Balancing Nature and Commerce

Communities located near national and state parks, wildlife refuges, national forests, battlefields, wilderness areas, and other protected public lands face unique challenges. As portals to cherished landscapes and natural areas, sometimes called "gateway communities," they are increasingly popular places in which to live, work, vacation and retire.

In the 1990s, 2 million more Americans moved from metropolitan centers to rural areas than migrated the other way. Communities with natural beauty and a high quality of life are magnets for businesses, working families and retirees. But rapid growth and popularity with visitors can place stress on communities, from traffic congestion to increasing housing costs, haphazard development to approaching limits to growth outside of public land boundaries.

The Conservation Fund offers an array of services and programs to help these communities and public land managers address the challenges associated with rapid growth, community development and protecting natural resources. Services include training, publications, technical assistance, and land protection.

Courses and Workshops
From a four-day national course to customized workshops to a live television broadcast, The Conservation Fund's Conservation Leadership Network offers a wide array of training opportunities designed to meet the needs of any community, regardless of size or location. Participants learn strategies for building partnerships between diverse stakeholders and acquire practical tools for how to protect their community’s unique identity while building and sustaining its economy.

Publications and Resources
Working with experts in the field, The Conservation Fund offers several useful publications and resources for gateway communities struggling to preserve character and protect landscapes -- without sacrificing economic well-being. Publications include Balancing Nature and Commerce in Gateway Communities, the definitive guidebook for gateway communities.

Strategic Conservation Planning
The Conservation Fund uses Geographic Information Systems (GIS) and Green Infrastructure Planning to evaluate a community's natural resources and land ownership patterns. The Fund relies on this information to work with communities for future economic development and conservation planning purposes. Depending on the needs of a community, The Fund also provides consulting assistance in areas ranging from sustainable economic development to land and water conservation.