the profession, working conditions, employment opportunities, training, occupational outlook, salary, and related occupations.

GreenBiz.com
Searchable database for environmental jobs.

Urban Planning Jobs
Job listings from national agencies, organizations, and consulting firms.

Bureau of Labor Statistics - Landscape Architects
Describes the nature of the work, working conditions, training, job outlook, salaries, and related occupations.

Bureau of Labor Statistics -  Urban and Regional Planners
Describes the nature of the work, working conditions, training, job outlook, salaries, and related occupations.

COMMUNITIES
The Cohousing Association of the United States
Promotes the cohousing concept, supports individuals and groups in creating communities, provides assistance for improving systems for community living, and creates networking opportunities for those involved or interested in cohousing.

Outside.in 
Aims to "collectively build the geographic Web, neighborhood by neighborhood" with data for over 2500 neighborhoods. Entries range from restaurants, shops, and museums, to descriptions of historic architecture, or local celebrations. Upload your own city or neighborhood! 

Livable Communities: Creating Environments for Successful Aging
Report discussing barriers to necessary community engagement for the elderly (e.g., home design, transportation, affordable housing). Also offers solutions to the problems.

Walkable Communities
From large cities to small towns to parts of communities (e.g. neighborhoods, business districts, parks, school districts, subdivisions, roadway corridors), this organization assists them with becoming more walkable and pedestrian friendly.

CONSERVATION
American Farmland Trust
Policy and projects regarding farmland protection and stewardship. Includes the Farmland Information Center, a rich resource for literature, statistics, and technical materials.

The Garden Conservancy
Preserves exceptional American gardens for the public's education and enjoyment. Offers a variety of projects and a calendar of events.

Audubon Society
Links for sanctuaries, open space, natural heritage, and high-quality habitat throughout the U.S.

National Parks Conservation Association
Protects and enhances America 's National Park System. Provides information on each national park, history, campaigns, media items, job openings, and information on wildlife protection.  

Nature Conservancy
Covers natural heritage sites and other regionally significant areas.

The Trustees of Reservations
Includes a directory of protected properties, land conservation, and events in all parts of Massachusetts.  

ECOLOGY
American Rivers
Supports healthy rivers, abundant fish and wildlife, and thriving river communities. Contains basic river information, a directory of groups, plus reports and documents to assist citizens with advocating for the restoration of local rivers.

Ecological Society of America
Enhances communication amongst ecologists and between the ecological community and policy-makers. Includes information for educators and students, careers, funding, and programs.

Environmental News Network
Daily coverage of environmental news, plus a searchable archive, radio, video and podcast programs, a forum and photo gallery. Covers sustainable economy, energy, food, ecosystems, water, wildlife, science & technology, and conservation.

New England Topics
Extensive information on a wide range of environmental topics including communities, ecosystems, energy, human health, pollutants, water, and environmental education.

ENTYMOLOGY
BugBios: Shameless Promotion of Insect Appreciation
Provides detailed images of a wide range of insects.

EToxNet
Objective, science-based information about pesticides written for the nonexpert.

National Pesticide Information Center
Includes information on technical aspects, regulations, manufacturers, emergencies, methods for pest control. 

GARDENS AND PARKS
City Parks 
Directory of projects completed through the Trust for Public Land. Includes articles, book recommendations, and programs. 

Digital Librarian: Garden Resources
Directory of online gardening resources, including organizations, arboretums, publications, catalogs, events, and free searchable databases. 

Lawn and Garden Links
Directory of online gardening resources related to equipment, supplies, services, suppliers, and more. 

Urban Parks Online
Information on the philosophy, funding, management, design, and planning of public spaces which build and strengthen communities.

WWW Virtual Library: Garden Links
Directory of online gardening resources including organizations, nurseries, international sites, tips, advice, publications, catalogs, events, discussions, and mailing lists.

GREEN DESIGN / BUILDING
Great Buildings Collection
Gateway to architecture around the world, documenting a thousand buildings and hundreds of leading architects, with 3D models, photographic images and architectural drawings, commentaries, bibliographies, Web links, and more. Up-to-the-moment coverage of the latest buildings, designers, ideas, and trends. Cross-linked with Architecture Week, the leading architecture magazine.

Green Builder
Articles, discussions, events, and a directory of professionals committed to sustainable practices. 

Green Resource Center
Offers programs, services, events, a directory of green home tours, and a materials database. Links for consumers, building professionals, and green product manufacturers.

Northeast Sustainable Energy Association
The nation's leading regional education and advocacy association that aims to accelerate the deployment and use of renewable energy, green buildings, and energy efficiency. Based in Greenfield, Massachusetts.

Introduction to Permaculture: Concepts and Resources
Overview of concepts, applications, resources, and a bibliography on permaculture.

IMAGES
American Landscape and Architectural Design, 1850-1920
Approximately 2,800 lantern slides representing an historical view of American buildings and landscapes built between 1850-1920. Offers views of cities, buildings, parks, estates, and gardens.

Botanical Society of America
Images from fourteen collections: Plant Geography, Plant Morphology, Phloem Development, Xylem Development, Floral Ontogeny, Lichens, Economic Botany, Carnivorous Plants, Organography, Pollen, Paleobotany, Plant Defense Mechanisms, Plant Anatomy, and Cellular Communication.

New York Public Library Digital Gallery
Access to over 337,000 images digitized from primary sources and printed rarities in the collections of The New York Public Library, including illuminated manuscripts, historical maps, vintage posters, rare prints and photographs, illustrated books, printed ephemera, and more.

LAND TRUSTS
Land Trust Alliance
Umbrella group for land trusts in the U.S.

Massachusetts Land Trust Coalition
Umbrella group for Massachusetts land trusts.

Trust for Public Land
Viewable by region, this site offers information on local, national, and federal public land issues. Also publications and a job listing.

The Trustees of Reservations
Information regarding the conservation of the Massachusetts landscape, including a directory of the properties, events, articles and related news items.  

MAPPING
Datalayers/GIS Database
Organized by Base Map, Environmental, and Census. Includes details on the Massachusetts State Plane coordinate system and a brief overview on understanding map scale. Datalayers include demographics, topography, coastal/marine features, physical resources, and hydrographic features.

Geographic Information Systems - GIS Lounge Link Library
Annotated links to topical GIS applications (e.g., local government, military, real estate, crime, agriculture) as well as tutorials, developer resources, discussions, and data warehouses.

Mapping the Growth of Older America  
Insightful 28-page paper on the growth of older America by demographer William H. Frey. Draws on analyses performed with data from past U.S. Censuses . Includes maps, charts, and graphs that track the projected growth of senior populations by state and the counties with the fastest-growing senior population. Recommended for urbanologists and planners.

A National Database of GIS Data
Aggregated by county. Includes environmental data.

National GIS Data Sets
A listing of GIS sites: Geodata.gov, National Atlas of the United States, National Elevation Dataset, National Hydrography Dataset, National Land Cover Dataset and MRLC: Multi-Resolution Land Characterization (2000), USGS Water Resources Division GIS Data, Census Bureau Cartographic Information, and Bureau of Transportation Statistics.

PLANNING
Cyburbia:  The Urban Planning Portal
The Internet's oldest portal site for urban planners and others interested in cities and the built environment. Contains a selective directory of Internet resources relevant to planning and urbanism. Includes information about mailing lists and newsgroups, a very active bulletin board, and an image hosting gallery.

Smart Communities Network
Resources, tools, links to articles and publications, and community success stories on a variety of topics, including community energy, green development, and sustainable business.

Smart Growth Online
A wide range of information and news that focuses on managing sprawl.

Urban Land Institute
The mission of the Urban Land Institute is to provide responsible leadership in the use of land to enhance the total environment.

PLANT SCIENCE
Horticulture World
Extensive sources for plants, supplies, software solutions, books, educational references, and general business-to-business horticultural information.

International Society of Arboriculture
Provides the general public with quality arboriculture information, mostly centered on proper tree care.

Invasive Species
Gateway to federal efforts concerning invasive species. Includes selective species profiles and links to agencies and organization dealing with invasive species issues.

Living Collections Database
Botanical information and images of countless species. Databases may be searched simultaneously . Grouped by U.S. , European, and conservation sites.

Native Plant Information Network
Includes a database of information on over 5,200 wildflower species, and another of over 17,000 images, along with a botanical glossary and bibliography.

The Natural Heritage and Endangered Species Program
Part of the Massachusetts Division of Fisheries and Wildlife and one of the programs forming the Natural Heritage network. Responsible for the conservation and protection of hundreds of species that are not hunted, fished, trapped, or commercially harvested in the state. Includes a database of 13,000 records of species and natural community occurrences, and a copy of the current list of Massachusetts' protected rare species.

New England Wildflower Society
Provides information regarding the conservation of North American native plants through education, research, horticulture, habitat preservation, and advocacy.

Plant Conservation Alliance
Includes events, projects, grants/funding, native plant landscaping guides, Web sites, and publications regarding the protection of native plants.

Plants Database
Provides standardized information about the vascular plants, mosses, liverworts, hornworts, and lichens of the U.S. and its territories. Includes names, plant symbols, checklists, distributional data, species abstracts, characteristics, images, plant links, references, crop information, and automated tools.

TreeLink
Information, tools and inspiration to improve urban and community forests.

United States National Arboretum: Plant Hardiness Zone Map
Close-up graphics of hardiness zones by region.

PRESERVATION
The Cultural Landscape Foundation
Non profit organization for landscape heritage conservation. Includes publications, news, events, and educational opportunities.

Historic American Landscapes Survey (HALS)
Permanent federal program charged with recording historic landscapes in the U.S. and its territories. Produces written and graphic records of interest to educators, land managers, and preservation planners. 

Historic Buildings and Structures
Multiple databases supply information on resources, archives, maps, grants, museums, history, laws, grants, news, publications, training opportunities, and the National Register of Historic Places.

Historic Landscape Initiative
Identifies, evaluates, protects, and preserves historic properties. Includes information on mapping, GIS, planning, preservation, grants, internships, news, and events.

Library of American Landscape History
Produces educational books and exhibitions about North American landscape that encourage thoughtful stewardship of the land.

National Trust for Historic Preservation
Includes the searchable National Trust's Preservation Atlas, information for the historic homeowner, and excerpts from Preservation Magazine.

Preservation Directory
Directories for historic societies, properties for sale, restoration professionals, walking tours, mailing lists, museums, and more. 

Scenic America
Information related to scenic implications for billboards, planning, design, byways, easements, telecommunication towers, transportation, tree conservation, and underground utility wires. 

PROFESSIONAL ORGANIZATIONS
Alliance for Historic Landscape Preservation
An interdisciplinary professional organization which provides a forum for communication and exchange of information among its members. Dedicated to the preservation and conservation of historic landscapes, from formal gardens and public parks to rural expanses.

American Association of Botanical Gardens and Arboreta
Dedicated to promoting appreciation and  understanding of the irreplaceable value of plants. Offers an online newsletter, publications, events, and related links.

American Horticultural Society
Provides gardeners with the education via a network of horticultural experts. Includes a link to the national Master Gardener program.

American Planning Association
Committed to urban, suburban, regional, and rural planning through the advancement of planning that meets the needs of people and society.

American Public Transportation Association
Working to strengthen and improve public transportation through advocacy, innovation, and information sharing.

American Society of Landscape Architects
The national professional association representing landscape architects. Promotes the profession and advances the practice through advocacy, education, communication, and fellowship.

Architects / Designers / Planners for Social Responsibility 
Working for peace, environmental protection, ecological building, social justice, and the development of healthy communities.

Association of Professional Landscape Designers
A forum to advance landscape design as an independent profession and promote these highly qualified, dedicated professionals.

Council of Educators in Landscape Architecture
Represents virtually all programs of landscape architecture in the United States and Canada . Includes information regarding the annual conference and access to their archived newsletter.

Electric Drive Transportation Association
Dedicated to sustainable mobility through the adoption of electric drive technologies. Membership includes a diverse representation of vehicle and equipment manufacturers, energy providers, component suppliers, and end users.

Foundation for Landscape Studies 
Fosters an active understanding of the importance of place in human life. Includes photo essays that cover Ancient Sites of the
Andean Desert and New Orleans After the Flood. Links to their in-house journal, Site/Lines. Recommended for geographers, historians, landscape designers, urban planners, and poets.

Society for American City and Regional Planning History
Gathers those interested in urban planning history, including planners, historians, librarians, and scholars or practitioners from allied fields. Promotes teaching, research, publications, and public education in American planning history.

Urban Ecology
Strives to create neighborhoods that are thriving, healthy places to live. Specializes in participatory land use planning that creates a common vision for change and policy advocacy that turns a community's vision into reality.

SOIL SCIENCE
MassGIS - Soils
General and county-specific information compiled by a variety of government agencies.

Soils
Offers classifications, descriptions, surveys, and a glossary of soil terms. Includes international links. Compiled and maintained by Natural Resources Conservation Services.

TRANSPORTATION
Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure
Covering the House of Representatives' interactions with issues such as maritime transportation, highways, transit and pipelines, railroads, and economic development.

Dangerous Roads
Searchable database of the most dangerous roads in the U.S.

Federal Highway Administration
Part of the U.S. Department of Transportation offering information on programs, legislation, regulations, and news, plus articles and related links.

Traffic Calming Library
Searchable database of reports, articles, and other documents related to traffic calming. Some full text.

United States Department of Transportation
Services for citizens, government, and businesses plus information on safety, careers, regulations, and more.

Urban Transportation Planning Links
Provides articles, research reports, and data regarding transportation.