NACPRO News

August 6, 2024

Ask the membership
2025 Special Park District Forum
Member news
News & Resources

Training
Job openings
How to contribute

Compensation for fresh water production wells on park property

Does your agency have fresh water production wells on park property that are owned by the water utility department? Do you get compensation from the water utility department for either the water pumped from these wells or the pipeline easement?  Palm Beach County Parks and Recreation pays for fresh/reclaimed water at the same rate that other customers pay, even though we provide a number of locations to our utility for production wells. If you have such an agreement, what are the terms?

Reply to: 
Paul Connell
Palm Beach County Parks and Recreation, FL
[email protected]

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

The 2025 Special Park District Forum (SPDF) will be held from June 9-12, 2025, in Southeast Michigan. Registration will open this fall and accommodations will be available at the Courtyard by Marriott in downtown Detroit. Next year's theme, "Parks For All," aims to empower attendees to foster greater equity and environmental justice in their communities.
 
Visit www.spdf2025.com and sign up for our contact list to receive the latest updates. We hope you're as excited as we are, and we look forward to seeing you at SPDF 2025!

JCC Parks & Rec to Promote Tobacco-Free Space with Share the Air
Courtesy of wydaily.com

VIRGINIA - James City County Parks & Recreation said it is committing to promoting 100% tobacco-free outdoor environments by partnering with Share The Air, a campaign by the Virginia Foundation for Healthy Youth and its youth-led movement, Y Street.

Share The Air aims to create tobacco-free parklands across the Commonwealth by supporting local parks and recreation departments in adopting voluntary, comprehensive tobacco-free and e-cigarette-free outdoor policies.

Read more:
https://wydaily.com/latest-news/2024/07/22/jcc-parks-rec-to-promote-tobacco-free-space-with-share-the-air/

GSA Adopts Public Right-of-Way Accessibility Guidelines into Enforceable Standards
Courtesy of the PBIC Messenger

The US Access Board announced that the General Services Administration (GSA) has issued a final rule adopting the Access Board’s Public Right-of-Way Accessibility Guidelines (PROWAG) as part of the Architectural Barriers Act Accessibility Standards (ABAAS). The Architectural Barriers Act (ABA) mandates that federally constructed or leased facilities, as well as certain facilities built or leased with Federal funds, be accessible to people with disabilities. All new and altered public rights-of-way subject to ABAAS, such as roads in national parks or streets on a Department of Veterans Affairs campus, must comply with technical accessibility requirements. These include features such as minimum sidewalk width and accessible pedestrian signals, pedestrian loading zones, and on-street parking. 

Read more:
https://www.access-board.gov/news/2024/07/08/gsa-adopts-access-board-s-public-right-of-way-accessibility-guidelines-into-enforceable-standards/


Interior Department Recognized for Efforts to Phase Out Single-Use Plastics Across Public Lands, Build Climate Resilience
Courtesy of the US Dept of Interior

The Department of the Interior was awarded a Presidential Federal Sustainability Award for ongoing efforts to phase out single-use plastics on Department-managed lands and received a recognition for work to strengthen climate resilience through public-private partnerships. 

In June 2022, Secretary Deb Haaland issued Secretary’s Order (S.O.) 3407 to reduce the procurement, sale and distribution of single-use plastic products and packaging with a goal of phasing out single-use plastic products on Department-managed lands by 2032. Since the signing of the Order, Department facilities across the nation, including national parks, national wildlife refuges and conservation lands, have made progress with key efforts such as installing water bottle filling stations, increasing recycling, and working with concessionaires to reduce sales of single-use plastic bottles, as well as use of plastic utensils, bags, straws and other plastic products.  


Park Fire jeopardizing one of California's most iconic species: 'This species could blink out'
Courtesy of smDailyJournal.com

By Rachel Becker

California's fifth largest wildfire is encroaching on some of the last strongholds for imperiled salmon, with potentially devastating consequences for a species already on the brink.

The explosive Park Fire has spread into the Mill and Deer Creek watersheds in Tehama County, which are two of the three remaining creeks where wild, independent populations of spring-run Chinook, a threatened species, still spawn in the Central Valley. If the Park Fire climbs to higher altitudes, federal and state officials said it could strike the final deathblow to the region's spring-run salmon, which are already at risk of extinction.

Read more:
https://www.smdailyjournal.com/news/state/park-fire-jeopardizing-one-of-californias-most-iconic-species-this-species-could-blink-out/article_72b0d7da-4f76-11ef-adbf-13418db3f06b.html


You Can Now Go to College For Trail Building—And It’s About Time
Courtesy of Backpacker.com

By Nathan Pipenberg

A single construction project, like a footbridge or a rock staircase, can take months to complete. The Forest Service alone is responsible for more than 158,000 miles, a figure that almost equals the mileage of the National Highway System. But unlike our nation’s highways, single-track trail can’t be built with bulldozers or big machines. Instead, much of the work has to be done by hand.

It’s not just painstakingly slow—it’s also skilled labor. And there simply aren’t enough trail workers to look after all of these trails. Government and private organizations struggle to recruit enough skilled workers and crew leaders.

The good news is that things could soon be changing on all sides of the industry. Over the past three years, for example, PTBA has worked in partnership with American Trails and all the federal land management agencies to build a “trails competency framework” to clearly outline industry standards. The goal is to elevate trail work to the level of other skilled trades—like plumbing or construction.

Read more:
https://www.backpacker.com/stories/shortage-trail-builders-these-programs-can-help/


State AGs Call for FEMA to Classify Extreme Heat, Smoke as ‘Major Disasters’
Courtesy of Planetizen

By Diana Ionescu

Attorneys general from 13 states and Washington, D.C. are calling on the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to classify extreme heat and wildfire smoke as major disasters, which would unlock federal resources to help local governments prepare and respond. 

Read more:
https://www.planetizen.com/news/2024/07/130552-state-ags-call-fema-classify-extreme-heat-smoke-major-disasters


Virginia State Parks' New Viewfinders Help Colorblind Visitors See Fall Foliage
Courtesy of MatadorNetwork.com

In 2023, Virginia State Parks installed a trial EnChroma-adapted viewfinder at Natural Tunnel State Park, based on a suggestion from the park’s colorblind chief ranger. The mounted viewing devices look like the mounted binoculars you’ll find at many look-out points in parks, but “are equipped with special lenses from EnChroma designed to help those with red-green Color Vision Deficiency (CVD) experience an expanded range of visible color,” according to the release. In 2024, the park installed them at the remaining 42 parks in the system.

Read more:
https://matadornetwork.com/read/virginia-state-parks-colorblind-viewfinders/


Hawaiʻi Launches “Be Pono” Campaign For Outdoor Recreation
Courtesy of BigIslandVideoNews.com

The State of Hawaiʻi is asking residents and visitors “to engage with nature responsibly and respectfully” through a new awareness campaign. The Be Pono Outdoors campaign – featuring the animated mascot, Pono the Nēnē – was introduced by the Hawaiʻi Department of Land and Natural Resources’ Division of Forestry and Wildlife (DOFAW) just in time for the summer season.

Check it out:
https://dlnr.hawaii.gov/dofaw/pono/


Homeless Camp Cleanups Aren’t a Permanent Solution
Courtesy of Governing

By Doug Smith

Homeless encampment cleanups including Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass' Inside Safe program that moves people into motels and hotels have no long-term effect on the number of people living on the streets, a new study by Rand Corp. has found.

Teams of researchers returning monthly to Venice, Hollywood and Skid Row saw reductions in the immediate aftermath of cleanups, but within a month or two, the numbers went back up to the former level.

One unintended consequence of multiple camp removals in Venice was that the number of people living without any shelter, not even tents, doubled to nearly half the street population.

Read more:
https://www.planetizen.com/news/2024/07/130552-state-ags-call-fema-classify-extreme-heat-smoke-major-disasters


Nature Play Is Totally Normal
Courtesy of NRPA

By Paula M. Jacoby-Garrett

In the heart of the Midwest, Normal, Illinois, boasts one of the most progressive nature play parks in the United States. With a population of just more than 50,000, this community welcomed a groundbreaking park in the fall of 2023. Located at Colene Hoose Elementary School, the Ilse and Charles Jobson Natural Play Park is not just a playground — it is a gift to both the students and the broader community, symbolizing a new era in play and education.

Read more:
https://www.nrpa.org/parks-recreation-magazine/2024/august/nature-play-is-totally-normal/

Mountain town residents ready for a shift toward community priorities, away from tourism
Courtesy of the Colorado Sun

By Jason Blevins

A new survey of 4,000 residents in Eagle, Grand, Pitkin, Routt and Summit counties checked the pulse of mountain communities, where residents new and old, renting workers, policymakers and even second homeowners are feeling their quality-of-life ebb as the amplified cultural and economic shifts of the pandemic linger. Many people said they are hoping for more of a focus on residents and community priorities — and maybe less emphasis on tourism. 

Read more:
https://coloradosun.com/2024/06/20/outsider-20240620/


The Winning Benefits of Floating Stage Programs
Courtesy of NRPA

By Dan Dalpra

Floating stages can revitalize underutilized spaces, transforming ordinary parks, marinas and community areas into vibrant theaters on water. By breathing new life into these spaces, park and recreation agencies can enhance social interaction and unity, offering residents and visitors alike a unique platform to share experiences and build lasting memories.

Read more:
https://www.nrpa.org/parks-recreation-magazine/2024/august/the-winning-benefits-of-floating-stage-programs/


Park Finder app adds feature allowing parents to search for accessible playgrounds
Courtesy of NRPA

The Pennsylvania Recreation & Park Society (PRPS) is celebrating the 34th anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act by highlighting parks with Universal Design. Parks with Universal Design are created to serve every child’s need in one place, which helps children with and without disabilities interact. PRPS says although children with disabilities have different play needs, playgrounds are still critical for their cognitive and physical development, along with socialization and creativity.

For more information:
https://www.wpxi.com/news/local/park-finder-app-adds-feature-allowing-parents-search-accessible-playgrounds/K5BES63D3ZFTFJ2KJ5YVEANFII/


Call for Proposals: 2025 Active Living Conference
Courtesy of ActivEnviro

ActivEnviro is now accepting presentation proposals for the 2025 Active Living Conference. 

They invite submissions related to increasing physical activity for all people, with a special focus on equity for racially and ethnically diverse populations, people with disabilities, and those living in lower-income urban and rural communities. Proposals from all fields of research and practice are invited, including those with an international focus.

For more information:
https://www.activenviro.org/alcpresentationproposals


New Grant Opportunities
Courtesy of the National Special Districts Coalition

FY 2024 Community Facilities Program Disaster Repair Grants
Department of Agriculture

WHAT DOES IT FUND? The purpose of this program is to repair essential community facilities damaged by presidentially declared disasters in calendar year 2022 or to repair or replace essential community facilities damaged by presidentially declared disasters in calendar year 2023 and other disasters in calendar year 2023. 
WHO'S ELIGIBLE? State and local governments, nonprofit corporations or associations that have significant ties with the local rural community, unless they are nonprofit utilities, and federally recognized Indian tribes
TOTAL FUNDING AMOUNT? $38 million
WHEN'S IT DUE? Rolling
Read more: https://www.grants.gov/search-results-detail/348870

FY 2025 North American Wetlands Conservation Act (NAWCA) Small Grants Program
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service

WHAT DOES IT FUND? The purpose of this program is to support projects that involve the long-term protection, restoration, and/or enhancement of wetlands and associated uplands habitats for the benefit of all wetlands-associated migratory birds. 
WHO'S ELIGIBLE? State and local governments, institutions of higher education, nonprofits, for profit entities, and federally recognized Indian Tribes 
TOTAL FUNDING AMOUNT? $5 million
WHEN'S IT DUE? October 10, 2024
Read more: https://www.grants.gov/search-results-detail/355636

On-Demand Webinar: 8 80 Cities for Everyone
Courtesy of PlayCore

Available from July 29, 2024 - August 30, 2024
Registration Code: COMMUNITY
 
Delve into why it is vital that equitable and sustainable urban development is a priority for a healthy city. Everyone should be able to live healthier and happier irrespective of age, gender, ability, or socio-economic status. This session will explore elements of well-being, where physical activity, socializing, and contact with nature are valued. Embracing playfulness becomes imperative for cities aiming to attract diverse populations, fostering social cohesion and overall desirability. The significance of walkability and sustainable mobility as key indicators of a high-quality city will be highlighted, emphasizing safety and enjoyment for all residents. Additionally, we will focus on both the soft and hard infrastructure of parks and other public spaces. Join us in catalyzing positive urban change. 

For more information:  
https://education.playcore.com/p/8-80-Cities-On-Demand


Upcoming Webinars from American Trails

• August 15: Social Media: Better Engagement, Less Effort
• August 22: The OpenStreetMap US Trails Stewardship Initiative
• August 29: Navigating the National Recreation and National Water Trail Designation Process 2024
• September 5: Future of Facilitated Recreation (250+ Webinars Celebration!)
• September 19: How to Be Successful When Applying for the Legacy Trails Grant Program 
• September 26: Assessing and Advancing Belonging: Overcoming Roadblocks to Inclusion

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


SORP to host Visitor Use Management Workshop At Basecamp Conference

October 16, 2024 - Moab, Utah
  
The Society of Outdoor Recreation Professionals is hosting a 3-hour visitor use management workshop at the 2024 Basecamp Conference in Moab, UT on Wednesday, Oct, 16. The afternoon workshop will follow a morning conflict competency training workshop. The VUM workshop will explore the importance of understanding different perspectives and identifying shared values to develop desired conditions for visitor experiences. 

Basecamp is a regional conference and workshop focused on sharing ideas and collaboratively creating a path forward for outdoor recreation management and gateway community planning in the American West. 

For more information:  
https://extension.usu.edu/iort/basecamp/


National Off-Highway Vehicle Conservation Council Annual Conference
Courtesy of the Federal Lands Transportation Institute Training Newsletter

The National Off-Highway Vehicle Conservation Council (NOHVCC) will be holding its 2024 Annual Conference, October 17-19th in Minneapolis, Minnesota.

For more information: 
https://nohvcc.org/2024-nohvcc-annual-conference-october-17-19-2024-minneapolis-mn/


Trail Towns 101: Strategies, Tools and Inspiration to Make Trails Work for Your Community
Courtesy of American Trails

In partnership with The Harbinger Consultancy and Cycle Forward (Save an additional 15% by using “AmericanTrails" discount code. Check the website for early registration deadlines.)

• February 4-18, 2025, Tuesdays, 10:00-12:00 pm PT
• Virtual: three two-hour video conference sessions
• Register by July 31 for complimentary enrollment in the Trail Towns 101 Pre-Course Accelerator starting September 24

For more information:  
https://www.harbingerconsult.com/trail-towns-101

NEW - Director of Marketing & Education
McHenry County Conservation District
Woodstock, Illinois
$112,112 - $168,168 Annually
Application Deadline: Aug 18, 2024

NEW - Director of Land Preservation & Natural Resources
McHenry County Conservation District
Ringwood, Illinois
$112,112- $168,168 Annually
Application Deadline: Aug 18, 2024

NEW - Parks and Recreation Director
City of Golden, Colorado 
$152,253 - $186,510 Annually
Application Deadline: Aug 23, 2024

NEW - Executive Director
Freeport Park District, Illinois
$98,000 - $147,000 Annually
Application Deadline: Aug 30, 2024

NEW - Executive Director
Byron Park District, Illinois
$75,000 - $95,000 Annually
Application Deadline: Aug 30, 2024

Park Ranger II
San Luis Obispo County, California
$59,072 - $75,400 Hourly
Application Deadline: Aug 14, 2024

Parks and Recreation Director
Town of Mooresville, North Carolina
$122,325 - $153,047 Annually
Application Deadline: Aug 19, 2024

Executive Director
Vernon Hills Park District, Illinois
$165,000 - $200,000 Annually
Application Deadline: Aug 23, 2024

Parks Natural Resource Program Coordinator
Santa Clara County Parks and Recreation
San Jose, California
$88,454 - $107,057 Annually
Application Deadline: Aug 12, 2024

Golf Director
Los Angeles County Department of Parks and Recreation
Alhambra, California
$127,854 - $198,840 Annually
Application Deadline: Open until filled

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.