Integrating Habitats: Creating healthy homes for people, fish and wildlife
Planning and conservation › Land and development › Nature-friendly development › Integrating Habitats
What began as a Nature in Neighborhood's design competition has morphed into a movement! Integrating Habitats' design principles, images and ideas show how our cities, buildings and backyards can improve water quality and provide valuable wildlife habitat
Integrating Habitats Winners Series
This series features vibrant, detailed posters of individual winning designs at a user-friendly scale, as well as jurist commentary and design highlights:
- Check out the Winners Series Library.View posters
- Get the hard copies mailed to your door. Join the mailing list (include your name and mailing address).Send e-mail
- Sign up for the paper-free, e-mail series. Send e-mail
The challenge
Growing populations. Rapid development. Increased pressure on natural areas, clean rivers, streams and valuable fish and wildlife habitat. How can we balance development and growth with conservation and livability?
The solution
Blend. Balance. Integrate. Collaborate to redefine the built environment and restore nature. Integrating Habitats showcases innovative, visionary development practices that combine and balance design excellence, ecological stewardship and economic enterprise.
A call to action
Metro's Integrating Habitats design competition challenged multi-disciplinary teams to explore a new type of design that balances development, human needs and the health of natural systems we all depend on. Hundreds of architects, landscape designers, biologists, ecologists, builders, developers and students from around the world responded. In each of the award-winning designs, the needs of wildlife, people and the planet are holistically considered and balanced in plans we can build today.
Building the movement
The competition catalyzed a region-wide movement that places habitat protection and restoration within our most important development goals. Every space in which we live, work, shop and play can create places for both people and nature! Now, there is tremendous interest, momentum and opportunity in merging ecology and design in ways that make our urban areas healthy, vibrant places for people, fish and wildlife.
People's Choice Awards
Best in competition
Integrating Habitats essentials
You don't have to be an architect, developer or design professional to understand the distinctive spirit and fundamental values of Integrating Habitats' designs. They illustrate new types of nature-friendly development and create new choices for sustainable living at home, in our communities and throughout our region:
- Make connections that matter
Community. Safety. Family. Health. Nature. What we connect to and value shapes our quality of life. Nature-friendly development practices provide new ways to connect our actions to our values as we improve our neighborhoods, streets, natural areas, and backyards.
- Imagine what could be
Changes to how development sites are planned and built can protect nature and provide healthy places for people, fish and wildlife now and for generations to come.
- Take action - change the norm
We all have a role to play in shaping our region and protecting our quality of life. Which ideas inspire you to be more nature-friendly at home and in your community? How will you bring more nature into your neighborhood?
Share your thoughts with other property owners. Tell you city officials what elements you support. Join in, dig deeper and take action.
Design collection DVD
The entire Integrating Habitats design collection, entrant contact information and merits of submittal statements on one DVD for $5...Get it
Online design gallery
Check out high resolution images of the Integrating Habitats entries and award winning submissions...Go
Design showcase
Book the Integrating Habitats traveling design showcase or see it live... Send e-mail
Blog this!
Join the conversation on the Integrating Habitats blog... Go
Need assistance?
Nature in Neighborhoods
503-797-1794 | 503-797-1849 fax
integratinghabitats@oregonmetro.gov