Balancing Growth and Nature: Sustainable Land Use

Miacademy & MiaPrep Learning Channel

This educational video explores the complex challenges of sustainable land use, teaching students how humans balance the need for resources with environmental protection. It begins with a relatable skit illustrating the conflicting demands placed on city planners—from housing and farming to energy and wildlife protection—before diving into the core concepts of conservation versus preservation. The video uses clear examples, such as wetland management, to distinguish between using land responsibly (conservation) and protecting it completely from human interference (preservation). The latter half of the video presents a detailed case study of Portland, Oregon's "Urban Growth Boundary," demonstrating a real-world solution to urban sprawl. Students learn how stakeholders collaborate to draw lines between developable land and protected natural areas, reviewing these plans periodically to accommodate population growth. The narrative emphasizes that while land use decisions are difficult, collaborative planning can prevent the "tragedy of the commons." This resource is highly valuable for Environmental Science, Geography, and Civics classrooms. It moves beyond abstract definitions by providing a concrete policy example (Portland) that students can analyze. The video includes built-in pause points for reflection and writing, making it ready-to-use for checking understanding. It effectively bridges science and social studies by showing how scientific data informs public policy and community planning.