In response to requests for assistance from a Tibetan refugee community in Mainpat, India, Northern Arizona University developed a unique service-learning experience, the Mainpat Project, to provide health and other services. The project continued for 4 years despite the limited infrastructure and resources of a small public university and the…

In 2006, land use planning emerged as a contested issue in the rural area known as "Down East", Carteret County, in eastern North Carolina, USA. Down East is experiencing a transition from a commercial fishing to an amenity economy and concerns about related changes led to the formation of "Down East Tomorrow" (DET), a…

This case study is an investigation of the attitudes, perceptions, and reactions of school staff and community members in a rural pre-boom school district. In the early stage of an oil boom, real and perceived disruptions commonly occur in the schools and communities that are affected. The preparations and responses that residents make to the…

This article is essentially written as two linked parts. The first part considers how space, spatiality and history can contribute to understanding and "doing something about" the sustainability of rural communities. This is done by extensive reference to Soja's (1989 & 1996) space and spatial theorising and selective perspectives of…

The purpose of this research was to explore and explain the role housing plays in rural community vitality. Community vitality refers to economic strength and social well-being. In spring 2002 we collected primary interview data from informants in 134 small rural communities in nine north-central states and identified related secondary data from…

International community development is a fertile area of research for environmental education scholars and practitioners. Although the community development field is well established, there is relatively little focus on education and learning in community development literature, especially in developing country settings. Particularly,…

Highway interchanges offer rural counties practically ready-made sites for development, but some interchanges offer better development opportunities than others. A study of a Kentucky interchange identified seven factors that make a difference in development, including traffic volume, distance to an urban area, ruggedness of terrain, and sale of…

Examines the social impact of military expansion at Fort Drum and the resulting economic boom on Watertown (New York) and surrounding rural communities in Jefferson County. Focuses on efforts to plan human services for a rapidly expanding and changing population. (SV)

The need for a comprehensive plan--an overall pattern of development--for rural counties is discussed in this paper. The planning is done by a representative body with the authority to make detailed studies, to draft and recommend long-range comprehensive plans and specific plans, and to suggest measures to implement the plans. The 3 steps for…

Describes rural revitalization efforts for small towns in central Washington. Planning analysis by Eastern Washington University faculty and students emphasizes community participation. Details revitalization of the town of Wilbur from planning stages to final outcomes. Describes overall project results. (KS)

A learning needs assessment survey was conducted by the Green Valley Institute in the Quinebaug Shetucket National Heritage Corridor in Connecticut and Massachusetts. This survey was designed to assess educational interests, perceived knowledge, and importance relating to land use, community planning and design, and natural resources. Findings…

Examines how rapid economic development and population growth affect the visual environment in small towns and rural areas. Describes how agencies concerned with the impact of Fort Drum's expansion. Discusses the process of educating local community planners and the public, and a design framework for regulating land use development. (SV)

Comprehensive planning, defined as the work of those who engage in efforts, within a delimited geographic area, to identify and order the physical, social, and economic relationships of that area, is discussed in the four sections of this paper. Section I, Introduction, describes what "planning" and "comprehensive planning" are. In Section II, Why…

This study documents findings concerning rural planning of the six-year MIDNY pilot project in community resource development. Subject headings are: Setting; Planning For Rural Areas (Background); Rural Planning Lessons From The Central N. Y. Experience. Results show that no organization or agency working alone can be as effective as several…