NACPRO News

January 3, 2023

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Tap into  our collective experience.  Send your question and some background to the editor and we will include it in the next NACPRO News. 

Shop Charcoal Grills
Courtesy of Pilot Rock

Buy one get one half off price!

We are celebrating the new year with a new sale! Buy One, Get One Half Off Price on ANY charcoal grill during the month of January. This sales event includes ALL charcoal grills including wheelchair accessible grills, stainless steel grills, large group grills & more.

Hurry, this deal ends January 31, 2023.

For more information:  
https://www.pilotrock.com/bogohop-charcoal-grills/

Become a Park Champion
Courtesy of NRPA

Sign up for the upcoming 8-week Park Champion™ Initiative training, which begins January 23, 2023. The Park Champion™ Initiative is NRPA’s signature grassroots advocacy training program that provides our members with the information, skills and experience needed to be effective advocates for parks and recreation. This train-the-trainer model enables Park Champions™ to build the movement of parks and recreation across the country, starting in their communities.

Read more:
https://www.nrpa.org/our-work/advocacy/Park-Champions/

Climate and Economic Justice Screening Tool 
Courtesy of the PBIC Messenger

Helps identify disadvantaged communities as part of the Justice40 Initiative to deliver 40 percent of overall benefits of federal investments in climate, clean energy, affordable and sustainable housing, clean water, and more to these communities. The Version 1.0 screening tool map includes nine datasets, including transportation barriers, lack of greenspace, and redlining data. There are also data and shapefiles available to download.

For more information:  
https://screeningtool.geoplatform.gov/en/#13.38/35.92419/-79.04564

Pedestrian and Bicyclist Safety Information Search Tool 
Courtesy of the PBIC Messenger

Compiles a curated selection of more than 100 reports, guidebooks, training materials, and other resources. The resources included within the search tool meet the FHWA standard of quality. Also includes a list of all resources within the database.

For more information:  
https://highways.dot.gov/safety/pedestrian-bicyclist/safety_info_search

Healthy Communities as an Equitable Investment
Courtesy of NRPA

By Teresa L. Penbrooke, Ph.D., CPRE

There is a lot of focus on diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) these days, thank goodness. Equity is not a separate thing we should “do” — it is a cultural concept and value that needs to be integrated into all organizations, personal ethics, training, plans, communications and engagement strategies. We need to nurture inclusive spaces and environments in our communities to ensure that all people and employees, no matter race, color, religion, gender, sexual orientation, national origin, citizenship, veteran status, age, physical or mental disability, or any other defining characteristics, can benefit.

It is helpful to start with ideas for which roles we as individuals, employees and community leaders can really play. We also need to better tell our story to the decision-makers in our communities and the public we serve, so we can provide equitable service to all residents, improve preventive health and social engagement, equitably manage the public dollars we receive, and show an appropriate return on investment for our work.

Read more:
https://www.nrpa.org/parks-recreation-magazine/2022/december/healthy-communities-as-an-equitable-investment/

The Future of E-Bikes on Public Lands: How to Effectively Manage a Growing Trend
Courtesy of the PBIC Messenger

Offers a comprehensive framework to study the opportunities and challenges related to e-bikes in a public lands context, as they relate to four research focus areas: ecological, safety, social, and process. The report identifies existing research to establish a uniform understanding of issues and opportunities to help land managers and stakeholders engage in science-based decision-making. The report also identifies research gaps and includes proposals for future studies to help fill those gaps.

For more information:  
https://highways.dot.gov/sites/fhwa.dot.gov/files/wfl-e-bike-final-report.pdf

Building Our Trail Maintenance Workforce
Courtesy of American Trails

American Trails worked with the U.S. Forest Service and filmmaker, Colin Arisman at Wild Confluence, to document an amazing trail maintenance crew in Arizona. Meet up with the Ancestral Lands Zuni crew as they maintain trails on the highest peak in Arizona and a sacred place to many indigenous people—Humphrey's Peak.

Watch here:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ecJZScV-tdg

2023 NACo Achievement Awards

Applications are now open for the National Association of Counties (NACo) 2023 Achievement Awards! We invite you to join us in celebrating 53 years of county innovation by applying today. 

By participating, your county can earn local and national recognition. Achievement Award winners have been featured in local media, in County News, and at NACo's Annual Conference. Eighteen "best of category" winners will receive special recognition, and all winners will receive a customizable press release to share the good news. 

Early bird deadline: March 3, 2023 (save $25 off the application fee) 

Application deadline: April 7, 2023 

For more information: 
https://www.naco.org/resources/2023-achievement-awards

Top Trends in Parks and Recreation for 2023
Courtesy of NRPA

By Richard J. Dolesh

Electric power, ATV wheelchairs and mental health programming make this year’s list.

“What’s a top trend?” We love to throw this expression around. People are endlessly fascinated by what’s “trending,” and they view lists of top trends at the turn of each new year. Just Google “top trends” and you’ll find dozens of lists for technology, fashion, foodie trends and more. One fun site for top trending topics is Exploding Topics. Recent trending topics there include: TikTok ads, digital twins, fasting tea, prime gaming, and cat toothpaste. Cat toothpaste. Who knew?

Read more:
https://www.nrpa.org/parks-recreation-magazine/2023/january/top-trends-in-parks-and-recreation-for-2023/

CAPRA Volunteering: Preparing the Next Generation of Accreditation Leaders
Courtesy of NRPA

By Tara Eggleston Stewart, CPRE, AFO, M.S.

NRPA is actively recruiting volunteers to serve as CAPRA Review Team (CRT) Members, Leads, Advisors and Agency Mentors. According to NRPA’s CAPRA accreditation manager, Jennifer Schleining, “The CAPRA volunteer program is essential to the success of the CAPRA Accreditation Program. Each individual serving provides their time and invaluable talents supporting agencies as mentors, representing the commission as CRT members, conducting report reviews and site visits (virtual or in person) during the annual visit season, coaching CRT members as a CRT Advisor or providing overall governance for the program as a CAPRA Commissioner or Committee member.”

Read more:
https://www.nrpa.org/parks-recreation-magazine/2023/january/capra-volunteering-preparing-the-next-generation-of-accreditation-leaders/

From Cemeteries to Suburbs: How a Romantic Movement Reshaped America
Courtesy of Governing

As people increasingly turned to rural cemeteries for recreation, city planners and landscape architects began to design urban parks as an easy escape from the bustle of city life. As landscape designer Andrew Jackson Downing wrote, “In the absence of public gardens, rural cemeteries in a certain degree supplied their place. But does not this general interest, manifested in these cemeteries, prove that public gardens established in a liberal and suitable manner near our large cities would be equally successful?”

Read more:
https://www.governing.com/community/from-cemeteries-to-suburbs-how-a-romantic-movement-reshaped-america

Webinar Series: Indigenous Values in Action
Courtesy of SORP

Join the Society of Outdoor Recreation Professionals to learn how Indigenous values and Traditional Ecological Knowledge are brought into outdoor recreation planning and management by Indigenous and non-Indigenous outdoor recreation professionals.

• January 11, 2023: Indigenous mapping and research project for the national trail system (Kiana Etsate-Gashytewa) 
• January 18, 2023: Building informal relationships with Tribes (Amanda Grace Santos) 
• January 25, 2023: Connecting Indigenous youth with their ancestral lands (Chas Robles) 
• February 1, 2023: Bringing Indigenous values into practice in park planning and design (Brenda Williams)

Register:
https://www.recpro.org/webinars

Active Living Conference

Date: March 13-16, 2023
Location: Bethesda, MD
Organization: GP RED 

The Active Living Conference began in 2004 and is a venue for both cutting-edge research and for making findings usable by non-scientists. The conference brings together a diverse audience and provides networking and engagement opportunities for active living researchers and practitioners from many fields. Presentations and discussions focus on the importance of creating healthier communities for all people. The 2023 Active Living Conference will take place March 13 – 16 at the Natcher Conference Center on the NIH Campus in Bethesda, MD. Come join this diverse group of researchers, practitioners, and policy makers to advance knowledge and action on how to evaluate, create and sustain active living environments.

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

NEW - Numerous Full-time Professional Openings
Sarasota County Parks, Recreation & Natural Resources
Sarasota, Florida
$35,000 - $92,000 Annually
Closing date: Open until filled

NEW - Executive Director
Ridgeville Park District
Evanston, Illinois
$80,000 - $105,000 Annually
Closing date: Feb 15, 2023

Chief Executive Officer
Five Rivers MetroParks
Dayton, Ohio
$139,000+ DOQ
Closing date: Feb 28, 2023

General Manager
North of the River Recreation and Park District
Bakersfield, California
$139,783+ DOQ
Closing date: Jan 16, 2023

Senior Park Ranger
Santa Clara County Parks and Recreation 
San Jose, California
$94,529 - $114,396 Annually
Closing date: Jan 19, 2023

Parks & Recreation Assistant Director - Planning/Special Projects
Metropolitan Government of Nashville & Davidson County
Nashville, Tennessee
$105,069 Annually
Closing date: Jan 5, 2023

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

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.

National Association of County Park and Recreation Officials

PO Box 74, Marienville PA 16239

(814) 927-8212

www.NACPRO.org