GREETINGS FROM UNC WILMINGTON'S CHANCELLOR EMERITUS, DR. JAMES LEUTZE
Dear
Students and Educators,
The conflict between human development and conservation has engaged the social consciousness, judicial system, politics and economics of this country for more than 225 years.
 Smart growth is not related to an individual community's size and is absolutely adaptable to wherever a project exists, be it out in the country or in the heart of the city. —William
Warkentin |
As the beauty and value of our natural resources were discovered, industrialists, agriculturists and conservationists realized the potential to both exploit and protect them. From industrial barons, such as Samuel Slater, Andrew Carnegie, John D. Rockefeller, J.P. Morgan, Cornelius Vanderbilt, Charles Goodyear and George Westinghouse, to environmentalists, such as John Muir, Gifford Pinchot, Aldo Leopold, Charles Darwin, John Wesley Powell, William Cullen Bryant and Jacques Cousteau, the destiny of America's mountains, prairies and coasts have been defined and redefined. Today, the debate about America's over-development continues with infinite perspectives, decades of research and most significantly, the indelible marks of two hundred years of human activity upon its land, water and air. In recent years, nowhere are the issues of growth and quality of life more dramatic and profound than in the Southeastern United States. With northern states "maxing out" from late 20th century urban congestion, sprawl and development, the South has become a new frontier to expand into and consume.
Since
the end of World War II, the American Dream has been defined as a house
in the suburbs. Sparked by a series of federal and state government policies,
including home-buying subsidies provided by the GI Bill, massive road
building projects and community planning designed around the automobile,
Americans abandoned the cities for greener pastures in suburbia.
| Concern for the environment and finding ways to balance new growth and existing resources has become a part of the internal design process for community developers. In many cases, they're practicing Smart Growth fundamentals in advance, and independently of, requirements imposed by local governmental regulation. Now is the time to publicly define sustainable development and commend the builders who take that concept to a new level. —William
Warkentin |
Now we are running out of greener pastures, most dramatically in the Southeast, and many Americans consider over-development to be the fastest-growing threat to their local environment and quality of life. In 1970, the Southeast was one of the most sparsely populated regions in the nation. Currently, it is one of the fastest growing. And by the year 2025, some 14 percent of the post-World War II baby boom generation will live in the Carolinas and Georgia. Most of the influx of population will be from the northeastern portion of the country. Most will have come here to retire, and most will live within 50 miles of the coast.
The phenomenon of "sprawl" can be described as low-density, automobile-dependent development beyond the edge of service and employment, which separates where people live from where they shop, work, recreate and educate. Sprawl is ubiquitous and its effects are impacting the quality of life in cities and towns alike.
Urban sprawl is no longer a problem associated with cities like New York, Chicago, and Los Angeles, but it is occurring on a large scale in the Southeast, around Atlanta, Myrtle Beach, and Charleston, where urban development increased 700-800 percent between 1974 and 1993. These areas are now suffering from increased traffic congestion, longer commutes, increased dependence on fossil fuels, crowded schools, worsening air and water pollution, lost open space and wetlands, increased flooding, destroyed wildlife habitat, higher taxes and dying city cores. The questions that presently confront scientists, resource managers, and public health officials are "How long can the ecosystems of the Southeast sustain themselves given the present level of development?" and "What can be done to minimize the impact of population growth and the changes in land use patterns associated with it?"
Paving
the American Dream: Southern Cities, Shores & Sprawl explores the
issues, problems and answers to questions like these and more. The goal
of this television documentary is to educate the public about the devastating
impacts of sprawl on our natural resources, wildlife, historic treasures,
families and communities in and along Southeastern shores and cities.
The documentary looks at how citizens in the South are grappling with
the challenges of unplanned sprawl and solutions are being implemented
to balance growth with the needs of the community as a whole.
More than fifty years ago, America defined the American Dream as a home in suburbia. Now our nation is redefining the dream and weighing the values of sustainable communities and green space with economic development. It is the hope that this documentary and educator's resource Web site will instill a sense of individual commitment to smart growth — learning about the facts, issues, problems and solutions, then supporting smart growth efforts for our future.
With all best wishes,
James R. Leutze
Chancellor Emeritus, UNC Wilmington
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