Viewpoint

“When one tugs at a single thing in nature, he finds it attached to the rest of the world.”
—John Muir

“We abuse land because we regard it as a commodity belonging to us. When we see
the land as a community to which we belong, we may begin to use it with love and respect.”
—Aldo Leopold

Both John Muir and Aldo Leopold are describing the complex relationships between people and the places where they live and work. The challenge for professionals and policymakers in regional development organizations is protecting the environment while encouraging local economic growth. This issue of the Digest is focused on ways that communities are making careful use of natural resources—wind, water, forests—to sustain and create jobs for local residents. There are also examples of regional organizations working with cities, counties, towns and citizens to encourage recycling that not only beautifies the countryside but also saves money by reducing solid waste.

The NADO Research Foundation is particularly pleased to announce the release of Reclaiming Rural America’s Brownfields: Alternatives to Abandoned Property (see page 5). The brownfields program offers a “win-win” situation for rural and small metropolitan regions. Communities that clean up abandoned industrial properties are creating jobs, increasing revenues and preserving open space. Brownfields redevelopment offers a prime example of how regional organizations and local governments can balance environmental concerns with economic needs. But the NADO study also describes how difficult it is for small towns and rural counties to find financial and technical resources to reclaim brownfields, and calls for special attention to be given to finding new and better ways for rural America to participate.

Before the term brownfields existed, the Economic Development Administration was helping localities clean up sites through public works investments. Brownfields is an excellent example of blending environmental protection and economic development to build communities and create jobs.

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