Communities around the country are learning that open space conservation is not an expense but an investment that produces important economic benefits.

Open space - whether urban, suburban, or rural - serves a wide range of purposes that support our local economies and ensure a high quality of life.

And open space will not survive unless communities do their part to protect and maintain it.

EmbraceOpenSpace The Embrace Open Space campaign is a partnership among local nonprofits seeking to halt the loss of over three acres of open space every hour.

Urban Open Space Foundation Seeks to preserve and enhance Wisconsin's critical neighborhood lands and waters through acquisition, citizen-based stewardship, public education.

Neighborhood Open Space Coalition (NOSC) (founded in 1981) is dedicated to improving New York life by expanding and enhancing its infrastructure for public health: parks, waterfronts, community gardens and open spaces, through advocacy, research, education, and planning.

PCJ Article: "Open Space" Zoning, by Randall ArendtNoted planner Randall Arendt explores how open space zoning can result in better suburban and rural land use and development patterns, ...

Open Space Protection Protecting open space is an essential component in preserving and enhancing the quality of life for the residents of Massachusetts.

San Francisco Bay Area Open Space Council...A collaboration of non-profit agencies and organizations dedicated to providing leadership and expertise for the preservation and stewardship of open space. Seventh Annual Open Space Conference -- Friday, May 13, 9am to 4pm Draft Agenda, Map, and Online Registration ...

Economic Benefits Report: Economic Benefits of Parks and Open Space. Communities around the country are learning that open space conservation is not an expense but an investment that produces important economic benefits. TPL's report on the economic benefits of open space is available as .pdf

The City of Boston has developed a new citywide Open Space Plan ... this interplay of open space and built space and our need for balanced development.

The Biodiversity Project shares inspiring stories of everyday Americans working to make a difference for biodiversity. Did you know that Lake Tahoe, Nevada, planned its garbage collection with black bears in mind, or that Key West, Florida re-thought its approach to stormwater run-off in order to better protect the nearby coral reefs? See "Great Communities"

The Annenberg Foundation provides support for projects within its grant-making interest areas of education and youth, arts and culture, civic and community, and health: http://www.annenbergfoundation.org

Chicago Wilderness is an unprecedented alliance of more than 170 public and private organizations working together to protect, restore, study and manage the precious natural ecosystems of the Chicago region for the benefit of the public. http://www.chicagowilderness.org/

The Emerald Necklace is a string of waterways and parkways in Boston and Brookline for people to visit and enjoy. The Emerald Necklace Conservancy was formed in 1996 and brings together government, business, residential and institutional representatives, community leaders and organizations, environmental and park advocates. Programs focus on: parks restoration and maintenance, public education, exhibits and publications constituency-building, and park advocacy to improve public access to the park system: http://www.emeraldnecklace.org

The New York City Open Accessible Space Information System Cooperative (OASIS) is a partnership of more than 30 federal, state, and local agencies, private companies, academic institutions, and nonprofit organizations to create a one-stop, interactive mapping and data analysis application via the Internet to enhance the stewardship of open space for the benefit of New York City residents. http://www.oasisnyc.net

Since 1974, Philadelphia Green has worked in partnership with neighborhood residents, community organizations, and city agencies, to create community gardens and greenspaces as a community building tool: http://www.pennsylvaniahorticulturalsociety.org/phlgreen/index.html

The San Gabriel and Lower Los Angeles Rivers and Mountains Conservancy was created by the California legislature to preserve open space and habitat in order to provide for low-impact recreation and educational uses, wildlife habitat restoration and protection, and watershed improvements. http://www.rmc.ca.gov/

The Trust for Public Land (TPL) is a national, nonprofit, land conservation organization that conserves land for people to enjoy as parks, community gardens, historic sites, rural lands, and other natural places, ensuring livable communities for generations to come: http://www.tpl.org