The Agurban from Boomtown Institute. Just How Much of America is Developed?

From time to time, the term “sprawl”, as in “urban sprawl” or “suburban sprawl” jumps back into the headlines. A recent article at washingtonpost.com put this into perspective.

Just How Much of America is Developed?

What would you guess is the percentage of the United States that is developed? Twenty five? Fifty? How about 5.4 percent? That is what the Census Bureau figures. The bureau says that an area is “developed” when it has 30 or more people per square mile – not exactly crowded.

Because most people live in developed areas, it is easy to get the impression that humans have trampled nature. However, you only need to take a cross-country flight and look down, to realize that our nation is mostly wide open space. There is even evidence that Mother Nature is gaining ground. The U.S. Forest Service notes that the “total area of forests has been fairly stable since about 1920.” Agricultural innovations have a lot to do with this. Farmers can raise more on less land.

American houses are getting larger (averaging 2,260 square feet in 2000), but homeowners are using land more efficiently. Between 1970 and 2000, the average lot size shrank from 14,000 square feet to 10,000.

Housing in this country takes up less space than most people realize. If the nation was divided into four- person households and each household had an acre, everyone would fit in an area half the size of Texas.

So enjoy the wide open spaces of your rural communities! And welcome newcomers!

The Blog Log
Visit my weblog to see where I’ve been and what I have learned along the way.

On the road again…
In addition to my travel blog I’ll list my upcoming engagements in each issue of The Agurban. Come see me when I’m in your neighborhood!

Jack’s Schedule – Week of February 26th

Jack’s next speaking engagements:
Tuesday, February 27 – Napa, CA
Wednesday, February 28 – San Diego, CA
Thursday, March 1 – Phoenix, AZ

Jack Schultz is the CEO of Boomtown Institute and Agracel Inc., an industrial development firm majoring in rural America, author of Boomtown USA, and speaker. Boomtown Institute serves as an economic development mentor to communities across the United States, leading communities to realize their full potential.

Visit the Boomtown Institute website at http://www.boomtowninstitute.com

Keep up with Jack as he tours the country on his blog!
To learn more about Agracel visit http://www.agracel.com.

email: [email protected]

phone: 217-342-3000

web: http://www.boomtowninstitute.com

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Nature Conservancy urges county to control rural growth

Growth is unavoidable in western Montana – everybody knows it and the most interesting question is what to do with it.

“Just the way we do roads can mean the difference between an ecosystem that is still linked and one that is fragmented,” Byrd said. “The real danger is too much dispersed residential development.”

By MICHAEL MOORE of the Missoulian

Full Story: http://www.missoulian.com/articles/2007/02/27/news/local/news04.txt