Small Town and Rural Planning Division Planning Awards - Nominations Now Open! STaR invites nominations for outstanding individuals & projects for their contribution to planning excellence in small town and rural communities. Apps close 1.23.26 #smalltownrural Full info at link in bio.

Small Town and Rural Planning Division Planning Awards - Nominations Now Open! STaR invites nominations for outstanding individuals & projects for their contribution to planning excellence in small town and rural communities. Apps close 1.23.26 Full info: smalltown.planning.org/community-ou...

Rural Entrepreneurs Aren’t Taking No for an Economic Answer The line between Main Street and Country Roads has never been as clear as people often thought…. #SmallTowns #rural #econdev medium.com/small-towns-...

New findings from an RTPI survey of more than 2,500 planners reveal that 20% of respondents in the UK expect to leave the profession within the next three years – with no clear pipeline to replace them. Read the State of the Profession report: https://www.rtpi.org.uk/stateoftheprofession

Happy Thanksgiving!!

Solar companies have figured out how to mix sheep grazing and power production. This company is about to make a push to do it with cows, with huge growth potential.

The Decoy Bar Webster, SD

It's the first day of #GeographyAwarenessWeek! How’re you celebrating? Let us know and check out over fifty events happening worldwide on our StoryMap. buff.ly/bKhXzko #GeoWeek2025 #GeoSky #GISChat

Jon Lauk, University of South Dakota, opening The Lost Region Recovery Project conference on #Midwest Studies in Sioux Falls. Sponsored by Middle West Review & National Endowment for the Humanities.

Save some green while getting some green inspiration. ALL Island Press books are 50% off until 11/16! Islandpress.org/half

One of the neatest early examples of pre-fabricated housing in the U.S. were kit homes, most famously made by Sears...people would order their home from the catalog and the parts would be delivered by rail and they would assemble them on-site. www.searshouses.com

Take the 2025 Climate Planning Survey by the Great Plains Institute, APA Sustainable Communities Division, Ester A. & Joseph Klingenstein Fund. Results will be used to develop guidance & model resources to help planners & sustainability staff with climate issues. www.surveymonkey.com/r/YB7D3L6

Turning theory into action: Rural towns like Hinesburg, VT & Davis, CA show how smart zoning puts big ideas into practice—blending growth, farmland, and community into real results. Ideas on how local values shape better land use here: jcshepard.com/2025/11/rura... #RuralZoning #Praxis #SmartGrowth

One of the draws of homesteading and tiny house living is learning to live off the land. To grow your own food supply, it’s necessary to first learn the requirements of planting homestead gardens.🥕🌽🫛 Here are the basics: thetinylife.com/basic-tips-f...

[Registration Is Now Open!] Join Us for the 2025 World Town Planning Day Conference Theme: With Planning We Can! Date: Friday, November 7 Register here!: planning.zoom.us/webinar/regi...

Join the RTPI's #WorldTownPlanningDay 2025 online programme, which brings together case studies from the UK and around the world, fostering the exchange of ideas globally. 👉Register for the free webinars at: www.rtpi.org.uk/wtpd This year's theme is 'With Planning We Can'

US Census Releases Most Accurate, Granular Housing Data Yet - h/t Niskanen Center

Webinar: Zoning for our Future: Solar, Windfarms, EV, and Manufactured/ Modular Homes Friday October 31, 2025 | Noon CDT www.ohioplanning.org/aws/APAOH/pt... #zoning #wind #solar #EVs #housing

💡October is Energy Awareness Month! Supercharge your awareness and understanding with our monthly book bundle. Get all 4 of these energy titles for just $85 when you use code BUNDLE at checkout on islandpress.org/bundle

Checkout Garrett Stritzel's amazing project, Rural Justice, which won the 2025 James Segedy Honor Award for Small Town and Rural Planner StaR members log on to d/l the STaR News and read about it: www.planning.org/divisions/sm... #SmallTownRural #smalltown #rural #planning #awards

Rural America is blending solar with farming—agrivoltaics means clean energy, more income for farmers, and thriving pollinators. Smart zoning helps landowners & communities benefit together. See how solar & ag can work side by side: jcshepard.com/2025/10/sola... #Rural #Agrivoltaics #Solar #Energy

STaR John Keller Planning Initiative Awards for 2025. Checkout these amazing award-winning projects, from Michigan, Ohio, and Wyoming. STaR members, log on & d/l your Fall newsletter with all the details: www.planning.org/divisions/sm... #SmallTownRural #planning #awards

#Population change projections by state, 2025-2050. These are matter of debate. could all turn out different. In partic., climate chg could diminish growth of FL & SW USA states. Credits: proj'ns of @weldoncoopercenter.bsky.social, graphic design by @visualcap.bsky.social

Fall News highlights STaR Award Winners Brownwood, TX Downtown Plan Vernon Dienes Plan <50k Honor Longmeadow, MA Climate Resilience Plan Vernon Dienes Plan <50k Honor Burwell, NE Comprehensive Plan Vernon Dienes Plan <50k Merit Greencastle DePauw Master Plan (Indiana) Vernon Dienes Plan <50k Merit

#SmallTownRural planners are often urbanists--small towns are often walkable, mixed-use communities built on a flexible grid. We just don't get all Up-in-the-Sky about it.

Reviving #rural America with clean power! 🌱 Discover how local energy and community projects can spark a new renaissance. Check out this insightful book review from the Spring 2024 @apa-star.bsky.social newsletter: jcshepard.com/2025/10/rura... #SmallTownRural #RenewableEnergy #wind #solar #policy

Nine Meals from Anarchy--what happens if your local food supply stopped? Local farms & smart planning build resilience. Nebraska 2019 floods taught hard lessons. Prep matters—families & towns need to act now. Read: ruralresurrection.com/nine-meals-f... STaR Member d/l the newsletter for more!

Get ready for the ⚡️ energetic ⚡️ return of the #EarthScienceWeek #webinar series, from October 13th to 16th! Don’t miss out on THE FUTURE of energy! 🛸 Register now - link in bio! www.earthsciweek.org/webinars/ #energy #earthscience #future #NEED #geothermalrising #aapg #usgs #geology #geoscience

🌎 Big news! NEEF is the new sponsor of #NoChildLeftInside Day! 🌿 Let’s get kids outdoors to explore, learn & love our planet this #EarthScienceWeek 🌤️ How can you celebrate? 💚 See: neefusa.org/no-child-left-inside

"Planning requires diverse expertise and collaborative partnerships, which are increasingly important in small and rural communities. Limited budgets and staffing constraints make it essential to utilize all available resources effectively."

STaR Members: Your Fall 2025 Small Town & Rural Planning News is posted now on planning.org. * Cooperative Extension & STaR Planners * From the Chair * STaR Awards, Part II * Nine Meals from Anarchy * VA honors STaR Planner * The Power of Heritage

OCTOBER EXCLUSIVES! Get the ebook of LIVING OFF GRID for just $14.99! Plus, download free excerpts from THE LIGHT BETWEEN APPLE TREES and NEW YORK'S SECRET SUBWAY only on islandpress.org

Earth Science Week starts this Sunday! Don’t miss out on celebrating "Energy Resources for Our Future" from October 12-18, 2025, with @agi-updates.bsky.social & @earthsciweek.bsky.social. ⚡🌟 Get inspired with this year's theme! From webinars to contests, learn how to get involved. buff.ly/JUwSnuA

Playground Lidgerwood, ND

Debunking myths about #rural America today: * Rural counties are racially diverse * Rural economies depend on jobs across a variety of sectors * Many rural communities are thriving A place-based economic development strategy to foster rural U.S. prosperity: equitablegrowth.org/a-place-base...

🧵Rural and small libraries are crucial for preserving local history, but resource constraints make it challenging. The #InternetArchive's #CommunityWebs program helps these libraries save websites, news, & community stories for the future. More ➡️ blog.archive.org/2025/10/01/r...

For those of you interested in accessing U.S. Census Bureau data from data.census.gov during the government shutdown, the Census APIs are still working. Here is an example of how to access the Census API using both #Rstats and #Python coreysparks.quarto.pub/accessing-th...

State Data Centers are state agencies & state univs extending access to #govtdata. YES, #WeAreOpen. Call when you need a #demography or #census subject matter expert. List of SDC members 👉 www.census.gov/about/partne...

Today!

Rural short-term rentals bring tourism & new energy—but also stress local housing & services. Balancing opportunity with community is key. Read: Balancing Impacts of STRs on Rural America jcshepard.com/2024/10/airb... #tourism #econdev

APA Small Town & Rural Planning Division STaR Annual Division Business Meeting ONLINE Tuesday, September 30, 2025 10:00 AM Alaska Time 11:00 AM Pacific Time Noon Mountain Time 1:00 PM Central Time 2:00 PM Eastern Time Members--Check your email for the Zoom link. #SmallTownRural

Despite being an urban planner for ~ 10 yrs, I still lose the precise # for an acre in my brainfog. But today I learned that the technical definition of an acre is "One chain by one furlong", which is also 66ft x 660ft. Much easier! Or you could just use this handy chart! #urbanplanning

The RTPI has launched Empower 2030, its strategic plan for 2025–2030, setting a route to strengthen the planning profession, enhance member value, and grow its membership. Read more: https://www.rtpi.org.uk/about-the-rtpi/who-we-are/our-strategic-priorities/empower-2030-the-rtpi-strategic-plan/

These small towns (10,000+ pop) are the most expensive in the US, says new study @thehill.com Nantucket at the top. Jackson, Wyoming, & Breckenridge, Colorado, up there too. Los Alamos in Top 10. thehill.com/homenews/sta... #smalltownrural

How is #heritage tourism energizing #rural America? Identity, community, and resilience. From local stories to economic renewal, see real examples and strategies for your community. Explore now: jcshepard.com/2025/09/revi... #HeritageTourism #RuralRevival

Today at the Innovations in Manufactured Homes (I’m HOME) annual conference in Atlanta, Director of Housing Access and Affordability Arica Young announced that the network is expanding its scope to include modular housing.

NEW: The confirmation hearing for Joyce Meyer, President Trump’s nominee for the next under secretary of commerce for economic affairs to oversee the Census Bureau, is set to take place Sept. 17 before the Senate Commerce Committee

Cuts to safety net programs will hit hard for rural Americans, eating into earnings that could be spent on housing. After the 2008 Financial Crisis, some say the worries they feel over current economic conditions feel eerily familiar.

In Coimbra for #RuralHistory2025 and the place I’m staying is stuffed full of rural material culture. Seems about right. It’s a bit like having a sleepover @themerl.bsky.social, but warmer.

The RTPI has warned that the English Devolution and Community Empowerment Bill, which passed its Second Reading on 2 September, could leave rural communities behind. Read more https://www.rtpi.org.uk/new-from-the-rtpi/rural-areas-risk-being-left-behind-in-drive-for-devolution/