In “Biophilic Cities: Integrating Nature into Urban Design and Planning,” Timothy Beatley argues that cities can and must be designed to permit daily contact with the natural world. He identifies a variety of means for doing this, from green walls and green rooftops to urban forests and sidewalk gardens.

Beatley recently collaborated on a documentary film about green cities and urban nature, entitled “The Nature of Cities,” which has been shown on PBS (Public Broadcasting System) stations all over the U.S. He also writes a regular column for Planning Magazine, called “Ever Green,” about environmental and sustainability matters. His research has been funded by a variety of agencies and organizations including the National Science Foundation, Virginia Sea Grant, and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, among others.

Beatley holds a PhD in City and Regional Planning from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, an MA in Political Science from UNC, a Master of Science in Urban Planning from University of Oregon, and a Bachelor of Science in City Planning from University of Virginia.