Research, studies and reports on issues of concern to the scenic conservation community are vital resources that Scenic America wants to share with the public.  Below you will find some of the more recent or more relevant research, studies and reports, although others are scattered throughout this site.  If you don't see what you are looking for here, you may try searching by keyword.

"Beyond Aesthetics" study finds billboards hurt property values

A new study shows that billboards negatively affect the values of neighboring properties.  It also found that cities with strict billboard controls are experiencing greater economic prosperity than those with controls that are less strict.

The report, “Beyond Aesthetics: How Billboards Affect Economic Prosperity,” by urban planner Jonathan Snyder, is believed to be the first study on the economic impacts of billboards on nearby real estate values.

Click here to download the study (PDF).

Knight Foundation's "Soul of the Community" Study Released

What makes a community a desirable place to live? What draws people to stake their future in it? Are communities with more attached residents better off?

Gallup and the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation launched the Knight Soul of the Community project in 2008 with these questions in mind. After interviewing close to 43,000 people in 26 communities over three years, the study has found that three main qualities attach people to place: social offerings, such as entertainment venues and places to meet, openness (how welcoming a place is) and the area’s aesthetics (its physical beauty and green spaces).

Click here to go to the Soul of the Community website and read the study.