NACPRO News

May 23, 2023

Extreme Load Rated Tables for Extreme Weather
Courtesy of Pilot Rock

Now that spring is here and has revealed the winter damage done to your park equipment, it’s a great time to consider replacing them with picnic tables rated to handle some weight!

Our Snow Load Rated Picnic Tables have been rated by TWO independent tests, proving these steel frame tables are capable of withstanding weight loads up to 1420 lbs. per square foot. (That's a lot of snow!)

Not in a snowy area? With extreme weight ratings, just imagine how well these tables will withstand the public exposure in your parks, campgrounds, recreation centers and on the school campus!

For more information:  
https://www.pilotrock.com/product/picnic-tables-snow-load-rated/

The Monument Relocation, Removal, and Reinterpretation Toolkit
Courtesy of the Living Landscape Observer

The United States Committee of the International Council on Monuments and Sites (World Heritage USA) has launched an initiative, with funding from The Mellon Foundation, to develop the Monuments Toolkit. The program, which includes a website and app, offers guidance on addressing the complex histories and contemporary meanings of monuments of oppression. Upon completion, the toolkit will have interactive maps, resource pages, decision guides, blogs, podcasts, and more.

For more information:  
https://worldheritageusa.org/monumentstoolkit/

Directors’ Retrospective on the COVID-19 Pandemic: Results From a Post-Pandemic Survey
Courtesy of NRPA

In the early days of the pandemic, parks, trails and other outdoor amenities were the only recreational opportunities open to the public to provide respite to millions during a very stressful time.  Park and recreation professionals and their agencies played a vital role in how their communities responded to the emergency. These agencies provided childcare programs to essential workers, served as distribution points for nutrition assistance, and made their facilities available for COVID-19 testing and vaccinations.

The NRPA Research team collaborated with academic researchers to better understand the lessons learned and the broader legacy of the pandemic on parks and recreation. Park and Recreation Directors’ Retrospective on the COVID-19 Pandemic: Results From a Post-Pandemic Survey is the result of that research.

Read more:
https://www.nrpa.org/publications-research/research-papers/park-and-recreation-directors-retrospective-on-the-covid-19-pandemic-results-from-a-post-pandemic-survey/

Mapping the Face of Adult Play and Fitness
Courtesy of PlayCore

By Jennifer McMinn

Outdoor Adult Fitness Parks are a fast-growing trend that provide a great way to get in a workout. Adult exercise equipment installed in the great outdoors is usually free to use, promotes fresh air and Vitamin D, generating sunshine, and doesn’t have the “intimidation factor” that indoor gyms and fitness clubs can have for exercise beginners.

Joint-use fitness areas, those that are located near a playground, may be a great way to get parents more active while at the playground. Rather than just heading to a bench and sitting while children play, these clusters of fitness equipment provide parents and caregivers with a way to keep an eye on the kids while setting a good example for them through their own exercise.

Read more:
https://www.playcore.com/news/mapping-the-face-of-adult-play-and-fitness

NMU offers new online outdoor recreation degree
Courtesy of SORP

By Ann Dallman 

Marquette, MI - Tapping into this wealth of outdoor activities is Northern Michigan University’s newly launched online master of science program, appropriately titled Administration of Outdoor Recreation and Nature-Based Tourism. The program is aimed at people who would like to work at an administrative level in the field of recreation, outdoor recreation, and nature-based tourism. 

Read more:
https://www.secondwavemedia.com/upword/features/nmuoutdoorprogram.aspx

Day on the Hill 
Courtesy of The City Parks Alliance

City Parks Alliance Board Members and staff were in Washington, DC on May 11 for our Day on the Hill. They met with seven congressional offices to discuss the need for increased federal funding for parks. The group discussed the importance of the Land and Water Conservation Fund’s Outdoor Recreation Legacy Partnership (ORLP) program, Outdoors for All Act, and the critical role that parks play as essential infrastructure. 

Read more:
https://cityparksalliance.org/resource/the-outdoor-recreation-legacy-partnership-report/

Black Studies Could Lead To New Historic Landmarks, Transparency About Segregation
Courtesy of National Parks Traveler

By Lori Sonken

Two studies — one spotlighting segregation at national parks in Virginia from 1916-1965, and the other showcasing where African Americans recreated from the late 19th through the early 21st century — are setting the stage for national historic landmark designations, listings on the National Register of Historic Places, and opportunities for national parks to be more candid about their past.

The African American Outdoor Recreation National Historic Landmark Theme Study illustrates how Black Americans, in spite of enormous challenges, frequented and fought to preserve access to hundreds of parks, beaches, campgrounds, country clubs, golf courses, resorts, amusement parks, youth camps and outdoor programs nationwide. Co-authored by Dr. Andrew W. Kahrl, professor, and Malcolm Cammeron, doctoral student, both in the Corcoran Department of History at the University of Virginia in Charlottesville, Virginia, their study also leans heavily on archived materials.  

Read more:
https://www.nationalparkstraveler.org/2023/05/black-studies-could-lead-new-historic-landmarks-transparency-about-segregation

Secretary Haaland Announces $125 Million to Restore Nation’s Lands and Waters as Part of President’s Investing in America Agenda
Courtesy of US Dept of the Interior

Secretary of the Interior Deb Haaland announced a $125 million investment from President Biden’s Investing in America agenda to restore the nation’s lands and waters. The funding from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law advances the Department’s restoration and resilience framework unveiled last month, which will put people to work on landscape restoration projects driven by collaborative partnerships. The funding, to be spent over the next four years, will support 240 locally led projects that advance goals laid out in the framework: building resilient communities, restoring healthy lands and waters, advancing restoration and resilience, and enhancing local communities.  

Read more:
https://www.doi.gov/pressreleases/secretary-haaland-announces-125-million-restore-nations-lands-and-waters-part

Administration Issues Executive Order on Revitalizing Our Nation’s Commitment to Environmental Justice for All
Courtesy of US Dept of the Interior

President Biden issued an executive order further embedding environmental justice into the work of federal agencies to achieve real, measurable progress that communities can count on. The new Executive Order, Revitalizing Our Nation’s Commitment to Environmental Justice for All, will help ensure that all people—regardless of race, background, income, ability, Tribal affiliation or zip code—can benefit from the vital safeguards enshrined in our nation’s foundational environmental and civil rights laws. This action follows through on President Biden’s promise to modernize and improve how the federal government confronts environmental injustice to address the needs of present and future generations.  

Read more:
https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/statements-releases/2023/04/21/fact-sheet-president-biden-signs-executive-order-to-revitalize-our-nations-commitment-to-environmental-justice-for-all/

America’s Outdoor Recreation Package Gaining Momentum
Courtesy of SORP

Outdoor Recreation Roundtable (ORR) is celebrating one more win for the $862 billion outdoor recreation industry with the passage of America’s Outdoor Recreation Act (AORA), the first ever package specific to the outdoor recreation industry, by the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee.
 
“We are so thrilled AORA continues to move forward in Congress, showcasing how the outdoor recreation economy transcends politics and benefits all Americans who enjoy the outdoors,” said Jessica Wahl Turner, President of ORR. “We thank Senators Manchin and Barasso and the many other champions of the outdoor industry in Congress for continuing to push this vital recreation package and look forward to its continued progress through Congress this year”

Read more:
https://recreationroundtable.org/news/americas-outdoor-recreation-package-gaining-momentum/

North Carolina beach houses have fallen into the ocean. Is there a fix?
Courtesy of The Washington Post

By Brady Dennis

It’s been a rough stretch for Rodanthe, N.C., a scenic sliver of the Outer Banks where houses are crumbling into the ocean, owners are paying to move properties farther from the pounding surf and residents are pushing officials to do more to protect the fast-eroding shoreline.
 
But his point is that as sea levels rise and flooding plagues a growing number of places along U.S. coasts, communities should consider taking a step back in thoughtful ways — and at least do the math about what such an option would cost, especially when taxpayer money is at stake.

Read more:
https://www.washingtonpost.com/climate-environment/2023/05/15/north-carolina-beach-houses-erosion-solution/

The 2025 International Trails Summit Dates Announced
Courtesy of American Trails

American Trails and the Professional TrailBuilders Association are excited to announce that we will be partnering for another International Trails Summit (ITS) in Madison, Wisconsin on April 14-17, 2025!

Please mark your calendar for 2025 and join us at the Monona Terrace Convention Center (a Public Place by Frank Lloyd Wright) on the shores of Lake Monona in Madison, Wisconsin. Given the huge success of our 2023 event, you won’t want to miss it. Keep an eye out for our impact report from the 2023 ITS held last month in Reno, Nevada.

U.S. Ski Industry Reports Record Visitation This Season
Courtesy of SORP

By Chris Mays

The National Ski Areas Association sees preliminary data from the end of the ski season as evidence of “a strong post-pandemic rebound for snow sports.” Preliminary numbers gathered by NSAA indicate record visitation at U.S. ski areas for the 2022/2023 season. The group estimates a total of 64.7 million skier visits occurred this winter, a 6.6 percent increase over last season, according to a new release.

Read more:
https://www.reformer.com/outdoors/u-s-ski-industry-reports-record-visitation-this-season/article_413cc2ce-ee86-11ed-8298-bbce17eadb7e.html

SHIFT Summit 2023: Call for Session Proposals and Award Nominations
Courtesy of GP RED

Bend, Oregon - September 10-14, 2023

The 2023 Summit program will feature a variety of educational, research-focus, practice-enhancing, and experiential Sessions. Learning and interactive engagement formats will include workshops, speed talks, panel discussions, nature-based activities. Built-in Experiences will provide opportunities for active outdoor recreation and experiential education. The deadline for proposals is June 12, 2023.

Help us recognize your favorite advocates. The SHIFT Awards celebrate organizations, initiatives, and individuals who are helping advance and promote equitable access to nature and the health benefits of time outside. The deadline for Award Nominations is August 1.

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

Gun Violence Prevention — The Role of Parks and Recreation
Courtesy of NRPA

On-Demand, Free for Premier Members

Following the first several months of the COVID-19 pandemic, Washington, D.C., experienced an uptick in the amount of violent crime involving youth. In conjunction with Mayor Muriel Bowser’s Gun Violence Prevention Initiative, the D.C. Department of Parks and Recreation (DPR) implemented a Late Night Hype Program. With a focus on engaging youth through recreation, DPR staff will discuss how their commitment to creating positive experiences has helped to make a meaningful impact on their community.

For more information: 
https://learning.nrpa.org/products/may-premier-gun-violence-prevention-the-role-of-parks-and-recreation

Webinar: Trail Skills Project - Connecting the Trails Community to Training, Expertise, and Professional Development

Date: June 1, 2023
Time: 1:00 pm to 2:00 pm ET
Cost: Free 
Organization: American Trails

The Trail Skills Project is a collaboration of trail nonprofits, federal agencies, and universities launched to serve as the workforce hub for the trails community providing connections to trails education, trail expertise, professional development, and job opportunities (trailskills.org). The project was launched in an effort to create shared language defining trail competencies through the Trail Competency Framework, the foundation on which the website is organized. Learn more and find out how to get involved!

For more information:
https://www.trailskills.org/training/trail-skills-project-connecting-the-trails-community-to-training-expertise-and-professional-development

Webinar: Nature-Based Solutions to Climate Threats: Flooding, Biodiversity Loss, and Heat
Courtesy of The City Parks Alliance

June 15, 2023, 1:00-2:30 p.m. EDT

As park professionals, we understand that climate change is not coming – it’s here. Many cities are facing one or more climate threats while also dealing with the consequences of prior infrastructure decisions that worked against nature rather than with it. These include the channelizing of rivers, conversion of heat-mitigating green space to other uses, and destruction of native habitat and introduction of invasive species. We can build various defenses against these climate threats, or we can pursue more effective and efficient responses by working with nature and deploying nature-based solutions to these challenges.

Join us to hear from speakers who are working on innovative projects in partnership with nature and their communities to mitigate flooding in Baton Rouge, biodiversity loss in Houston, and heat in Tucson. In the process, they’re creating stronger and more resilient communities for people, wildlife, and the planet.

For more information:  
https://cityparksalliance.org/event/nature-based-solutions-to-climate-threats-flooding-biodiversity-loss-and-heat/

Visitor Use Management Workshop 

Date: August 15-17, 2023
Location: Winter Harbor, ME
Organization: Society of Outdoor Recreation Professionals (SORP)

Land and water managers from across the United States and Canada have similar goals: providing high-quality outdoor recreation experiences and protecting natural and cultural resources as visitor use increases and public expectations change. Managing people and places requires a comprehensive approach that considers community vitality, individual and collective connections to the outdoors, and the resilience of natural and cultural resources. 

The Society of Outdoor Recreation Professionals (SORP) is hosting a hybrid workshop to share local, state and federal perspectives on visitor use management. Managers in the New England region have a long history of working across jurisdictions to plan for and provide outdoor recreation opportunities so the Maine coast is a great place to gather together to hear case studies and discuss best practices and lessons learned for visitor use management. SORP is also offering a virtual connection option for those who can't travel for the workshop.

For more information: 
https://www.recpro.org/trainings-workshops#vum

NEW – Director of Recreation and Community Services
City of Patterson, California
$148,941 - $181,039 Annually
Application Deadline: Jun 16, 2023

NEW - Executive Director
Northbrook Park District, Illinois
$175,000 - $195,000 Annually
Application Deadline: Jun 30, 2023

Chief of Philanthropy
Great Parks
Cincinnati, Ohio
$118,279 - $150,284 Annually
Application Deadline: Jun 30, 2023

Senior Projects Coordinator
Charlotte County Board of County Commissioners
Port Charlotte, Florida
$51,376 Annually
Application Deadline: May 26, 2023

Director of Finance
MetroParks of Butler County
Hamilton, Ohio
$79,050 - $94,860 Annually
Application Deadline: Open until filled
 
Director of Planning
MetroParks of Butler County
Hamilton, Ohio
$79,050 - $94,860 Annually
Application Deadline: Open until filled
 
Environmental Health and Safety Compliance Specialist
Santa Clara County Parks and Recreation
Los Gatos, California
$127,439 - $154,926 Annually
Application Deadline: Jun 2, 2023
 
Program Manager I - Cultural Resources
Santa Clara County Parks and Recreation
Los Gatos, California
$112,1950 - $136,431 Annually
Application Deadline: June 10, 2023

Recreation Manager
City of Oklahoma City, Oklahoma
Salary: Depends on qualifications
Application Deadline: Jun 2, 2023

Regional Operations Manager
County of Los Angeles Department of Parks and Recreation
Alhambra, California
$123,830 - $192,581 Annually
Application Deadline: May 24, 2023

Director of Parks, Recreation & Community Services
City of Pasadena, California
$186,288 - $232,860 Annually
Application Deadline: Jun 9, 2023

Deputy Director of Regional Parks
San Bernardino County
San Bernardino, California
$113,006 - $157,934 Annually
Application Deadline: May 26, 2023

Park Maintenance Worker I
Santa Clara County Parks and Recreation
Los Gatos, California
$56,912 - $68,710 Annually
Application Deadline: May 24, 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