Tag Archives: American Planning Association

International job swaps amongst planners

By , Wednesday, 10 October 2012, 9 Comments

The Columbia Gorge – an example of the outstanding landscapes and natural environment of Oregon.

The idea of planners exchanging jobs with colleagues in another country to broaden their experience and outlook is an attractive one. I understand that the International Division of the American Planning Association (APA) is looking at ways to facilitate such swaps. I know that there is also strong interest in similar ventures between countries in the Global South, with particular interest here in South Africa, where I am writing this current blog. Read more on International job swaps amongst planners…

New possibilities for using scenario planning tools

By , Monday, 23 April 2012, 1 Comment

Data modeling, Image courtesy ULI

Scenario planning tools are increasingly being used in North America as means of community engagement. The state of the art is reviewed in a new publication that attracted attention at the recent American Planning Association conference in Los Angeles. The development of web-based GIS and mobile phone technologies opens the prospect of a rapid emergence of new techniques that could fundamentally change the way we do planning. Read more on New possibilities for using scenario planning tools…

Planning and Food Security

By , Wednesday, 4 May 2011, 1 Comment
A crop diversification project in Zambia

A crop diversification project in Zambia. Plan International photo

Food security is an issue that is rapidly rising up the international agenda.

As a recent paper produced by the Commonwealth Association of Planners explains, the global consensus is that population and food prices are increasing, while access to food is decreasing.

Last August the RTPI released a policy statement on Planning for Food, and then took a leading role in an on-line discussion of the topic on World Town Planning Day last November.

The American Planning Association has also issued policy guidance on “Community and Regional Food Planning” ,and as my blog last week showed, food was a key concern of “tweeters” at last month’s APA annual conference.   So should food security become a key consideration in the practice of planning across the globe? Read more on Planning and Food Security…

Planning in the USA – tweet for nicer, greener suburbs

By , Sunday, 24 April 2011, 11 Comments

The American Planning Association annual conference in Boston provided a fascinating insight into the concerns and perspectives of US planners. The angle that particularly caught my attention was the blitz of presentations and activities about how planners and developers can use social media and new information technology in their work. Whether you want to tweet, trip or ClickFix, or just browse in the urban interactive studio, the APA was the place to be. Or not to be, maybe that was the question, for you didn’t need to be in Boston to be connected to this virtual planners’ world. Read more on Planning in the USA – tweet for nicer, greener suburbs…

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