NACPRO News

October 7, 2025

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Better River Trails Experience Project & Survey

The Better River Trails Experience Project—led by Uncurbed in partnership with the Iowa Department of Natural Resources and Polk County Conservation—is working to expand outdoor recreation opportunities while making the most of public investments. The project brings together land managers, design professionals, people with disabilities, and Indigenous knowledge holders to find practical and cost-effective ways to improve river access that balance conservation with community use.

A national survey is now open to gather input from paddlers, accessibility professionals, and land managers. Your feedback will guide key project results, including 1) Strategic Plan, 2)  Programming Guide, and 3) Design concepts for improved launches, wading sites, and other river amenities.

These tools will help communities across the country create stronger, more inclusive, and more sustainable river access.

Take the survey: 
https://auburn.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_eWGrSlGd0K2ucuy

Read more:
https://uncurbed-access.com/perspectives/stories/charting-new-waters-co-designing-better-river-trail-experiences

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

Mr. Paul Chapman, Director
Franklin County Parks and Recreation
Rocky Mount, Virginia

Mr. Scott Wingate, Deputy Director
MetroParks of Butler County
Hamilton, Ohio

Pilot Rock’s Wide Selection of Colors and Finishes

Pilot Rock offers an extensive range of materials, colors, and finishes designed to combine long-lasting performance with the look that best fits your project.

• Thermo-Plastic Coated Steel
•  Recycled Plastic Colors
• Powder Coat Finishes

Read more:
https://www.pilotrock.com/material-options/

Johnson County Park and Recreation District named 2025 National Gold Medal recipient

KANSAS – Johnson County Park and Recreation District has been awarded the 2025 National Gold Medal Award Grand Plaque for Excellence in Park and Recreation Management, the nation’s highest honor in the field. The award was presented in Orlando, Fla., during the National Recreation and Park Association’s Annual Conference.

“This Gold Medal Grand Plaque is an incredible honor for Johnson County,” said JCPRD Executive Director Jeff Stewart. “It reflects the vision of our board, the dedication and creativity of our staff, and the unwavering support of our community. Together, we’ve built a park and recreation system that is second to none, and this award celebrates the passion and pride that Johnson County brings to everything we do.”

Read more:
https://www.jcprd.com/2213/2025-National-Gold-Medal-Award-Announcem

Metroparks and NOACA change ‘diversity, equity and inclusion’ policies amid Trump push against DEI
Courtesy of Signal Cleveland

By Nick Castele

OHIO - The Cleveland Metroparks joined the pack of public agencies that have rebranded their diversity, equity and inclusion efforts to stay on the right side of President Donald Trump’s new federal policies.

Last month, the park system’s board renamed and retooled its Inclusion, Diversity, Equity and Accessibility Policy. Now the document is called the Dignity and Respect for All Policy. It emphasizes fairness, a focus on guests and accessibility. The policy now includes references to new executive orders from the Trump White House.

These updates were meant “to conform to changes in federal policy ensuring eligibility for federal funding, while maintaining our fidelity to the Park District’s core values,” the board agenda explained.

Read more:
https://signalcleveland.org/cleveland-metroparks-noaca-diversity-equity-inclusion-trump-dei/

MetroParks aims to address rising deaths of despair after shocking numbers
Courtesy of Fox19.com

OHIO - The Metroparks of Butler County is hoping to help those battling suicidal thoughts by getting them the information they need to get help. Numerous signs are being installed in MetroParks locations across Butler County because of the staggering number of suicides they’ve seen in the parks over the last four years.

“In the last four years, we’ve seen 18 suicides and 17 overdoses within all of the parks in Butler County,” Katie Ely-Wood, MetroParks of Butler County communications manager, said.

MetroParks said the plan is to continue to grow the relationship they’ve formed with the Mental Health and Addiction Recovery Services Board to get people the help they need.

Read more:
https://www.fox19.com/2025/09/26/metroparks-aims-address-rising-deaths-despair-after-shocking-numbers/te=shorturl

What Counties Need to Know When a Government Shutdown Happens
Courtesy of NACo

During a shutdown, federal agencies are required to cease many activities, which will significantly impact counties’ ability to deliver key services for our residents. NACo has gathered the shutdown contingency plans from each federal department, which detail what programs have been suspended and what is still operating.

Read more:
https://www.naco.org/resource/what-counties-need-know-when-government-shutdown-happens

Secretarial Order 3442 Updates the Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF)
Courtesy of Recreation Management

A new U.S. Department of the Interior directive, Secretarial Order 3442, introduces several changes to how LWCF funds are administered and prioritized.

Highlights of the Order

• Shifts funding priorities toward projects that enhance wildlife habitat, water quality, flood protection, and recreation access in underserved areas.
• Requires state and local approval before the federal government can acquire land using LWCF funds.
• Reduces the Bureau of Land Management’s role in land acquisitions, directing funds toward other federal agencies.
• Places new restrictions on nonprofit organizations that partner in LWCF-funded projects.
• Allows states to use LWCF funds to acquire federal lands, a new and controversial provision.
• Emphasizes the development of recreation infrastructure and access for underserved communities.
• Provides a record $437.4 million in LWCF project funding across the nation.

Why It Matters
Supporters view these updates as a way to increase local input and target community-based priorities. However, many conservation and recreation groups warn the changes could create new barriers, delay local projects, and weaken federal land protections.

Read more:
https://www.doi.gov/document-library/secretary-order/so-3442-land-and-water-conservation-fund-implementation-us

Americans Are Cutting Everyday Spending in Favor of Travel
Courtesy of Travel Age West

A new Modern Traveler Report from iSeatz reveals that Americans are adjusting their budgets to make travel a priority in 2025. Sixty-three percent of respondents said they are cutting back on dining, shopping, and other recreation expenses to afford upcoming trips.

The average leisure travel budget is $1,745, with travelers placing greater emphasis on comfort, safety, and high-quality accommodations. Value remains the leading factor driving travel decisions, as consumers look for ways to maximize experiences without overspending.

These findings suggest that while discretionary spending is tightening overall, travel continues to hold strong appeal as a personal priority and emotional investment.

Read more:
https://www.travelagewest.com/Industry-Insight/Business-Features/traveler-booking-trends-2025

Public Restrooms: The Hidden Infrastructure of Civic Trust
Courtesy of Planetizen

By Ben Donsky, Howard Kozloff

Public restrooms are actually one of the most underutilized tools in urban planning, as well as one of the easiest pulse checks for urban vitality. If a city can maintain its bathrooms as clean, safe, and functional, chances are it’s doing a lot of other things right, too. On the other hand, neglected restrooms send a clear message that public spaces are not a priority; or signal to inhabitants that they shouldn’t spend time there at all.

Read more:
https://www.planetizen.com/features/136028-public-restrooms-hidden-infrastructure-civic-trust

Advocates Say Philly’s Waterways Could Be the Next Great Playground – If the City Prioritizes Them
Courtesy of Next City

By Kyle Bagenstose

PENNSYLVANIA - Adam Forbes, founder of Discovery Pathways, is part of a band of advocates in the city who envision a Philadelphia with far more water-based recreation than currently exists. They picture waterways with less pollution and more boat launches, where all forms of water-based recreation are within reach geographically and financially for large numbers of the city’s residents.

“It’s a city of rivers. There are lots of possibilities to get out on water. But there are very few established access points,” Forbes says. “And the biggest thing we deal with historically is people think of the Schuylkill and Delaware as dirty. Even the lakes at FDR, a lot of people just think the water is polluted, dirty and unsafe.”

Read more:
https://nextcity.org/urbanist-news/advocates-say-phillys-waterways-could-be-the-next-great-playground-if-the-c

Denver, Colorado Bursts with Dozens of 'Food Forests'
Courtesy of Planetizen

By Diana Ionescu

A network called Denver Urban Gardens (DUG) is growing the region’s tree canopy through hundreds of community gardens and food forests, reports Riley Ramirez in Civil Eats.

DUG has expanded its work to food forests, which, unlike community gardens, don’t charge residents for plots, instead offering free fruits, nuts, and berries to neighbors. “Beyond providing fresh food in neighborhoods that need it most, these agroforests reduce the urban heat island effect, create pollinator habitat, and combat pollution and climate change by absorbing and filtering harmful gases.”

Read more:
https://www.planetizen.com/news/2025/10/136088-denver-colorado-bursts-dozens-food-forests

Wildfire smoke is killing Americans. A new study quantifies how much
Courtesy of NPR

By Alejandra Borunda

Wildfire has long been a part of life for many Americans. But recently, as wildfires have become larger, more destructive and longer-lasting, a new risk has come into focus for millions across the country: wildfire smoke. People in the East, Midwest, and South have been forced to deal with smoke in recent years — many for the first time.

Now, a new study quantifies the health impacts of all that smoke. The analysis, published this week in Nature, found that wildfire smoke already contributes to some 40,000 deaths each year in the U.S.

Read more:
https://www.npr.org/2025/09/19/nx-s1-5544451/wildfire-smoke-death-increases

These Bear Safety Signs Illustrate the Impact of Good Design
Courtesy of High Country News

By Shi En Kim

Part of the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem’s draw is its magnificent megafauna, especially its bears. Excited tourists who see grizzly or black bears sometimes pull over to snap photos or even leave their cars, endangering both themselves and the bears. The National Park Service and other agencies have long used signs to warn people away from roadside bears, but little research has been done on whether the messages work and why. Recently, researchers gathered feedback on four prototype signs, using the data to identify three core qualities of effective roadside messages.

Read more:
https://www.hcn.org/issues/57-10/the-bear-necessities-of-good-sign-design/

Seven counties selected for EPA’s Recreation Economy for Rural Communities program
Courtesy of NACo

By Owen Hart

On September 30, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), in partnership with the U.S. Forest Service, the Appalachian Regional Commission and the Northern Border Regional Commission, announced the selection of 25 rural communities to join the 2025 cohort of the Recreation Economy for Rural Communities (RERC) program. RERC provides multi-year planning assistance to help rural communities strengthen outdoor recreation assets, revitalize downtowns and boost local economies while supporting environmental stewardship and promoting public health.

Read more:
https://www.naco.org/news/seven-counties-selected-epas-recreation-economy-rural-communities-program#msdynmkt_trackingcontext=7860ea31-d94f-4254-a712-790c2f510100

Nominations Invited for the 2026 Active Living + Outdoor Health Summit Awards
Courtesy of ActivEnviro

Each year we at ActivEnviro identify and invite people to nominate those professionals, researchers, and organizations who are doing good work.  At the Summit, nominees are invited to attend and share a bit about their work. Attendees all vote for the winners through our event app. Awards and certificates are given later in the event.  

Help us by identifying and telling us a story about the people in your realm working to help improve preventive public health, remove barriers to the outdoors, and professionals  working collaboratively to implement real solutions that move this good work forward!

Read more:
https://forms.office.com/pages/responsepage.aspx?id=9mgqjVwsG0-T1x0FVNwMNHy-dzZ6FqdKo129KzXj4m5UMlVUSDkzSDkzWVQ0RThCSlVLRjU0R1VMUyQlQCN0PWcu&rou

Webinar: Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design for Parks & Facilities
Courtesy of the National Institute of Crime Prevention

Thursday, October 16, 2025 - 12:00–1:00 PM ET

The US CPTED Association and the PA Recreation & Park Society’s Maintenance Institute invite you to our October webinar. CPTED is a multidisciplinary approach aimed at reducing crime by focusing on the built environment and designing spaces that deter unwanted behavior. This session will introduce participants to the four principles of CPTED and demonstrate how environmental design—through architecture, landscaping, and management—can make parks and facilities safer, enhance user experience, and strengthen community connections.

Read more:
https://uscpted.com/event/us-cpted-association-october-2025-webinar

Somebody Should... Strengthen Communications among Researchers, Practitioners, and Decision Makers
Courtesy of ActivEnviro

November 13, 2025 | 3:30 - 5 pm ET

Topic Leader: James F. Sallis, PhD, Distinguished Professor Emeritus, School of Public Health, University of California San Diego

The primary purpose of preventive health research is to develop and evaluate solutions that can prevent and treat health challenges. But getting effective interventions used in practice and supported by policy in our communities is far from a smooth process, especially when it comes to behavior change. Most often, professionals and policy makers never learn about evidence-based solutions they could adopt. Because practitioners are seldom involved in the research process, sometimes effective solutions are not feasible to implement or are ineffective for specific populations.

Register:
https://us06web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZIvdeyrqTwuH9wLuKERuG8oleA_5tZxNmtL#/registration

NEW - Enterprise Apps & Analytics Project Manager
Great Parks
Cincinnati, Ohio
$83,378 - $104,223 Annually
Application Deadline: Nov 3, 2025

Park Landscape Architect
Great Parks
Cincinnati, Ohio
$74,454 - $93,068 Annually
Application Deadline: Nov 1, 2025

Parks & Open Space Director
Jefferson County Open Space
Golden, Colorado
$180,000 - $210,000 Annually
Application Deadline: Oct 14, 2025

Executive Director
Oswegoland Park District
Oswego, Illinois
$150,000 - $200,000 Annually
Application Deadline: Oct 20, 2025

Outreach and Land Acquisition Manager
Great Parks
Cincinnati, Ohio
$67,718.00 - $84,647.00 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 1200 parks and recreation professionals for a fee of $125 for NACPRO members and $250 for non-members.