NACPRO News

April 25, 2023

Seeking Information on Forager Trails

Ingham County Parks Department (MI) has been approached by an individual who is looking for support to create a forager trail and park with edible plants, such as raspberries, blackberries, strawberries, and fruit trees, etc. Read the letter from Jeremy Worman for more information about his plans. 

He has been given 3 places along the trail in the City of Lansing to start planting this spring, and currently has the endorsement from the City of Lansing, Allen Street Community Center, and Friends of the Lansing Regional Trails (FLRT). He is also seeking the endorsement of the Ingham County Park Commission at our next meeting on April 10th.

Please contact me if you have developed a similar resource in your department. 

Nicole Wallace, CTA 
517-244-7195
[email protected]

Got an issue you need advice on? 
Tap into  our collective experience.  Send your question and some background to the editor and we will include it in the next NACPRO News. 

Palm Beach County Parks & Recreation Recognized as Outstanding Sports Contributor

FLORIDA - On April 2, the Palm Beach County Sports Commission (Sports Commission) awarded the Palm Beach County Parks and Recreation Department (PBC Parks) its first Sports Hall of Fame Outstanding Sports Contributor award for its contribution to transforming the Palm Beaches into a leading and diverse sports destination.

PBC Parks’ award-winning venues are the Sports Commission’s top supplier for tourism generated sports events, such as the US Baseball Junior Olympics, Perfect Games World Championships, USA Waterski National Championships, USA BMX Sunshine State Championships, First Responders Games, and Collegiate Golf Championship. These events resulted in over 61,000 visitors, 40,000 hotel room nights and $27 million of direct visitor spending on an annual basis.

Read more:
https://pbcparks.wordpress.com/

Shakopee Mdewakanton Sioux grant will help nature center highlight Dakota history and wisdom
Courtesy of Sahan Journal

By Katelyn Vue

MINNESOTA - The Shakopee Mdewakanton Sioux Community will grant $80,000 to the Three Rivers Park District to create signs along a west metro trail highlighting Dakota history and connections to natural resources. 

The trail will be the first of its kind in the Three Rivers Park District, and is expected to open in the summer of 2024 at the Lowry Nature Center in the Carver Park Reserve. The center, located near Victoria, Minnesota, has a long history of teaching students about Dakota people and aims to enhance that with signs incorporating interactive components and guidance from an advisory group of Dakota people. 

Read more:
https://sahanjournal.com/culture-community/native-american-history-lowry-nature-center-trail-minnesota-shakopee-grant/

2023 NRPA Agency Performance Review

The typical park and recreation agency offers one park for every 2,287 residents served, with 10.8 acres of parkland per 1,000 residents. But park and recreation agencies are as diverse as the communities they serve, and what works well for one agency may not be best for every agency. Therefore, park and recreation professionals need data to identify the best practices to optimally serve their community.

That is where the 2023 NRPA Agency Performance Review comes in. This report is the most comprehensive resource of data and insights for park and recreation agencies in the United States. The 2023 NRPA Agency Performance Review highlights 27 of the most critical park and recreation metrics collected from the NRPA Park Metrics database. Additional data breaks are available below or you can customize your own report by logging into NRPA Park Metrics.

For more information: 
https://www.nrpa.org/publications-research/research-papers/agency-performance-review/

New Mid-City park could hold 56,000 gallons of water, aiming to ease stormwater stress
Courtesy of NOLA.com

By Tristan Baurick 

NEW ORLEANS - An empty Mid-City lot that used to collect trash is now a park designed to collect thousands of gallons of stormwater, improving drainage in one of New Orleans’ most flood-prone neighborhoods.

The park, which cost $270,000 to develop, is the 10th green infrastructure project the S&WB has completed to meet the requirements of a federal consent decree related to pollution from the city’s sewer system. In 1998, environmental regulators ordered the city to rebuild much of its East Bank sewer system to stop it from releasing untreated sewage into Lake Pontchartrain and other waterways.

Read more:
https://www.nola.com/news/environment/new-park-aims-to-ease-mid-citys-stormwater-stress/article_383feef8-de23-11ed-8630-5310ac169e98.html

Affinity and Identity-Based Crews and Programs
Courtesy of American Trails

The purpose of this guide is to highlight the work of service and conservation Corps who develop and manage identity-based programs and crews, discuss the intention and purpose of these crews, why they are important, and how they have been transformational experiences for Corps-members and partners.

Download guide: 
https://www.americantrails.org/resources/affinity-and-identity-based-crews-and-programs?blm_aid=24243

U.S. Forest Service announces $1 billion in available funding through urban and community forestry program
Courtesy of NACo

By Owen Hart, Zachary Spencer

On April 12, the U.S. Forest Service (USFS) announced that it will make $1 billion in funding available through the Urban and Community Forestry Program (U&CF) to support community investments in urban tree canopies. Funded by the Inflation Reduction Act, the program will award grants to county governments and other eligible entities to carry out urban tree-planting projects, forestry management and strategic planning, prioritizing investments in disadvantaged communities where the need is greatest. U&CF grants are available for proposals spanning a broad range of projects operating at local, state and national scales. Applications are due by June 1. 

For more information:
https://www.fs.usda.gov/sites/default/files/UCF-IRA-NOFO-04122023.pdf

Invest in Nature Summit Readout and Video Recording
Courtesy of the White House

Last week, the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy (OSTP) hosted the Invest in Nature Summit. This event brought together federal government leaders, academia, industry, non-profits, philanthropies, and others to celebrate the progress being made through President Biden’s Investing in America agenda, and underscore the importance of continued efforts to drive even more progress – through nature.

An excellent set of speakers shared their ideas and new commitments. Feel free to share widely with your network! Join us in investing in jobs, youth and resilient cities and communities – through nature.

Watch here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SHfBet7_EA4

For more information:
https://www.whitehouse.gov/ostp/news-updates/2023/04/20/readout-of-the-white-house-office-of-science-and-technology-policys-invest-in-nature-summit/

It’s Time For Cities To Rethink Lawn Policy
Courtesy of Next City

By Amy McEuen 

Lawns are the largest cultivated crop in America, taking up an estimated 2% of land, over 40 million acres. They require homeowners to invest both endless amounts of time and money, all while causing indirect harm: Mowing and leaf blowing increase greenhouse gas emissions, over 70 million pounds of fertilizers contribute to algal blooms, pesticides pollute, and watering lawns strains freshwater resources.

Most states and cities have similar outdated laws and ordinances that actively discourage native plantings, although local native plant enthusiasts are working hard to rewrite these.

Read more:
https://nextcity.org/urbanist-news/its-time-for-cities-to-rethink-lawn-policy

Public Lands Rule Would Center Conservation
Courtesy of Planetizen

By Diana Ionescu 

Writing in High Country News, Jonathan Thompson analyzes the potential impact of the Biden administration’s proposed Public Lands Rule, which could “put conservation on a par with other uses of federal lands, such as grazing, oil and gas drilling and mining.” According to Thompson, this could lead to a “seismic shift” for public land management in the United States that would reverse the tendency to privilege development over conservation.

Read more:
https://www.planetizen.com/news/2023/04/122636-public-lands-rule-would-center-conservation

CAPRA volunteers: Together we grow parks and recreation 
Courtesy of NRPA

Serving as one of NRPA's Commission for Accreditation of Park and Recreation Agencies (CAPRA) volunteers is a great way to professionally develop within parks and recreation. CAPRA volunteers have the opportunity to review, visit and mentor park and recreation agencies across the country, as well as gain advanced knowledge of the CAPRA process and standards they can bring back to their own agencies. Apply to become a CAPRA volunteer today.

Watch here:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-bih7qVe9fY

Upcoming SORP Webinars
Courtesy of the Society of Outdoor Recreation Professionals

How to Bridge the Gap - Local/State/National-Level Health-Recreation Partnerships Panel 
Date: May 3, 2023
Time: 3:00 pm to 4:00 pm ET
Cost: Free 

Nature's Impact on Human Health Action Guide
Date: May 10, 2023
Time: 3:00 pm to 4:00 pm ET
Cost: Free

For more information: 
https://www.recpro.org/webinars

Upcoming Webinars from American Trails
Courtesy of American Trails

May 11, 2023: Building a Comprehensive Count Program in Your Park or on Your Trails

May 18, 2023: Informing the Trail Experience: The Process of Signing a Trail

May 25, 2023: Pack Goats: The Agile Trail Helpers

June 1, 2023: Trail Skills Project

June 29, 2023: Helping Wheelchair Hikers Find Hiking Trails

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

NEW - Executive Director
Glen Ellyn Park District, Illinois
$145,000 - $195,000 Annually
Application Deadline: May 22, 2023

Parks and Recreation Director
City of Golden, Colorado 
$148,540 - $181,961 Annually
Application Deadline: May 12, 2023

Assistant Park Superintendent
San Bernardino County, California
$54,662 - $75,005 Annually
Application Deadline: May 5, 2023

Chief of Design and Construction
East Bay Regional Park District
Oakland, California
$143,374 - $182,935 Annually
Application Deadline: Apr 28, 2023

Parks Supervisor
Charlotte County Board of County Commissioners
Port Charlotte, Florida
$27.76 Hourly
Application Deadline: Apr 28, 2023

Program Manager I - Cultural Resources
Santa Clara County Parks and Recreation
Los Gatos, California
$112,1950 - $136,431 Annually
Application Deadline: May 10, 2023

Environmental Specialist II
Sarasota County Government
Nokomis, Florida
$43,7220 - $59,821 Annually
Application Deadline: Open until filled

Park Ranger I
Santa Clara County Parks and Recreation
Los Gatos, California
$70,599 - $85,386 Annually
Application Deadline: Jun 6, 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