Increased urban density better than sprawl?
Claire Jantz believes that urban density is better - and easier on natural ecosystems surrounding cities - than urban spawl. (Photo by Greg Foley)
Claire Jantz, who studies urban spawl, thinks it’s important to increase the density of newly developed urban neighborhoods.
Jantz, who’s at Shippensburg University in Pennsylvania, uses a computer model called SLEUTH to replicate patterns of past development from satellite images, and make predictions about how development will look in the years ahead.
Jantz has predicted that the rate of urban and suburban development in the Washington/Baltimore area will double over the next 30 years. Jantz says streams in the area will suffer pollution heavy enough to seriously damage the delicate ecosystem of nearby Chesapeake Bay.
Claire Jantz: There’s actually all kinds of stuff that will go into a stream when land is developed. With residential development, another pollutant source would be from things like fertilizers. So, as you’re putting fertilizers onto your lawn, some of those fertilizers will run off into the stream systems, and that fertilizes the stream system.
But, Jantz said, “increasing the density of new urban development could help prevent more urban sprawl and its effects.”
Jantz: We’re exploring policies that would encourage cluster development, more intense development in places where there’s already infrastructure that exists for that development.
“Cluster development,” Jantz said, “could spare more wetlands and forests while being able to house the same number of people.”
Our thanks today to NASA: explore, discover, understand.
Jantz told Earth & Sky, “All kinds of stuff goes into a stream when land is developed. If we think about a typical suburban development where you have roads and cul-de-sacs and single family homes, there’s increase in sedimentation. Soil particles run off into the stream system. That’s one source of pollution, especially when land is disturbed. Another pollutant source is fertilizers on yards that run off into the stream system. That sort of fertilizes the stream system causing eutrification and algae blooms. Pollution is one of biggest problems in Chesapeake Bay.”
NASA uses a ‘SLEUTH’ to predict urban land use
Population’s impact on nature, an interview with Claire Jantz from NASA’s Earth Observatory.
Our thanks to:
Claire A. Jantz
Assistant Professor
Shippensburg University
Department of Geography & Earth Science
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