New publication: Land use influences #prokaryotes more than #fungi in adjacent #hedgerow soils. #landuse #hedgerowsoils
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.agee.2026.110238

Catania, Italia: Finding beauty beneath a gritty cover

They say to never judge a book by its cover. Well, the same can be said for cities. Some cities may not have all the glitz and panache of those that appear on Top 10 lists, but beneath its volcanic grit, Catania, Sicily, Italia is a dynamic community just waiting to be discovered.

While Catania’s central core and suburbs bask in the Mediterranean sun, some other parts of the inner city are emblazoned with graffiti and a noticeable assortment of litter dotting the streets. Another factor that makes the city seem grittier than average is the use of volcanic rock for construction and periodic douses of ashen rainfall whenever nearby Mount Etna is acting restless. In fact, in 1669 much of Catania was destroyed by an eruption by its gigantic neighbor.

It’s said that initial impressions can be lasting, but if one takes the time to peel back the visible exterior of Sicily’s second largest metropolis, you’ll find a charming, colorful, and quite beguiling city.

Not only are there scenic vistas due to the city’s location adjacent to the Ionian Sea and Mount Etna, but it is filled with impressive human made attributes like the Teatro Massimo Belinni, a number of fontana (fountains), the Greco-Roman Teatro, notable architecture throughout the city, and cute art installations like colorful umbrella covers of public spaces like small piazzas and alleys. Overall, the heart of Catania is very walkable.

Beyond those sights, Catania has a terrific collection of bookstores, vintage/new record stores, and the stunning underground University of Catania Library, where the former Benedictine Monastery Library was previously situated (see below).

We spent 10 days there in late January/early February 2026 and found some truly exquisite sights that are well-worth a deeper look by tourists and locals alike. Interspersed throughout this post are images from Catania that should provide anyone with inspiration to visit this busy and industrious city aside the Ionian Sea.

Peace!

(2/2) These trade-offs can be reduced by tailoring import strategies by crop and by promoting the uptake of more advanced agricultural technologies in exporting countries. #Climate #LandUse #Trade

https://www.fogolf.com/1159074/%f0%9f%a4%94-are-there-more-golf-courses-%e2%9b%b3%ef%b8%8f-than-solar-parks-%e2%98%80%ef%b8%8f-in-germany-and-even-more-football-fields-%e2%9a%bd%ef%b8%8f-than-ground-mounted-pv-systems/ 🤔 Are there more golf courses ⛳️ than solar parks ☀️ in Germany? And (even) more football fields ⚽️ than ground-mounted PV systems? #comparison #Energy #FactCheck #football #FootballFields #Germany #Golf #GolfCourses #LandUse #photovoltaics #PVOpenFieldSystems #RenewableEnergy #solar #SolarParks #SolarVsGolf #statistics

$135 million - as Franklin Park is hit with even more deforestation 😠

https://www.wbur.org/news/2026/02/06/boston-white-stadium-mayor-michelle-wu-cost-franklin-park

I wonder which capital projects will be dropped or delayed because of this, too.

#BosPoli #landUse #MAPoli #Boston #Massachusetts

Environmental+ benefits of eating #PlantBased & living #vegan: #topsoil erosion, ocean #DeadZones, #biodiversity, #wildlife, #AirPollution, #respiratory, #RiverPollution, #GHGs, #methane, #ethics, #WorkerProtection, #LandUse, saving #FreshWater, #CoralReefs, #SeaLife safety, #ZoonoticDiseases.

#USA: On a national basis, a 1-billion-gallon increase in soybean #biodiesel production triggers an increase of 1.9 million acres of #soybean acres and 1 million acres of total cropland: doi.org/10.1002/aepp... #landuse

Quantifying the land‐use chang...

Greater farm #productivity has been keeping GHG emissions from #agriculture in check. Technological advances that improve land efficiencies (e.g. improved fertilizer & #seeds) play a larger role in reducing #emissions than labor efficiencies: news.cornell.edu/stories/2026... #yields #landuse

More productive farming lowers...

Doig River First Nation to develop land use plan with B.C., using Indigenous knowledge and Western science
Doig River First Nation is developing a joint land use plan with the province to help guide resource development, support land restoration and protect important areas, including K’ih Tsaa?dze Tribal Park.
#landuse #development #Indigenous #knowledge #DoigRiverFirstNation #BC
https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-columbia/doig-river-developing-joint-land-use-plan-9.7072863?cmp=rss

Fontane di Roma: Sculpted aquatic marvels of the Eternal City

Usually the first attractions one hears about regarding Roma, Italy are the Vatican and the Colosseum. The Trevi Fountain (Fontane) is usually high on the list too, but you may not hear of the hundreds of other fountains that dot the city. For us, these aquatic marvels, often sculpted in marble, were a particular highlight of the Eternal City.

We were particularly fond of the three fountains in Piazza Navona as well as the Quattro Fontane at the intersection of Via del Quirinale and Via XX Settembre where each corner of the intersection is graced with a unique fountain.

Trevi Fountain, while quite beautiful, is literally overwhelmed with tourists, making the experience much less than satisfying. Who knows if the recently enacted new two euro fee for those seeking close access to the fountain will make a difference.

Most endearing to this retired urban planner was the way these sculpted fountains served as a gathering place…a place of relaxation and contemplation…a third place to meet friends and family or to just people watch. The fountains also serve as a sanctuary…a place of respite from the hustle and bustle of the city surrounding you through the soothing “white noise” of the fountain’s gurgling waters.

American cities could learn a lot about placemaking from Roma and other Italian cities. From piazzas to fountains to gardens to monuments, many Italian cities radiate  people-friendly attributes. One cannot help but become enamored with their endearing charm.

Provided below is but a small sampling of these wonderful works of sculpting art mixed with water — some are as much as 500 years old. Pax!

p.s. All photos are by the blog author.

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Quarttro Fontane

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#cities #fontana #fontane #fountains #fun #geography #history #Italia #Italy #landUse #peopleFriendly #placemaking #planning #Roma #Rome #sightseeing #tourism #travel

Seasons Change in Southwest Virginia

https://fed.brid.gy/r/https://science.nasa.gov/earth/earth-observatory/seasons-change-in-southwest-virginia/

Seasons Change in Southwest Virginia https://science.nasa.gov/earth/earth-observatory/seasons-change-in-southwest-virginia/ #NASA #EarthObservatory #LandCover #LandUse #Landsat8LDCMLandsatDataContinuityMission #Landsat9 #Snow #Uncategorized #Vegetation

Fifteen Black-owned bookstores of the Civil Rights Era

Listed below are 15 vitally important Black-owned bookstores of the Civil Rights Era in the United States. Given how few cities were home for Black-owned bookstores at the time, many of these locations served a vital role as both a meeting/gathering place, as well as a site for distribution of information relating to the Civil Rights movement and Black pride and power. The others played an important role as a vanguard of successful Black-owned businesses in the community.

Sadly, only four of these iconic locations remain in operation today. The others closed for a variety of reasons, not the least of which was ongoing surveillance and harassment by J. Edgar Hoover’s FBI.

The bookstores are listed in order by the year they first opened. Peace!

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National Memorial African Bookstore (1932-1974) – New York City (Harlem), New York – founded by Lewis H. Michaux

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Marshall’s Music & Bookstore (1938-present) – Jackson, Mississippi – founded by Pastor Louis Wilcher and is the nation’s oldest continuously operating Black-owned bookstore

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Aquarian Bookstore (1941-1992) – Los Angeles, California – founded by Alfred and Bernice Ligon (pictured below)

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Hakim’s Bookstore (1959-present) – Philadelphia, Pennsylvania – founded by Dawud Hakim and is the oldest Black-owned bookstore on the East Coast

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Marcus Books (1960-present) – Oakland, California (1976-present) and formerly in San Francisco (1960-2014) – founded by Julian and Raye Richardson and has been San Francisco Designated Landmark since 2014

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Afro Asian Book Shop (1964-1975) – Buffalo, New York – founded by Martin Sostre

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Ellis’ Bookstore (1967-1985) – Chicago (Woodlawn), Illinois – founded by Curtis Ellis (pictured below)

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Liberation Bookstore (1967-2007) – New York City (Harlem), New York

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The Hub Bookstore (1965-1975) – Kansas City, Missouri – co-founded by Chester & Lillie Owens and James & Dorothy McField

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Vaughn’s Bookstore (1965-1979) – Detroit, Michigan – founded by Edward Vaughn and added to the National Register of Historic Places in 2023

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Sundiata Bookstore (1968-1976) – Denver, Colorado – founded by Wanda Jackson

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Drum and Spear Bookstore (1968-present) – Washington, D.C. – the first endeavor of the Afro-American Resources, Inc. founded by SNCC organizers Charlie Cobb, Courtland Cox, Charlie Cobb, Judy Richardson, and Curtis Hayes (later Muhammed)

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Liberation Books (ca. 1970-1976) – Baltimore, Maryland – founded by Walter Lively

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Uhuru Bookstore (1972-1983) – Greensboro, North Carolina – co-founded by Lewis Brandon

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Afro N Books & Things (1978-2009) – Miami (Liberty City), Florida – founded by Earl Wells (pictured below)

SOURCES:

• https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vaughn%27s_Book_Store
• https://www.aaihs.org/black-owned-bookstores-anchors-of-the-black-power-movement/
• https://crossculturalsolidarity.com/the-history-legacy-of-black-bookstores/
• https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=2211&dat=19741214&id=yyomAAAAIBAJ&sjid=YP4FAAAAIBAJ&pg=5135,2263700&hl=en
• gemini.google.ai
• https://www.facebook.com/groups/forgottenchicago/posts/10162785500454520/
• https://emke.uwm.edu/entry/literary-milwaukee/
• https://timeforanawakening.com/2020/02/the-political-resilience-of-the-black-owned-bookstore/
• https://www.academia.edu/12441625/Storefront_revolutionary_Martin_Sostre_s_Afro_Asian_Bookshop_black_liberation_culture_and_the_New_Left_1964_75#:~:text=AI,and%20African%2DAmerican%20cultural%20identity.
• https://www.denverpost.com/2010/10/31/denver-civil-rights-leader-wanda-jackson-dies-at-83/
• https://www.kcur.org/community/2019-10-29/in-the-1960s-this-bookstore-was-the-place-for-black-culture-in-kansas-city-kansas
• https://www.wlbt.com/2023/02/15/farish-street-business-marshalls-book-store-one-oldest-african-american-owned-country/
• https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marcus_Books
• https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lewis_H._Michaux
• https://www.facebook.com/streamworkspdx/posts/the-national-memorial-african-bookstorethe-national-memorial-african-bookstore-w/989882349812842/
• https://www.visitjackson.com/directory/marshalls-music-and-book-store/
• https://hiddencityphila.org/2023/04/honoring-hakims-a-west-philadelphia-landmark/
• https://www.instagram.com/p/C8wxLSXMKau/
• https://gclibrary.commons.gc.cuny.edu/2023/10/03/sostre/
• https://harlemlive.org/community/bidness/liberationbookstore/index.html
• https://www.harlemworldmagazine.com/liberation-bookstore-owner-harlem-una-mulzac-passes/
• https://www.denverpost.com/2010/10/31/denver-civil-rights-leader-wanda-jackson-dies-at-83/
• https://www.instagram.com/p/C0UDDnfrf9O/?img_index=4
• https://www.aaihs.org/black-bookstores-and-the-black-power-movement-an-interview-with-paul-coates/#:~:text=Coates:%20The%20earliest%20Black%20bookstore,and%20for%20people%20to%20engage.
• https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Walter_Lively#:~:text=In%20the%20late%201960s%2C%20Lively,stores%20to%20honor%20King’s%20death.
• https://dcr.lib.unc.edu/record/2b6cead5-3d07-40a2-a3af-adb2ad0561cf
• https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Edward_Vaughn
• https://www.hakimsbookstore.com/about-us
• https://www.laacollective.org/work/the-aquarian-age-alfred-and-bernice-ligon
• https://mississippitoday.org/2022/08/25/marshalls-music-and-bookstore/

#AfricanAmerican #BlackOwned #books #bookstores #cities #CivilRightsEra #geography #history #landUse

Chính phủ ban hành quy định mới về tách thửa và tính tiền sử dụng đất khi chuyển mục đích từ đất vườn, đất nông nghiệp sang đất ở. Theo đó, tiền sử dụng đất được tính theo giá đất tại thời điểm có quyết định chuyển mục đích; mỗi hộ gia đình, cá nhân chỉ được áp dụng chính sách ưu đãi về tiền sử dụng đất một lần. Quy định nhằm siết chặt tình trạng phân lô, bán nền trái phép và đảm bảo công bằng trong sử dụng đất đai.

#LandUse #VietnamPolicy #RealEstate #DatO #ChuyenMucDich #TachThua #DatNongNghi

Longest* commercial airport runways in the UK and Ireland

Listed below are commercial airports across the United Kingdom and Ireland with the longest runways. A minimum length of 7,500 feet was required for inclusion.

*Because some of the data varied between the full list page on wikipedia and individual wikipedia airport pages, secondary sources were checked to verify the runway lengths.

Peace!

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1. Runway 9L/27R: London Heathrow Airport, England = 12,802 feet

2. Runway 9R/27L: London Heathrow Airport, England = 12,008 feet

Proposed new runway: London Heathrow, England = 11,483 feet

3. Runway 8R/26L: London Gatwick Airport, England = 10,879 feet

4. Runway 06/24: Shannon Airport, Ireland = 10,495 feet

5. Runway 10L/28R: Dublin Airport, Ireland = 10,203 feet

6. Runway 15/33: Birmingham Airport, England = 10,013 feet

7. Runway 5R/23L: Manchester Airport, England = 10,007 feet

8. Runway 4/22: London Stansted Airport, England = 10,003 feet

9. Runway 5L/23R: Manchester Airport, England = 10,000 feet

10. Runway 12/30: Glasgow Prestwick Airport, Scotland = 9,797 feet

11-12. Runway 9/27: East Midlands Airport (Nottingham), England and Runway 2/20: Doncaster Sheffield Airport, England = 9,491 feet

13. Runway 7/25: Belfast International Airport< Northern Ireland = 9,121 feet

14. Runway 12/30: Cornwall Newquay Airport, England = 9,003 feet

15. Runway 5/23: Glasgow Airport, Scotland = 8,743 feet

16. Runway 6/24: Edinburgh Airport, Scotland = 8,386 feet

17. Runway 12/30: Cardiff Airport, Wales = 7,723 feet

18. Runway 8/26: Ireland West Airport (Connacht), Ireland = 7,700 feet

19. Runway 7/25: Newcastle International Airport, England = 7,644 feet

20. Runway 5/23: Teeside International Airport (Middleton), England = 7,516 feet

SOURCES:

• https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_airports_in_the_United_Kingdom_and_the_British_Crown_Dependencies
• https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_airports_in_the_Republic_of_Ireland
• en.wikipeida.org for each individual airport listed above
• https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2025/nov/25/heathrow-airport-third-runway-plan-government-m25
• pooleys.com
• https://acukwik.com/

#airports #aviation #cities #England #flying #geography #history #Ireland #landUse #NorthernIreland #planning #runways #Scotland #tourism #transportation #UK #Wales

European Commission public consultation on certifying carbon farming:

These are “practices such as rewetting and restoring peatlands, establishing agroforestry systems, adopting soil protection measures, enhancing fertiliser use efficiency, and planting new forests.”

By measuring their climate benefits we could better pay for their value.

https://climate.ec.europa.eu/news-other-reads/news/commission-invites-public-input-future-carbon-farming-voluntary-certification-2026-01-23_en

#Climate #Farming #Agriculture #Forestry #EU #EUPol #LULUCF #LandUse #Science #ClimateScience

There are many more land-efficient ways to produce #energy than growing #biofuels. Crops convert less than 1% of sunlight into biomass; #solarpanels convert around 20%. And using #electricity is more efficient than using liquid fuels: hannahritchie.substack.com/p/biofuels-v... #landuse #biomass

We could produce a lot of elec...

“Skylines of the Mind”- Linking architecture & writing

“Architecture is like writing. You have to edit it over and over so it looks effortless”. – Zaha Hadid

When visualizing an urbanized landscape that consists of a series of high-rise buildings, one cannot help but imagine them as a series of books standing tall on a bookshelf.  Each building represents a unique volume standing beside its counterparts, one after another along the street block, with individual variations in height, width, depth, exterior, decor, ornamentation, and the like. These buildings will often reflect the vision of the owner and/or the architect.

Likewise, when viewing a bookshelf filled with bound publications, the term “Skylines of the Mind” becomes evident. Just like buildings, each individual book varies in height, width, design, outer appearance, and coloration. These books likely reflect the vision of the author and/or the publisher.

It is this symbiosis between a series of buildings and a line up of books that creates such a unique bond between the two vocations and the two art forms. Neither can be judged by their cover (exterior), though the appreciation of both can be enhanced through brilliant design. Both offer themselves as a gateway to something more substantial — books serve as a portal into the depths of your imagination while buildings are a gateway to all the facets contained within that edifice.

“Drawing is like writing a text, you don’t just throw words around wildly, words want to say something, and drawing too, it’s a work of thought”. – Alberto Kalach

As art forms, architecture and writing blend the needs of creativity with utility, as all books and buildings have certain basic needs from which to construct upon. For buildings basic conscripts may include the parcel, the earthwork, the foundation, or the various codes that must be complied with. For books, it could be the page format and size, the font, the typesetting, or the needs of the storyline. Either way, it is the creativity derived from either the architect or the writer that provides the catalyst to extend their project beyond traditional preset foundations and set apart a specific book or building from the rest of the pack.

In literature, examples of uniquely creative writing styles include Portuguese author Jose’ Saramago’s method of using commas in his prose to separate sentences and periods to conclude paragraphs. Or it might be the writing format of Jack Kerouac, where he blisters lengthy, uninhibited thoughts onto parchment in a mad dash to get all them down in rapid succession. In addition, the physical exterior the book could incorporate some form of embossing, debossing, non-traditional textures, colorful tones, or other specialized attributes that make it stand out from a row of publications on shelf.

Within the architecture realm, it could be employing a visionary breakthrough method of invoking a classic design, such as art moderne or baroque, into a new building design. It could be adaptive concept that brings an historic structure back to its former and intended glory. Or, it could be a defining original blueprint that establishes an entirely new paradigm of architectural panache. Furthermore, employing complimentary ornamentation, detailing and embellishments (cornices, parapets, columns, spires, and the like) can help draw a viewers attention towards a specific building, provide it with an identity all its own to distinguish it from its neighbors.

In either case, the opportunities are endless — it is only our minds that can place limits on the perceived extent of an art form’s fullest potential. Peace!

#architects #architecture #art #authors #books #cities #history #landUse #literature #planning #prose #writing

Khu “đất vàng” tại TP.HCM, từng dự kiến xây dựng Nhà thi đấu Phan Đình Phùng nhưng bỏ hoang gần 10 năm, nay đã được cải tạo thành công viên phục vụ người dân. Việc tạm chuyển đổi công năng nhằm tận dụng quỹ đất trong khi chờ quyết định đầu tư chính thức, góp phần cải thiện cảnh quan và không gian xanh đô thị.

#RealEstate #UrbanDevelopment #HoChiMinhCity #LandUse #PublicSpace #BấtĐộngSản #PhátTriểnĐôThị #SàiGòn #CôngViên #QuyHoạch

https://vietnamnet.vn/dat-vang-tai-tphcm-thanh-cong-vien-sau-gan