During the past 200 years there has been a dramatic shift in where people live and work. In 1800 only six percent of the U.S. population lived in urban areas. In addition to the general urbanization there has been a move from large cities to the suburbs. Both the initial migration from rural communities to cities and the subsequent move from larger cities to the suburbs have had a profound effect on the environment.
Urban sprawl creates numerous environmental and infrastructure problems. What do we do with the old cities as the population literally empties from them? How do we accommodate suburban growth and preserve the landscape? How can we mitigate increased traffic congestion and the corresponding air pollution? What can be done to preserve open space as urban developments pave over the landscape? These are the difficult questions that planners and designers are being asked to solve.
Several forces will change the urban landscape in the future. The urban sprawl is likely to continue into "exerbia" (the undeveloped or relatively under-developed areas adjacent to the suburbs). The developments in exerbia will likely include very low-density, and large-lot single-family homes; retirement communities; and resorts/second-home communities. Examples of this type of development can be seen in the western suburbs of Washington, D.C. and Miami, and around Kansas City and Tucson, Arizona. Features like public transportation centers, centralized retail areas, concentric residential communities, and centralized park and recreation areas are essential to master plans. All of these features make communities more easily accessible to the residents and promote low-impact environmental lifestyles.
Finally, environmental issues, including the preservation of wetlands, open space, natural habitats, endangered species, and the need to enhance the quality of life for people living in all areas, need to be addressed. Increased development of rural communities and non-developed areas places additional burdens on the land, water, and other natural resources.
The increased urban population combined with the need to preserve natural habitats has created a strong demand for planners and design professionals. Planning and design professionals can shape the future of our cities while preserving vital natural resources as well as historical landmarks thus making positive contribution to the quality of life for everyone.
PROJECTED GROWTH AND EMPLOYMENT TRENDS
Overall employment for planners is expected to grow about as fast as the average for all occupations through the years to come. Most job openings will arise from the need to replace experienced planners that are leaving the profession. The need for planners will vary by region with the best opportunities arising in states that have mandated planning programs.
The design profession is expected to grow as fast as the general economy. This field is closely tied to the construction industry, and therefore employment growth is cyclical. Employment growth will vary depending on the location with most growth anticipated in more rural and underdeveloped communities.
GIS and GPS
The work of mapping scientists is changing rapidly due to new technologies; the most important of them is the Geographic Information Systems (GIS). GIS science is a new and exciting field that will drastically change our understanding of the planet, as well as the amount of information that can be analyzed within a geographic area. GIS scientists combine computer technology with geographic information and databases in order to simultaneously study geomorphic, landscape, and human settlement patterns on the earth's surface.
These systems are extremely powerful tools that can be used to study both urban land-use patterns and environmental conditions. Urban planners can combine census data on employment, income, and other economic and demographic data with maps in order to understand the current land-use pat-terns as well as changes in land-use patterns. Planners can also use GIS to analyze the physical features of an undeveloped area in order to plan the development of a site based on the physical features of the property, soil characteristics, wetlands, endangered species, and other wildlife. The GIS can then be used to develop the property in a way that will minimize environmental damage. Within the environmental field, the GIS can be combined with satellite imagery to map the destruction of natural resources, measure draught conditions, and note changes in the botanical features of an area. This science has created a demand for computer programmers to link large databases with mapping software. Mapping software allows the collection of a wide variety of information based on geographic perimeters. It can be used to establish the most-efficient delivery systems as well as assisting planners annualizing traffic patterns in order to design new roads and public transportation routes. This field is a promising career path for those interested in mapping, surveying, engineering, demography, planning, forestry, and the life sciences.
Global Positioning Systems (GPS) use a satellite that precisely locates points on the earth using radio signals. The system was designed by the military for the navigation of planes, tanks, ships, and other equipment. The GPS program has been incorporated by surveyors and other scientists using small receivers that are placed on a desired point to analyze all types of information. Some applications include the study of ozone depletion, global warming, environmental destruction caused by overgrazing, and changes in water flows. GPS has been used with heat sensors that can detect the amount of heat on the planet's surface. When insects consume large quantities of plants the amount of heat generated declines, indicating that a pesticide program may be required. Thus, the use of pesticides can be targeted cutting down on blanket spraying.
