Howard wil begin hosting a series of lectures, beginning with one dealing with sustainable development, land conservation, smart growth and historic preservation.

The county’s Department of Planning and Zoning will partner with the library to host the lectures, beginning at 7 p.m. Sept. 3 at the library’s central branch in Columbia.

The first speaker will be Ed McMahon, who holds the Charles E. Fraser Chair on Sustainable Development at the Urban Land Institute in Washington, D.C.

He will talk about ways to accommodate growth and improve the quality of life through walkable and compact mixed-use developments.

The lecture is free and no registration is needed.