NACPRO News

August 17, 2021

In This Issue...

Best Practices Forum
New Member Welcome
Member News
Research and Resources
In the News
Training
Job Announcements


About NACPRO

The National Association of County Park and Recreation Officials is a non-profit professional organization that advances official policies that promote county and regional park and recreation issues while providing members with opportunities to network, exchange ideas and best practices, and enhance professional development.

Learn more about us at: www.nacpro.org


DEADLINE FOR NEXT ISSUE

The next issue of NACPRO News will be delivered on August 31, 2021.

If you have news or an article to share, please send it to the editor by August 30.

EDITOR
Brenda Adams-Weyant
(814) 927-8212
[email protected]


NACPRO's Sponsors

Pilot Rock logo


Job Announcements

NEW - Assistant Director
Los Angeles County Department of Parks and Recreation
Alhambra, California
Salary: $135,642 - $210,951 /yr
Closing date: Open until filled

Assistant Director - Parks and Recreation
Coconino County
Flagstaff, Arizona
Salary: $74,684 - $82,152 /yr
Closing date: Aug 20, 2021

Executive Director
Belvidere Park District
Belvidere, Illinois
Salary: $93,000 - $116,000 /yr
Closing date: Sep 15, 2021

Got a vacancy to fill? NACPRO will post your vacancy on our website and email a copy to our mailing list of over 1100 parks and recreation professionals for a fee of $100 for NACPRO members and $200 for non-members. NACPRO membership is $90/person.

For more information:
https://nacpro.mcjobboard.net/jobs

Best Practices Forum

Got an issue you need advice on? Or a best practice you want to share? Send us the details and we will publish it in the next NACPRO News.

 


New Member Welcome

Mr. Bob Lukens
Director
Muskegon County Parks, Michigan

 


Member News

As Baltimore Reinvents Druid Hill Park, Can it Also Reconnect Black Neighborhoods?
Courtesy of Next City

By Ethan McLeod

MARYLAND - Peering left from a triangular slope of Baltimore’s Druid Hill Park at its southerly Madison Avenue entrance, a visitor can grasp renowned landscape architect Howard Daniels’ idyllic vision: a grassy expanse, a varying canopy of dozens of trees, an array of paths filled with dog walkers, joggers and bikers, and green hills rolling west.

The rest of this view is less serene, however. Just ahead and to the right is a mess of construction that since 2017 has consumed Druid Lake, a man-made reservoir currently partially drained and covered by machinery, large pipes and assorted building materials as part of an ambitious $140 million drinking water storage project. Just behind, steps from the grass at the entrance, are three lanes of traffic noisily speeding west along Druid Park Lake Drive.

Baltimore’s best chance of fixing this conflicting scene is currently just an idea. Since the spring, architects, engineers and city parks officials have been engaging the public to help dream up the Druid Lake Vision Plan, convening hundreds of attendees at virtual and in-person gatherings to weigh in on preliminary future designs for the reservoir.

Read more:
https://nextcity.org/daily/entry/baltimore-reinvents-druid-hill-park-can-also-reconnect-black-neighborhoods

 

Sleep like a log at Five Rivers MetroParks camps
Courtesy of Dayton Daily News

By Debbie Juniewicz

OHIO - Five Rivers MetroParks has options for everyone from camping rookies to veteran outdoor adventurers. Two new opportunities include a camping package and trailside camping.

The package includes a frontcountry campsite permit, camp set up and tear down – which includes the tent, sleeping bags and pads – along with a stove and some fun activities. There is also a staff orientation to the equipment and ideas to make the weekend camping experience one to remember.

“We hope these opportunities invite new campers into the MetroParks who then decide to invest in being outdoors more as a family and kicks off a whole new lifestyle that includes more time in nature,” Anslinger said.

Read more:
https://www.daytondailynews.com/what-to-do/parks-recreation/sleep-like-a-log-at-five-rivers-metroparks-camps/AFQEN7DOMBCU3MYCL364PMFMSQ/

 


Research and Resources

The Status of Education Needs for Parks, Recreation, and Related Professionals
Courtesy of GP RED

This 2021 report examines the challenges faced by the parks and recreation field and related disciplines due to a shortage of adequate and appropriately trained and qualified applicants to fill positions. A committee of 45 professionals weighed in on the current state of education and development of new talent. It provides historical context, findings from the committee and other insights and observations related to potential next steps to raise the level of expertise and expand the talent pool of future practitioners.

Read more:
https://www.gpred.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/07/Research-Brief-14-F1.pdf

 

Rails-with-Trails: Best Practices and Lessons Learned
Courtesy of the Rail to Trails Conservancy

The U.S. Department of Transportation (USDOT) recently released Rails-with-Trails: Best Practices and Lessons Learned—a long-awaited update to its first release, published in 2002. Offering in-depth insights on the design, development, operations and benefits of rails-with-trails across the country, the report has served as an authoritative resource for trail builders for nearly two decades.

Defined as trails that run adjacent to, or within, active railroad corridors (passenger and freight), rails-with-trails can maximize the potential of transportation corridors while expanding connectivity within, and between, communities. In 2002, there were 65 known rails-with-trails comprising 279 miles in 30 states. In 2018, that number jumped to more than 343 rails-with-trails in 47 states spanning an estimated 917 miles, demonstrating the growth in popularity over the last decade and a half.

The new report, developed with support from more than 100 trail managers (representing some 30% of the country’s rails-with-trails), shares new insights on this growing trend in U.S. transportation.

Download here...

 

Never Let a “Good” Pandemic Go to Waste
Courtesy of GP RED

By Chris Nunes and Donna Kuethe

It’s hard to look at a global pandemic and think of it in positive terms. However, challenges are opportunities for growth. About a year after the world of Parks and Recreation as we knew it came crashing down while COVID 19 expanded its reach, Parks and Recreation professionals have become experts in all things Pandemic related – social distancing, mask wearing, sanitation procedures, health screenings and much more. In addition, we have continued to engage our communities, creatively, uniquely providing high-quality parks and recreation programs, services and facilities in spite of the Pandemic. Our outdoor facilities have shown increased usage, and many of the ways we have learned to reach our customers during lockdown have resulted in the potential to reach more people. The challenge for 2021 and beyond will be the impact and opportunities the Covid 19 Pandemic has provided. The wake of the Pandemic affords professionals to take lessons learned and implement these on a move forward basis. These “lessons” include being flexible and agile, understanding our fragile financial realities, managing the ever-changing consumer confidence, and ensuing access to all in our programs and services. Professionals need to “seize the day” to turn challenges into opportunities and make our services more efficient, effective, and more relevant to our communities. Our delivery of recreation services may be changed forever and for the better.

Read more:
https://www.gpred.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/Pandemic-Article-1.pdf

 

Brain-Based Research on the Positive Impact of Music on Individuals
Courtesy of PlayCore

Until recently, we believed that people were born with a certain capacity for learning, and that intelligence and creativity were fixed traits. The “left brain/right brain” theory was also widely accepted as the explanation for why some people are more creative than others and some people are more analytical than others. Artists and musicians were right-brain dominant and had a much lower capacity for science and numbers. Conversely, scientists and mathematicians were left-brain dominant and had a much lower capacity for creative endeavors.

We now know differently. The capacity to learn, solve problems, and be creative is hardwired into our brains. It is not the brain itself that determines our cognitive abilities, but rather the way it is trained and used. Technological advances enabling neuroscientists to view and understand brain activity have created a groundswell of research examining various factors that impact cognitive function and development. What we have learned from this wealth of scientific study is that the brain is like a muscle, for it can change and grow “stronger.” When we engage more regions of the brain simultaneously, we create the conditions necessary for deeper cognition, improved memory, and enhanced processing abilities. We have also discovered that the brain changes with prolonged or repeated experiences.

Music making is one of the most demanding cognitive and neural challenges for a person, requiring a complex coordination of multiple actions to hear, process, or produce sound. Various elements of music, such as rhythm, melody, pitch, tone, duration of notes, texture, etc., are processed in different circuits throughout the brain.

Read more:
https://www.playcore.com/news/brain-based-research-on-the-positive-impact-of-music-on-individuals

 

Parks and Recreation: Advancing Community Health and Well-Being
Courtesy of NRPA

Park and recreation professionals and their agencies protect the health of all people and the communities where they live, learn, work and play. Across the country, park and recreation professionals have transformed themselves into public health leaders — meeting community members where they are and connecting them to needed health opportunities. They have expanded programming and worked to fill gaps in access to physical activity, healthy food, chronic disease prevention and management, and social connections, as well as support academic and cultural enrichment opportunities.

Download the report:
https://www.nrpa.org/publications-research/research-papers/advancing-community-health-and-well-being/

 

Natatorium Design For Beginners
Courtesy of Parks and Recreation Business

By Justin Caron

At their best, they create one of the most exciting atmospheres in sports; at their worst, they leave your eyes bloodshot, throat sore and clothes reeking of chemicals. Unfortunately, when most people think of natatoriums, they all too often remember the poorly designed facilities, and don’t recall those that were well-designed.

There are three major issues that should be taken into consideration during the design phase in order to create a natatorium space that is easy to operate, flexible for a variety of programs, highly sustainable and comfortable for swimmers as well as spectators.

Read more...

 

Playground Fencing Specification Has Teeth
Courtesy of Parks and Recreation Business

By Scott Burton

First published by the American Society of Testing and Materials (ASTM) nine years ago, a little-known and ill-respected national safety standard addressed playground fencing--the “Standard Safety Performance Specification for Fences/Barriers for Public, Commercial, and Multi-Family Residential Use Outdoor Play Areas.

Originally called a “Standard Guide,” it was changed this year to a “Standard Safety Performance Specification,” which forces the playground industry to comply with the mandate.

What difference does it make? A huge one. California, for example, has adopted all playground-related ASTM Standards and CPSC Guidelines into law. In short, the purpose of the new standard is to provide for the safety of the occupants in play areas or zones as it pertains to vehicular intrusion, as well as to other participant intrusion (strangers), to contain the children. It provides for better supervision, and keeps children from running into a street, body of water, a set of railroad tracks, etc., that are within 200 feet of the play equipment or its use zones. It also addresses the hazards of fence gate-latches that may cause facial lacerations or impact eye sockets if the latch is too low or is deemed a protrusion hazard.

Read more:
https://www.parksandrecbusiness.com/articles/2010/01/24/playgound-fencing-specification-has-teeth-gn25f

 

This Community Science Project Tracks Environmental Change in Area Parks
Courtesy of wttw.com

By Patty Wetli

No one person has the capacity to keep an eye on a natural area in order to detect changes over time, but what about an army of community scientists and their smartphones?

That’s the premise behind the Chronolog monitoring tool, in which photo stations are set up at designated spots in parks or preserves. Visitors to the location place their phone in the provided bracket — to ensure that all images are geo-coordinated — snap a photo and email it to Chronolog. The images are then stitched together in an ongoing time-lapse series. The more people who participate, the more complete of a picture is presented.

Since Chronolog’s release in 2019, nearly 250 stations have been installed, largely in the U.S.

Read more:
https://news.wttw.com/2021/07/24/photo-stations-area-parks-aren-t-selfies-it-s-community-science-track-environmental

 

Green Latrine
Courtesy of Parks and Recreation Business

By Trisha Spaulding

Michigan’s Grand Haven State Park -- 48 acres of sumptuous white-sand beach along the shores of Lake Michigan -- serves over 92,000 campers each year, and generates over $1 million in revenue. Since campers flock to the park to enjoy the million-dollar views, it was an unavoidable necessity to use the 50-year-old park bathrooms and shower house. The dark, damp and antiquated facilities inadvertently promoted water saving as campers hated to go there.

All of that changed this spring with the unveiling of Michigan’s new sustainable restroom and shower facility, the first of a green prototype, modular design.

The Grand Haven Park Toilet Shower Building is the first edition of a prototype facility that can be adapted to fit a large lakefront park or a small, sheltered forest preserve. A second project--currently in design for Otsego Lake State Park--is nestled in between oak, maple and pine trees. Each is designed to significantly save water and energy.

Read more:
https://www.campbusiness.com/articles/2008/09/11/green-latrine-2y88w

 

Social and Community Benefits of Dog Parks
Courtesy of PlayCore

Dog parks are social capital catalysts. These green open spaces bring people “out and about” by promoting walkable neighborhoods and an enhanced sense of community. In addition, communities have seen a positive effect on the visible presence of individuals walking with their dogs and the motivation dogs provide for their owners to walk. This generates an increased feeling of collective safety. Further research explains that “animal presence can facilitate human social approach, increase the likelihood of social contact, and serve as a conversation trigger between strangers or casual acquaintances."

Read more:
https://www.playcore.com/news/social-and-community-benefits-of-dog-parks

 

Developing a standard for shading playgrounds
Courtesy of Parks and Recreation Business

By Greg Jackson

In Tucson, Ariz., a desert city where temperatures in the summer are consistently in the triple digits, shade is not a luxury but a necessity. The city’s parks and recreation department has consistently heard from the community that residents need and desire shade over everything, but especially over playgrounds. Putting shade structures over playgrounds has been a slow process; it became a higher priority as a 2018 $225-million park bond package for capital improvements across the parks system, via General Obligation bonds, was being developed.

Read more:
https://www.parksandrecbusiness.com/articles/relief-from-the-heat

 

Walk/Bike/Places 2021 - Conference Report Now Available

We want to give a big thank you to everyone who joined either in person in Indianapolis, Indiana or online for our first-ever hybrid Walk/Bike/Places 2021 on June 15-18. It was an honor bringing together 581 walking, biking, and placemaking practitioners to explore issues around social, economic, and emotional recovery in cities. Our 2021 conference report dives into all of the event highlights and summarizes the key takeaways.

Read more:
https://www.walkbikeplaces.org/2021/conference-report-2021?mc_cid=8fc97c0fda&mc_eid=c8b8aa4408

 


In the News

Finally, a Shot to Prevent Lyme Disease Could Be on Its Way
Courtesy of Outside Online

By Andrew Zaleski

While the Northeast and the upper Midwest are still the Lyme disease hot spots, the infection has gradually expanded its reach. There are now confirmed cases in all 50 states and Washington, D.C., and almost 100 million people live in areas where instances of Lyme are at their highest. Over the past two decades, incidents of Lyme disease have exploded: the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates that 476,000 Americans are diagnosed and treated for Lyme each year, making it the most common vector-borne disease in the U.S. Recent research shows that people living in the Northeast take one billion fewer excursions than they otherwise would in order to avoid Lyme-carrying ticks.

Enter Mark Klempner. A physician and infectious-disease scientist at the University of Massachusetts, he’s embarked on an experiment that could upend the field of Lyme treatment. Klempner is the lead creator of a first-of-its-kind antibody shot for preventing Lyme infection. The idea is to administer the injection annually, so that people are protected from late spring through early fall.

Read more:
https://www.outsideonline.com/health/wellness/lyme-disease-prevention-antibody-shot/

 

Organizations Applaud DOI’s $16 million in Grants to Improve Local Parks and Recreation in Disadvantaged Urban Communities
Courtesy of NRPA

The National Park Service announced its fourth round of Outdoor Recreation Legacy Partnership Program (ORLP) awardees which will distribute $16 million in funding for parks projects across 19 communities throughout the country. The ORLP, funded through the Land and Water Conservation Fund, was created by Congress in 2014 to expand outdoor recreation opportunities in underserved communities across the nation. The National Park Service competitive grant program delivers funding to urban areas – jurisdictions of at least 50,000 people – with priority given to projects located in economically disadvantaged areas and lacking in outdoor recreation opportunities.

Read more:
https://www.nrpa.org/about-national-recreation-and-park-association/press-room/park-and-conservation-organizations-applaud-department-of-interiors-$16-million-in-grants-to-improve-local-parks-and-recreation-in-disadvantaged-urban-communities/

 

US senators propose bill to provide federal support for green spaces
Courtesy of Dailycal.org

By Christopher Ying

The press release cited a report published in May, which found that across the 100 most populous U.S. cities, residents of predominantly Black, Hispanic and Latinx, Indigenous and Native American or Asian American and Pacific Islander neighborhoods have access to an average of 44% less park space per capita than predominantly white neighborhoods.

“Too many of our nation’s parks are neglected and inaccessible to low-income communities and communities of color,” Padilla said in the press release.

The proposed bill, titled the Parks, Jobs and Equity Act, would fund park upgrades and create new parks and jobs through a one-time $500 million federal grant program.

Read more:
https://www.dailycal.org/2021/07/29/us-senators-propose-bill-to-provide-federal-support-for-green-spaces/

 

This deadly invasive weed is moving into parks, flower beds and backyard gardens
Courtesy of the Indianapolis Star

By Sarah Bowman and London Gibson

A toxic invasive species that can prove deadly burst onto the scene in Indiana about 5 years ago and is present across the continental US. Poison hemlock, which resembles Queen Anne’s Lace, can be spotted in highway right-of-ways, along fences and on the edges of farm fields.

In just the last year, however, this plant has migrated in a way that has experts particularly concerned: It’s showing up in parks, flower beds and backyard gardens in urban areas.

“That movement is a bit scary to me because this plant is very toxic and it’s more of an opportunity for kids to play with it and pets to eat it,” said Dan Shaver with the Natural Resources Conservation Service. “It is not a plant you want around your home or in your local park.”

Read more:
https://www.indystar.com/story/news/environment/2021/08/03/poison-hemlock-indiana-spreads-danger/5404767001/

 

Quality Bike Infrastructure Saved Lives During the Pandemic, Study Says
Courtesy of Planetizen

By James Brasuell

VIRGINIA - The study found that Arlington’s pre-COVID investments into active transportation paid off big during the pandemic. As national cycling fatalities climbed 5 percent between 2019 and 2020 — a phenomenon that experts attribute, in part, to a 16-percent jump in cycling journeys on U.S. roads over that period — Arlington had zero deaths, and the rate of injury-causing collisions between cyclists and drivers plummeted 28 percent compared to the average from the previous six years. (Total cycling journeys in the already-bikier-than-average city, meanwhile, increased about 4 percent.)

Read more:
https://www.planetizen.com/news/2021/08/114340-quality-bike-infrastructure-saved-lives-during-pandemic-study-says

 

Metroparks Seek Public Input On Water Safety Initiative
Courtesy of WHMI.com

By Jessica Mathews

MICHIGAN - The Huron-Clinton Metroparks is working with a consultant and partners to create a regional swim program to address what officials say are alarming water safety statistics. The first step is to gather public input via an online survey to guide the development of a regional swimming program.

A press release states that drowning is among the top three causes of unintentional death for people age 29 and younger, 79% of children in households with annual incomes less than $50,000 do not know how to swim, and studies have shown that 70% of Detroit children have little to no swimming ability.

Officials say the alarming reality is that Southeast Michigan has a multitude of opportunities to enjoy both natural and constructed water activities but the disparities in swim ability and water competence lead to a higher risk of drownings in the region. Thus, the Metroparks are teaming up with partners and a nationally recognized consultant to address and start changing that reality.

Read more:
https://www.whmi.com/news/article/metroparks-swimming-regional-water-safety-survey

 

Is it a waste of water to bring a bit of the ocean to metro Phoenix?
Courtesy of AZ Central

By Joanna Allhands

ARIZONA - Why on earth, when metro Phoenix is already facing Colorado River water shortages, are there three water parks planned in Glendale, Mesa and Gilbert?

This is a common question in my inbox, and I get why. On first blush, mimicking the ocean in the desert doesn’t exactly scream “we’re trying to save water!”

But are these parks really an abomination, compared to other municipal water uses?

Is a water park worth it, for example, if it uses less than the previous use for the land, particularly if the water it consumes is a small portion of a city’s designation?

What if it is projected to generate significant revenue? Or there are measures in place to make it more efficient?

Read more:
https://www.azcentral.com/story/opinion/op-ed/joannaallhands/2021/07/23/water-parks-waste-dwindling-arizona-water-supplies/8049125002/

 

More Michigan state parks to offer tiny houses as camping alternative
Courtesy of mlive.com

MICHIGAN - Tiny houses are popping up at state parks and recreation areas across Michigan as part of the Department of Natural Resources’ ongoing effort to broaden lodging options for campers.

The tiny houses are one of several new types of lodging the DNR has been adding to its campgrounds as a way to stay in step with evolving travel trends, such as the ever-growing popularity of Airbnb and “glamping.”

Read more:
https://www.mlive.com/news/2021/07/more-michigan-state-parks-to-offer-tiny-houses-as-camping-alternative.html

 

Green Bay will offer free high-speed internet in parks where neighborhoods are short on broadband
Courtesy of Green Bay Press-Gazette

By Jeff Bollier

WISCONSIN - Up to four Green Bay parks will become high-speed internet hotspots under a new city plan for federal pandemic relief money.

City staff members want to use $253,000 of CARES Act community development block grant funding to extend the city's high-speed internet service to several parks, each in a low- or moderate-income neighborhood of Green Bay where roughly one in every five households does not have an internet connection.

Read more:
https://www.greenbaypressgazette.com/story/news/2021/08/11/green-bay-offer-free-high-speed-internet-parks-via-cares-act/5537293001/

 

Parks and Recreation + Public Libraries = Partners in Advancing Community Well-Being
Courtesy of Urban Libraries Council

By Allison Colman

In the midst of COVID-19 and a racial justice awakening, more and more people have come to rely on the essential infrastructure, services and programs that community-based institutions provide to address growing economic and educational disparities, increasing rates of mental health disorders and a host of other ongoing public health and social challenges. Two treasured institutions in particular, our local public libraries and our local parks and recreation agencies, have emerged as vital partners in confronting these pressing challenges which demand equitable, community-driven and innovative solutions that meet people where they are.

In fact, a recent survey of the parks and recreation field conducted by NRPA found that 58% of agencies partner with local libraries in support of health and wellness programs and services.

Read more:
https://www.urbanlibraries.org/blog/parks-and-recreation-public-libraries-partners-in-advancing-community-well-being

 

Creating Urban Wilderness in the South Bay of L.A. County
Courtesy of Planetizen

By Clement Lau

CALIFORNIA - Conservancies play a key role in maintaining and acquiring parklands across the United States. In the South Bay of Los Angeles County, the South Bay Parkland Conservancy is working hard to preserve and expand open space in the region. Its focus thus far has been Hopkins Wilderness Park which is located in the city of Redondo Beach. According to the 2016 Los Angeles Countywide Parks Needs Assessment, Redondo Beach only has 1.4 acres of parkland per 1,000 residents, which is well below the countywide average of 3.3.

Hopkins Wilderness Park was developed in 1977 as a center for camping, nature study and conservation. The 11-acre site includes: four ecological habitats: forest, meadows, streams, and a pond; amphitheater; three overnight campgrounds: Gumwood Camp, Pine Camp, and Sycamore Camp; Elm Camp picnic site; and public restrooms and support facilities.

Read more:
https://www.planetizen.com/news/2021/08/114302-creating-urban-wilderness-south-bay-la-county

 

30 Under 30
Courtesy of NRPA

Parks & Recreation magazine’s 30 Under 30 honors the top young park and recreation professionals who serve as everyday superheroes in their respective communities.

Nominations are now being accepted for the 2022 30 Under 30. To nominate, fill out the application and include your nominee’s résumé and a high-resolution photo. Applicants are allowed to self-nominate.

Deadline to nominate: October 1, 2021

For more information:
https://www.nrpa.org/our-work/awards/30-under-30/

 


Training

GP RED offers PREPP with CU Denver
School of Public Affairs Institute

GP RED has been working closely on the development of the Parks and Recreation Emerging Professionals Program (PREPP), now open for enrollment through the University of Colorado Denver School of Public Affairs Institute.

The PREPP is designed to fill a niche for those who want to move ahead into upper levels of administration, need a strong basis and competencies in management and planning, and who are interested in a flexible, yet rigorous, program developed for working professionals.

For more information:
https://publicaffairs.ucdenver.edu/programs/professional-development/leadership-training/parks-and-recreation-emerging-professionals-program

 

Planning For 2022 Great Trails Workshops Underway
Courtesy of the National Off-Highway Vehicle Conservation Council

NOHVCC Directors and staff, much like everyone, seeks the certainty that has been missing from our lives for the last year and a half. One thing is certain, OHV enthusiasts and land managers are excited to get back to working on their trails. This has been demonstrated by requests for Great Trails workshops in 2021. So far this year, we have conducted workshops in Arizona, Alabama (2), Utah (2), and North Dakota, and requests for 2022 are rolling in. This means that we need to start planning for next year.

If you, your club, agency, or land manager are interested in hosting a workshop in 2022, please contact [email protected] and let us know when and where, and NOHVCC staff will be in touch. Through some very exciting new partnerships there may be limited funding to help put on these workshops.

 

Expanding Nature Experiences with Plants that Promote Play and Recreation
Courtesy of PlayCore

On Demand Webinar
Opens: Monday, August 16 at 8 a.m. EDT
Closes: Friday, August 20 at 11:59 p.m. EDT

Deadline to complete assessment - Sunday, August 22 at 11:59 p.m. (EDT)
Certificate of Completion will be sent within 10 business days.

Plants increase community value in a number of ways beyond just their natural beauty. In this session, we’ll discover the many benefits that plants can provide communities, examine how a number of sites, from playgrounds to dog parks to bus shelters that increased play and recreation value through the addition of key plants, and share tools to help parks, schools, and communities identify the unique benefits of a variety of plants to promote activity, imagination, sensory stimulation, and more. Attendees will come away with confidence on how to choose plants that will thrive in their region, and provide health, wellness, and recreation value for generations to come.

Registration Code: COMMUNITY

Learn more:
https://events.playcore.com/webinar-expanding-nature-experiences

 

Upcoming American Trails Webinars
Courtesy of American Trails

We are excited to celebrate 10 amazing years of the American Trails Advancing Trails Webinar Series! We would love for you to be a part of our BIG celebration! You can do this by attending our September webinars and sharing this notice, or providing giveaway items to promote your company to the trails community!

We have received more than $8,500 in giveaways so far, totaling more than 30 giveaways from 35+ donors! At least one winner every day!

We will do giveaways to attendees throughout the month of September. Follow us on our social media platforms to get some sneak peeks, and also for your chance to win!

- August 19: Understanding National Water Trails: From Application to Designation

- August 26: Introduction to Trail Management (Part 3 of 3)

- September 2: The Value of Trail Assessments

- September 9: Trails are Common Ground: National Campaign to Reduce Conflict, Promote Respect, and Increase Diversity on Our Trails

- September 23: Strategies for Civilian Climate Corps Program Investments

- September 28: Rails-with-Trails: Best Practices and Lessons Learned

All webinars are free including learning credits, and each webinar is recorded and offers closed captioning.

For more information:
https://www.americantrails.org/training/webinars

 

2021 Healthy Aging Symposium
Courtesy of the Office of Disease and Health Promotion

September 8-9, 2021
1:00 pm to 6:30 pm ET

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ Office of Disease Prevention and Health Promotion and Trust for America’s Health are excited to co-sponsor the Healthy Aging Symposium on September 8 and 9. The 2-day FREE symposium will highlight the latest science, best practices, and innovative solutions to improve the lives and health of older Americans. The event will build upon the lessons learned during the COVID-19 pandemic and focus on addressing the social determinants of health to reduce health disparities and improve long-term recovery and resilience.

All are encouraged to register. Policy makers, researchers, and professionals from across sectors –including public health, aging services, healthcare, housing, education, transportation, justice, and recreation – will have the opportunity to connect and learn from each other. The Symposium will include a variety of session formats including keynote speakers, panels, round tables, breakout sessions, and networking opportunities.

Read more:
https://health.gov/news/202108/odphp-announces-keynote-and-roundtable-speakers-2021-healthy-aging-symposium

 

SHIFT Summit
Courtesy of the Federal Lands Transportation Institute Training Newsletter

Date: October 18-20, 2021
Location: Grand Junction, CO
Organization: GP RED (Research, Education, and Development)

The 2021 SHIFT Summit theme is Ensuring Access to Nature – For Human Health and the Environment, with a focus on advancing equitable access to preventive health through nature and the outdoors. The health benefits of nature are now well documented. This Annual Summit brings together researchers, funders, educators, retailers, and conservationists, along with outdoor recreation, health, military, and nature therapy professionals who share experiences, evidence, and ideas for better linking of both humans and nature. The Summit is based on sound science combined with experiential, health, stewardship, and land management aspects to balance equitable reciprocity and access to the places, flora, and fauna that we all need to exist and thrive.

For more information:
https://www.gpred.org/shift/

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