UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — Those interested in learning about the connections between communities and local food systems, and how to strengthen these systems, can attend an upcoming Penn State Extension webinar.
Claudia Schmidt, associate professor of marketing and local/regional food systems; Brian Moyer, extension program specialist; and Robin Perry-Smith, strategic initiatives and urban engagement extension educator, will speak at the webinar, which begins at noon on March 18.
The webinar highlights how communities can strengthen local food systems and examines the roles of municipal staff and officials in supporting and sustaining these efforts.
The webinar is part of Penn State Extension’s Winter/Spring Land-Use Webinar Series, which is aimed at helping community leaders navigate land-use challenges, with topics ranging from improving community food access, growing local leaders’ capacity for community development, and creating affordable housing.
The series began Jan. 21 and runs monthly through May. Sessions feature Penn State experts and guest speakers discussing timely issues affecting municipal officials, planners, landowners and community organizations.
Each 75-minute session is recorded and made available to registrants for six months. Other programs in the series include:
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Jan. 21: “Planning for Intergenerational Communities” (recorded).
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Feb. 18: “From Data to Action: Using Community Report Cards for Equitable Land Use Planning” (recorded).
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April 15: “Community Development Essentials — A Process Before a Plan.”
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May 20: “Rural Housing Affordability and Livability in Pennsylvania.”
Pending approval, the Pennsylvania chapter of the American Planning Association will offer professional credits to registered landscape architects or professional planners with the American Institute of Certified Planners. Each webinar is worth 1.25 credits, or 6.25 credits for those attending the whole series.
Penn State Extension is offering the series in partnership with the Pennsylvania chapter of the American Planning Association and the Northeast Regional Center for Rural Development.
Registration is required to receive the link to access each webinar.
The cost of the webinar series is $50 for all five sessions, or $95 for all five sessions for those who want to receive AICP certification-maintenance credits from the American Planning Association. In addition, registered landscape architects can earn continuing education credits for a fee of $65.
For anyone interested in a particular topic from the series, individual session registration is available for $15 per session.
For more information, contact John Turack, extension education program specialist, community and economic development, at 724-837-1402 or by email at jdt15@psu.edu. To register for the webinars, visit Penn State Extension online.