Practical Ecology for Planners, Developers, and Citizens

Practical Ecology for Planners, Developers, and Citizens introduces and explains key ecological concepts for planners, landscape architects, developers, and others involved in planning and building human habitats. The book is tailored to meet the needs of busy land use professionals and citizens seeking a concise yet thorough overview of ecology and its applications. It offers clear guidelines and a wealth of information on how we can protect species and ecosystems while at the same creating healthy, sustainable human communities.

Throughout the book, the authors make ecological concepts accessible to readers with little or no scientific background. They present key ideas and information in simple and pragmatic terms, and provide numerous graphics to help explain important concepts. They also offer exercises for the reader to practice ecologically-based planning and design, along with a list of resources for practical information on ecology and conservation.

Practical Ecology for Planners, Developers, and Citizens will raise the level of ecological understanding among land use professionals and citizens, and is an invaluable new resource for anyone concerned with human land use and its environmental impacts.

Perlman (biology, Brandeis U.) and Milder (an environmental planner and consultant) introduce key ecological concepts for planners, landscape architects, developers, and others involved in planning and building human habitats. The text offers guidelines for protecting species and ecosystems while also creating healthy, sustainable human communities. An appendix provides information on the state of biodiversity in North America, and the volume's 18 color plates are supplemented with many illustrations in b&w. Annotation ©2004 Book News, Inc., Portland, OR

Journal of Regional Science

""This new book covers nuts and bolts of ecology and provides details on application of ecologocial principles to biodiversity conservation, land use planning, and landscape design.

This book will be most useful for professional land use planners, designers, and developers, including landscape architects and civil engineers and all those involved in designing ecologically sound projects. Resource managers, land use planners, students, and researchers will also welcome it for its clear and concise presentation of ecological concepts."

Dan L. Perlman is professor of biology and chairman of the Environmental Studies Program at Brandeis University, and has taught conservation biology at Harvard University for nine years. Jeffrey C. Milder, AICP, is an environmental planner and the former manager of planning services at Daylor Consulting Group in Braintree, Massachusetts. The Lincoln Institute Of Land Policy is a nonprofit educational institution based in Cambridge, MA.