Stafford Connects
Courtesy of NRPA
By Elena Messenger
VIRGINIA - The journey and successes of Stafford County’s initiative transcend its immediate environment, standing as a beacon for communities everywhere. This program is not only a guiding example; it joins the call for a fundamental shift in how we view and integrate neurodiverse individuals and those with developmental disabilities in the workplace.
Stafford Connects exemplifies the immense value of inclusive employment and the transformative outcomes born from dedication and teamwork. Its success stories and the positive changes it has brought about in the lives of individuals and the community are a powerful testimony to what can be achieved when we commit to understanding, embracing and empowering diversity in all its forms.
Read more:
https://www.nrpa.org/parks-recreation-magazine/2024/february/stafford-connects/
New Jersey Establishes Nonprofit Parks and Open Space Foundation
Courtesy of the SandPaper
By Juliet Kaszas-Hoch
NEW JERSEY - A foundation newly established within the N.J. Department of Environmental Protection will be incorporated as a nonprofit responsible for raising funds for the maintenance and development of state, county and municipal parks and forests, as well as open spaces. Gov. Phil Murphy signed S1311/A594, which establishes the State Parks and Open Space Foundation, earlier in January.
Read more:
https://www.thesandpaper.net/articles/new-jersey-establishes-nonprofit-parks-and-open-space-foundation/
Shapiro Administration Creates Action Plan to Grow Pennsylvania’s Outdoor Recreation Economy
Courtesy of DCNR
PENNSYLVANIA - Department of Conservation and Natural Resources Secretary Cindy Adams Dunn released the Growing Outdoor Recreation for Pennsylvania Conclusions Report and Roadmap for the Future, which creates an action plan to grow outdoor recreation’s positive impact on communities, creating jobs and economic opportunity, and providing pathways to enjoy the outdoors.
“With a ‘get stuff done’ attitude in the four months since the Office of Outdoor Recreation was launched, the Shapiro Administration has created a plan including 50 action steps intended to set Pennsylvania on a path of expanding our outdoor recreation industry and the economic impacts it has, at the same time improving the prosperity and wellbeing of all our communities,” Dunn said.
Read more:
https://www.media.pa.gov/pages/dcnr_details.aspx?newsid=1050
Auburn University’s Degree in Parks and Recreation Prepares Leaders for Growing Field
Courtesy of the Birmingham Times
By Jessica Nelson
ALABAMA - Auburn University’s College of Forestry, Wildlife and Environment (CFWE) is launching the state’s first parks and recreation management undergraduate degree program to prepare students to lead an industry that is increasingly recognized as vital to well-being, community growth and diversification.
Students may begin enrolling in the major in the spring 2024 semester, with options to specialize in either nature-based park and recreation management (with state and national parks, forests, and other public lands) or community-based parks and recreation.
Read more:
https://www.birminghamtimes.com/2024/01/auburn-universitys-new-management-degree-in-parks-and-recreation-prepares-leaders-for-growing-field/
Pedestrian and Bicycle Funding Opportunities
Courtesy of Rail to Trails Conservancy
This winter, the Federal Highway Administration will open the first ever application period for the new Active Transportation Infrastructure Investment Program (ATIIP). Now is the time to begin preparing applications. Ahead of the official funding announcement, join Rails-to-Trails Conservancy (RTC) to learn more about applying for the new program dedicated solely to the development of connected walking and biking routes within and between communities. During this webinar, you will learn tips from RTC and partners for taking advantage of this opportunity and perspectives on the importance of having a dedicated funding source for connected trail and active transportation networks.
This initial funding round is an excellent opportunity to secure a grant to plan your system, supplement your infrastructure gap-filling strategy or make key connections to neighboring communities. Even unsuccessful applicants may gain advantages for future rounds and strong demand for ATIIP will help to grow the program.
For more information:
https://www.railstotrails.org/policy/funding/active-transportation-infrastructure-investment-program/
Climate Action Plan
Courtesy of Huron-Clinton Metroparks
As weather events in our corner of the region become more extreme, air and water quality become increasingly worrisome, and the residents of our region become interested in actively combatting the impact of climate change on our daily lives, it’s time for the Metroparks to act with intention and focus. That is why we are launching our first ever Climate Action Plan. To ensure that our goals align with the concerns and interests of our region, we actively sought input from residents and partners. We listened to their concerns, needs, and ideas and created a 5-year action plan with help from consultants and all levels of Metroparks staff.
Over the next five years, we will concentrate on five key areas that reflect our region’s priorities and leverage our organizational strengths: Education and Engagement, Preservation and Conservation, Water Quality, Transportation, and Waste Management, Recycling, and Composting.
Read more:
https://www.metroparks.com/climate-action-plan
New Resource: Nature-Based Solutions for Environmental Resilience Programs
Courtesy of NRPA
This new resource highlights Houston Parks and Recreation Department’s ambitious Natural Resources Management plan to restore riparian habitat in all parks along a waterway by the year 2030. It also includes links to more information about how to pre-assess your site and plan for nature-based solutions in parks.
Read more:
https://www.nrpa.org/contentassets/f076b898c6fb4f6b939156e28d45a22d/2023-citgo-resource.pdf
Age and Dementia Friendly Design Considerations for Physical Infrastructure
Courtesy of American Trails
This document by the Age and Dementia Friendly Physical Infrastructure Team of the Massachusetts Advisory Council on Alzheimer’s Disease and All Other Dementias was created to assist anyone involved in designing buildings and outdoor spaces across the Commonwealth, whether you are architects, engineers, designers, builders, city/town planners, regional planners, financiers, municipal and state government officials, or Council on Aging directors. The ideas in this document just scratch the surface of the many ways our built environment can meet changing cognitive and physical abilities.
Read more:
https://www.americantrails.org/resources/age-and-dementia-friendly-design-considerations-for-physical-infrastructure?blm_aid=24243
The New York Trail Designed for Neurodivergent Adventurers
Courtesy of the Sierra Club
NEW YORK - A hiking trail in upstate New York is drawing praise for welcoming an underserved group of nature lovers: the neurodiverse community. The mile-long Autism Nature Trail, which opened in October 2021 at Letchworth State Park, was designed specifically for those whose brains work differently from the so-called neurotypical versions.
With eight stations at various intervals along the loop, the trail offers experiences from quiet engagement to active exploration and adventure. Founders believe the trail is the first autism-specific outdoor attraction anywhere in the United States—and one of the first trails in the world to be designed specifically for neurodivergent individuals.
Read more:
https://www.sierraclub.org/sierra/new-york-trail-designed-neurodivergent-adventurers
