Critical Emerging Issues in Land Use and the Role of the Land Grant University

Soji Adelaja

John A. Hannah Distinguished Professor in Land Policy
Director of the Land Policy Institute (LPI)
Michigan State University

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Abstract

There is a changing paradigm in land use and land policy in the US brought about in large part by the "new economy." Key issues will be of critical importance to Florida if it seeks to position itself to attract good growth and deter bad growth. The principles of place making are important and academic and planning communities can play a key role in building a sustainability state. Old strategies in land use have not necessarily worked to build a prosperous nation in communities, but have in fact accelerated the erosion of various strategic advantages that American communities, cities and states have. Florida is perhaps the best-positioned state in the nation to actually do something to create the type of state it wants to be. Most other states are not as well poised and can only react to forces beyond their control. Key points to be covered in the seminar include:

1. Historical dynamics of land use and implications for agriculture, suburban communities and cities
2. Drivers and dynamics of land use change and the changing nature of these drivers
3. Policy innovations to date and their limitations
4. Globalization and emerging land use trends and patterns
5. Land use in the new economy: from intra-regional sprawl to inter-regional sprawl
6. Emerging trends and the implications for Florida
7. Florida and Michigan in contrasts: two ends of the spectrum
8. Inadequacy of the current land use response infrastructure
9. Emerging issues and problems in land use and the implications for land grant institutions
10. The approach of the Land Policy Institute at Michigan State University in land use research, education and outreach

Biography

Dr. Soji Adelaja is the John A. Hannah Distinguished Professor in Land Policy and Director of the Land Policy Institute at Michigan State University. He holds joint faculty appointments as professor in the Departments of Agricultural Economics; Geography; and Community, Agriculture, Recreation and Resource Studies.

Previously, he was at Rutgers University for 18 years, during which period he served as Executive Dean of Agriculture and Natural Resources, Dean of Cook College, Executive Director of the New Jersey Agricultural Experiment Station, Director of Rutgers Cooperative Extension, Professor and Chair of Agricultural Food and Resource Economics, Director of the Food Policy Institute, Director of the Food Innovation Center, and Director of the Eco-policy Center.

Dr. Adelaja has a Bachelor's degree in Agricultural Mechanization from the Pennsylvania State University, dual Master's degrees in Agricultural Economics and in Economics from West Virginia University, and a Ph.D. in Economics from West Virginia University.