Page 28 - Mapping the Nation: Taking Climate Action

Striking a Balance between Conservation and Growth—Maps Show How Before the pandemic normalized working from home, Chattanooga, Tennessee, with the nation's fastest broadband, was lauded as the best city for remote workers. While the area's mix of ecology and technology is attracting new residents, the surge is triggering development pressures that may disrupt the balance. Much of Chattanooga's appeal is its proximity to outdoor recreation, enabling what City Journal called a "rock-climbing- before-work, kayaking-before-dinner lifestyle." The city's locale—tucked between the Cumberland Plateau and the Blue Ridge Mountains—means these activities occur alongside some of the nation's most ecologically rich and fragile areas. Only California has more threatened biodiversity. 27