Parks & Recreation Magazine - April 2018

APRIL 2018 W W W. N R PA . O R G

CONSERVATION ISSUE

Floodplain Restoration in Ohio | Coyotes in City Parks | Engaging Children in Nature

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contents april 2018

Photo by Toledo Aerial Media

volume 53 | number 4 | www.parksandrecreation.org

FEATURES

32 Howard Marsh Metropark:

A Marsh and So Much More When Howard Marsh Metropark opens later this month, 1,000 acres of critically important habitat will return to the Lake Erie shore, helping to improve the lake’s water quality and providing additional open space for people and wildlife in Lucas County, Ohio.

Scott Carpenter

44 Coyotes Have Moved into Parks Across

the United States — Now What?

Coyotes have been present in the American West and Southwest for a long time. In recent years they have spread eastward and southward throughout the country. They are so widespread now that they can be found in every large metropolitan area in North America. So, what should we do?

Richard J. Dolesh

38 #FindYourWay on America’s Rivers and Trails This year, recreationists and conservationists alike will be celebrating the 50th anniversary of public rivers and trails. Take a closer look at some of the beloved rivers and trails that are part of the National Trails System and the Wild and Scenic Rivers System, created by the Wild and Scenic Rivers Act and the National Trails Act of 1968.

Lisa Ronald and Leigh Schmidt

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50 Take It Outside: The Key to Engaging Young Children with Nature It’s been clinically proven to enhance children’s growth and development, their cognitive, creative and problem-solving abilities, as well as help with their physical health, social relationships, selfdiscipline and reducing stress levels. It’s free and it’s right outside your door — It’s nature!

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contents april

columns 8 Perspectives

departments

We Need to Tell Our Stories Leon T. Andrews, Jr.

10 Editor’s Letter

12 Research Stewards of the Environment: An Expectation Worthy of Our Time and Attention Kevin Roth, Ph.D.

Creating Tomorrow’s Conservationists Gina Mullins-Cohen

18 Advocacy Parks and Water: Partners for Progress Radhika Fox

14 Member to Member Conservation in California’s San Diego County Christine A. Tolchin

20 Law Review City Farmer’s Market Vendor Religious Freedom Claim James C. Kozlowski, J.D., Ph.D.

56 NRPA Update 2018 NRPA Agency Performance Review Now Available 56 CPRP/CPRE Exams Now Post-9/11 GI Bill Eligible 57 Celebrate National Water Safety Month in May 57

26 Future Leaders Ensuring Today’s Children Experience Free Play Brian VanDongen, CPRP

Commit to Health Impacts Nearly 300,000 Children 58 ‘Meet Me at the Park’ Update 60 NRPA in the Winners’ Circle 60

28 Health and Wellness Developing a Park Prescription Program for Your Community J. Joy James, Ph.D., Becki Battista, Ph.D., and Richard W. Christiana, Ph.D.

Member Spotlight: Sabrina Steward 62 Connect Hot Topics 64 Member Benefit: Replace Paper Forms with ePACT 64 Making Play Possible Everywhere 65

30 Social Equity Changing the Narrative Roland Richardson

Parks & Recreation Crossword 66 Professional Development Calendar 68

70 Operations

72 Products 73 Park Essentials 79 Advertiser Index 80 Park Bench Proposed Pollinator Park Suzanne Nathan

81 NRPA Park Pulse

Protecting Pollinators

Cover illustration courtesy of SmithGroupJJR 6

Parks & Recreation

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Page 18 Metropolitan Water Reclamation District of Greater Chicago

How to Green Special Events Brendan Daley, LEED AP, CPRP

P E R S P E C T I V E S A M E S S A G E F R O M N R PA’ S L E A D E R S

We Need to Tell Our Stories March was National Women’s History Month, and I hope each of you found an opportunity to acknowledge and celebrate the accomplishments of the women in your life. I am surrounded every day by amazing women who are making incredible contributions to our communities, our country and this world. Our field is filled with examples of women making a difference and leading the way in advocating for our health and wellness, conservation and social equity. One of those leaders, Sonya Shaw, was the focus of last month’s Parks & Recreation Member Spotlight section.

Like many of you, I had a chance to see the “Black Panther” movie and marveled at the powerful images of women, from the general (Okoye) to the genius intellect of Shuri, a princess of Wakanda. From the #MeToo movement to these cinematic images we are seeing on the big screen, our country is resetting a narrative that leaves me very encouraged as I raise my three daughters, who are seeing women in roles in our society that no longer fall into stereotypes.

While we celebrated National Women’s History Month, we also witnessed another tragic incident of senseless deaths due to gun violence of 17 people at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida. This tragedy has forced our country to revisit, once again, our stance on gun laws, but it has also allowed us to appreciate the resilience and power of young people, who are using their voices and platforms to be bold and courageous.

My reflections on the contributions of women remind me how important it is that we take the time to tell our stories and accomplishments. It also reinforces that the assumptions and narratives we have about who we are and what we do can change. The tragedy in Florida really spoke to me as I think about those who are on the frontlines every day for our children and our community.

I think about our field and the sacrifice our park and recreation professionals make every day. I do not think we say it enough and believe too many times it goes unnoticed, but our park and recreational professionals sacrifice their time and risk their lives every day. They serve many times as the last line of defense for keeping the fabric of our communities together.

Story after story across this country offers powerful examples of park professionals who have taken the time to build a relationship with a young person or parent, many times going above and beyond the call of duty.

We see time and time again that those relationships often can be the difference between life and death.

We need to do more to share these stories. And, by doing more to publicly acknowledge the important role our park and recreational professionals play in cities, counties and communities, we can help advance the narrative that this field is about more than just play.

We keep our communities connected, safe and thriving! So, let’s keep working to tell our true stories!

LEO N T. AN D R E WS, J R .

Chair of the Board of Directors

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2377 Belmont Ridge Rd. | Ashburn, VA 20148 2 703.858.0784 | www.nrpa.org

NRPA’S MISSION: To advance parks, recreation and environmental conservation efforts that enhance the quality of life for all people.

EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE

Roslyn Johnson

Chair of the Board of Directors Leon T. Andrews, Jr.

Maryland-National Capital Park and Planning Commission Greenbelt, Maryland

National League of Cities Washington, D.C.

Chair-Elect Jack Kardys Miami-Dade Parks, Recreation and Open Spaces Department Miami, Florida

Past Chair Stephen Eckelberry Bartlett Park District Bartlett, Illinois

Treasurer Michael Kelly Chicago Park District Chicago, Illinois

Jack Kardys Miami-Dade Parks, Recreation and Open Spaces Department Miami, Florida

Michael Kelly Chicago Park District Chicago, Illinois

Karen Bates Kress Park Advocate Emigrant, Montana

Herman Parker City of San Diego, California, Park and Recreation Department San Diego, California PlayPower Williamsport, Pennsylvania

Seattle Department of Parks and Recreation Seattle, Washington

Molly Stevens

National Recreation and Park Association Ashburn, Virginia

BOARD OF DIRECTORS Michael Abbaté, FASLA City of Portland Parks and Recreation Portland, Oregon

The Annie E. Casey Foundation Baltimore, Maryland

Xavier Urrutia City of San Antonio Parks and Recreation San Antonio, Texas

Dr. Howell Wechsler

Seattle Department of Parks and Recreation Seattle, Washington

LIFE TRUSTEES Beverly D. Chrisman

Neelay Bhatt PROS Consulting Indianapolis, Indiana

Hayden Brooks

Lexington, South Carolina

Anne S. Close Fort Mill, South Carolina

James H. Evans New York, New York

Rosemary Hall Evans Sugar Hill, New Hampshire

American Realty Corporation Austin, Texas

Earl T. Groves

Kong Chang

Charles E. Hartsoe, Ph.D.

City of Saint Paul Parks and Recreation Saint Paul, Minnesota

Kevin Coyle

Gastonia, North Carolina Richmond, Virginia

Harry G. Haskell Chadds Ford, Pennsylvania

National Wildlife Federation Washington, D.C.

Kathryn A. Porter

Stephen Eckelberry

Perry J. Segura

Bartlett Park District Carol Stream, Illinois

New Iberia, Louisiana

Richard Gulley

Round Hill, Virginia

Balboa Park Conservancy San Diego, California

Eugene A. Young, CPRP

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EDITOR’S LET TER

Creating Tomorrow’s Conservationists Since an early age, I developed an appreciation for nature, which, not surprisingly, carried over into my adulthood.

Some of my favorite memories are hiking through the Uinta and Wasatch Mountains with my father. Growing up in the rural outlays of the west, I was lucky to have quick access to both the Colorado and the Green River and the vast, heroic landscape of all of south-central Utah as my backyard.

This year marks the 50th anniversary of public rivers and trails. In celebration of this milestone, contributors Lisa Ronald and Leigh Schmidt take a closer look at some of America’s most cherished rivers and trails in the feature, “#FindYourWay on America’s Rivers and Trails,” on page 38. Do you have a great river or trail experience you’d like to share? Your powerful story could be used to help protect and steward beloved rivers. For more information, visit www.americanrivers.org/rivers/wearerivers.

Our cover story by Metroparks Toledo’s Scott Carpenter, titled “Howard Marsh Metropark: A Marsh and So Much More,” on page 32, highlights the strategic goals the park agency has for parklands near Ohio’s Lake Erie shore — including reestablishing a wetland habitat that not only will help improve the health of Lake Erie, but also will provide additional open space for people and wildlife. In addition, Carpenter discusses how Metroparks established strong partnerships to advance conservation efforts for Howard Farms, which represents the last remaining tract of land in the Western Lake Erie marsh region.

On page 44, NRPA’s vice president of strategic initiatives, Richard Dolesh, begs the question: “Coyotes Have Moved into Parks Across the United States — Now What?” Dolesh goes oneon-one with industry experts, who address the economic and environmental impact of this ever-growing challenge and offer suggestions to park agencies on how to ease the fears of their community members.

Writer Paula Jacoby-Garrett talks about the health benefits of introducing youth to the great outdoors in, “Take It Outside: The Key to Engaging Young Children with Nature,” on page 50.

Although it’s clear that being outdoors can directly impact a person’s overall health and well-being, I believe Lindsay Glasner of Cornell Lab of Ornithology, perfectly captures the essence of why children should be exposed to nature, stating: “Simply being outside can drastically change a child’s mindset and foster a love for the world around them.”

And who knows…by helping children develop an early passion and appreciation for nature, you could be creating the next generation of conservationists.

GINA MULLINS-COHEN Vice President of Marketing, Communications and Publishing Editorial Director 10 Parks & Recreation

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PRESIDENT AND CEO Barbara Tulipane, CAE VICE PRESIDENT OF MARKETING, COMMUNICATIONS AND PUBLISHING, AND EDITORIAL DIRECTOR Gina Mullins-Cohen gcohen@nrpa.org EXECUTIVE EDITOR Sonia Myrick smyrick@nrpa.org EDITORIAL CONTRIBUTOR Catrina Belt cbelt@nrpa.org Suzanne Nathan snathan@nrpa.org PUBLICATION DESIGN Creative By Design www.creativebydesign.net SENIOR SALES MANAGER EASTERN REGION AND EUROPE Kip Ongstad 703.858.2174 kongstad@nrpa.org SALES MANAGER WESTERN REGION AND ASIA Michelle Dellner 949.248.1057 mdellner@nrpa.org PHOTOGRAPHY Dreamstime.com (unless otherwise noted) MAGAZINE ADVISORY BOARD MEMBERS Keith Anderson Gerald Brown Ernest Burkeen Brendan Daley Anthony-Paul Diaz Ryan Eaker Robert García Kathleen Gibi Sandra Gonzales Tim Herd Brian Johnson Todd Lehman Sam Mendelsohn Maria Nardi Lisa Paradis Gil Peñalosa Vic Richard Dr. Kevin Riley Karla Rivera Paula Sliefert Anne-Marie Spencer Stephen Springs Randy Wiger

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Research Stewards of the Environment: An Expectation Worthy of Our Time and Attention

By Kevin Roth, Ph.D.

T

he focus of this month’s issue of Parks & Recreation magazine is on conservation and how local park and recreation agencies positively impact the environment and make communities more resilient to natural disasters. Local park and recreation agencies are typically among the largest owners and managers of open space in our cities, towns and counties and, as such, make a mark on the environment in many ways. This includes serving as a natural way for communities to better manage stormwater, cultivation of shaded tree canopies that provide a needed respite from hot weather, and being the place where wildlife and native vegetation are protected and allowed to thrive. In addition, in its role as the place where the public reconnects with nature, parks and recreation plays a significant part in educating communities to help them better understand how they impact the environment and how they can make a meaningful, positive change.

Americans agree that parks and recreation is an important service delivered by their local government, placing it nearly as high as public safety, education and

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transportation. NRPA’s research data demonstrate that a key reason for this broad support is the conservation activities of local agencies.

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For example, four in five respondents to the 2017 NRPA Americans’ Engagement with Park survey agree that it is “extremely” or “very” important for their local park and recreation agency to devote resources to conservation, including for the protection of open spaces and the engagement of their communities in conservation practices. The support for the NRPA Conservation Pillar has backing from nearly every segment of the U.S. population, but is particularly robust among millennials and parents of school-age children.

More telling, however, is that the support crosses the political spectrum.

Eighty-two percent of survey respondents who identify themselves as Democrats see it as “extremely” or “very” important for their local park and recreation agency to devote resources to conservation, just above the 76 percent of Republicans who share the same view.

This crucial takeaway can be easily lost in today’s highly charged political environment, where the political fringes often speak the loudest and frequently are the only ones heard. But, once you cut through the noise, you see that an overwhelming majority of the public supports public parks’ role in being a steward of the environment.

So, how does the public view what should be their local agency’s role in conservation? Respondents to the Engagement survey agree that the two conservation-oriented tactics — conserving

the natural environment and protecting open space — should be important considerations for park and recreation agencies as they design, fund and deliver their services. Eighty-three percent say it is “extremely” or “very” important that agencies work to conserve the natural environment, while 79 percent agree that agencies need to protect open space.

Similarly, survey respondents adamantly believe that safeguarding the environment is a vital function of their local government. Ninety-five percent of Americans agree that it is important their local government acts to protect the natural environment. In fact, just under half of survey respondents would characterize the acquisition, construction and maintenance of local parks, trails and green spaces to be “extremely important.” The agreement that protection of the natural environment is a key local government role is so strong that there are few differences in this support across key demographic groups, including by generation, race, ethnicity, household formation and political affiliation.

Most Americans are concerned about how well their local community can withstand or recover quickly from a natural disaster.

These disasters can vary greatly by region but include flooding, earthquakes, severe thunderstorms, tonadoes, hurricanes, blizzards, droughts, extreme temperatures (both hot and cold) and wildfires.

As a result, 87 percent of Americans want their local government, including their local park and recreation agency, to make critical infrastructure investments that would improve their community’s ability to withstand or recover quickly from natural disasters. A few examples of these opportunities include placing parks near waterways so they may double as floodcontrol areas, selecting vegetation in open spaces that mitigate pollution from stormwater runoff, cultivating tree canopies in urban areas that help lessen heat-island effects and planting drought-resistant plants.

Beyond our annual Engagement survey, other NRPA research data highlight Americans’ ardent desire for their agencies to serve as a conservation leader in their communities. This includes the following three recent NRPA Park Pulse poll results: • February 2017: Eighty-two percent of Americans agree it is imperative their local government set aside land for the sheer purpose of preserving the natural landscape. Two in 3 people — including 7 in 10 millennials — believe that setting aside land for the sheer purpose of preserving the natural environment is very or extremely important.

• April 2017: An overwhelming majority (83 percent) of Americans say it is important their local government prioritize environmental initiatives, including sustainable or green practices, such as water-quality monitoring, green-space assessment, environmentally friendly buildings and lawn upkeep. The strongest support for these initiatives is found

among millennials, 63 percent of whom say it is extremely or very important.

• In this issue of Parks & Recreation magazine, we learn that Americans strongly support efforts, including those of many park and recreation agencies, that promote pollinator health. Activities include protecting against the decline and death of pollinators, such as honey bees and other insects, and increasing their habitat. In all, 94 percent of poll respondents support these activities, which include the installation and cultivation of milkweed plants.

Overall, NRPA research data consistently demonstrate the public’s broad-based support for parks and recreation’s crucial role as an environmental steward. In fact, the data suggest that the public actually expects and demands that their local governments, and, more precisely, their local park and recreation agency leads their community in this area. Spearheading the protection of the environment is just one way Americans view their local agency as an essential offering of their local government.

Kevin Roth, Ph.D., is NRPA’s Vice President of Research (kroth@nrpa. org).

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Member to Member Conservation in California’s San Diego County

By Christine A. Tolchin

S

Photos Courtesy of San Diego County

an Diego County is one of the most biologically diverse counties in the nation because of its complex coastal, foothill, mountain and desert climates, and variations in elevation and geology. San Diego is home to many native species of reptiles, fish, insects, birds, mammals and plants, along with a population of more than 3 million people — the second most populous county in California, and the fifth most populous in the United States. Out of 2.7 million acres within San Diego County, parkland remains the primary land use, making up 1.4 million acres, followed by undeveloped land at 500,000 acres.

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For the past 20 years, the County of San Diego Department of Parks and Recreation (DPR) has worked to preserve undeveloped land through its Multiple Species Conservation Program (MSCP). The MSCP is a joint Federal Habitat Conservation Plan

Volcan Mountain Wilderness Preserve offers approximately 2,900 acres of mixed conifer forest.

(HCP) and California Natural Community Conservation Plan (NCCP) under the Endangered Species Act. The MSCP protects large, contiguous areas of habitat to benefit endangered species and allows for Incidental Take Authorization for those listed species without the need for separate federal or state permits. Through the county’s permitting process, benefits of these take permits are passed to landowners who propose actions that comply with the MSCP and implementing ordinances.

A collaborative effort with the wildlife agencies, the city of San Diego, the San Diego Association of Governments and other local agencies, the county’s MSCP was one of the nation’s first joint HCP/NCCPs. It was approved in 1997 for the southern region

of the county, and with direction from the county’s board of supervisors, the comprehensive plan allows for conservation of biodiversity, public access to public lands through trails and continued economic growth.

Before the MSCP was enacted, con-

servation efforts materialized in a patchwork of fragmented conservation islands — with little certainty, they would become part of a larger connected system, allowing natural wildlife movement.

Today, the preserve system is assembled through land acquisitions from willing

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Member to Member

The Golden Eagle, protected under San Diego’s South County plan, favors partially or completely open country, especially around mountains, hills and cliffs.

DPR staff patrol, maintain and monitor plant and animal life within preserve lands to ensure the continued conservation of unique resources. sellers, as well as from land that is protected through required mitigation for development projects. The South County plan protects 85 species, 34 of which are endangered or threatened. Notable species in San Diego protected by the plan include the California gnatcatcher, golden eagle, San Diego thornmint, least Bell’s vireo, Stephens’ kangaroo rat, burrowing owl, coastal cactus wren, Quino checkerspot butterfly, western snowy plover, arroyo southwestern toad and the San Diego fairy shrimp.

One of the major goals of the MSCP was to develop a well-designed, large, connected system of preserves that retains ecological functionality and allows 16 Parks & Recreation

for natural dispersion of plants and wildlife across the landscape. Now, in year 20 of the 50-year program, the county is well-positioned to reach this goal.

The MSCP’s 50-year preservation goal encompasses nearly 100,000 acres in South County and more than 200,000 acres in the rest of the county. During the past 20 years, San Diego County and its partners have reached 77 percent of the conservation goal within South County and, within the region, has contributed more than $76.4 million of general-fund dollars toward acquisitions, while leveraging an additional $87.4 million through grants and partnerships. DPR seeks additional grant funding to continue restoration efforts and enhance valuable habitats that are under stress due to invasive plants, insects, drought, fire, floods and unauthorized uses.

DPR staff patrol, maintain and monitor plant and animal life within preserve lands to ensure the continued conservation of unique resources. As large areas of MSCP land are conserved, a monitoring plan is created to provide area-specific management directives for

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the species covered in the MSCP. The monitoring plan provides focused goals and objectives for implementation of adaptive management and monitoring protocols. Adaptive management is an evolving collaborative effort, and as lessons are learned, the preserve’s priorities, goals and objectives are refined.

San Diego’s preserves, parks and campgrounds offer many opportunities for people to be active outdoors, promoting healthier, happier lifestyles. The attractions and exploration opportunities include interpretive trails to learn about cultural and biological resources, hiking, biking, horseback riding, bird watching, camping, astronomy, ranger-led tours, biological research and species monitoring. DPR’s current inventory, operated with an annual budget of $50 million, includes more than 120 parks across 55,000 acres of land. It is an award-winning park system that includes 36 local and 19 regional parks, 8 camping parks, 11 historic park sites, 360 miles of trails and 39,500 acres of ecological/openspace preserves. DPR has 174 full-time employees, 156 seasonal employees, and more than 388 recurring volunteers.

For additional information on the San Diego County park and preserve system, visit www.sdparks.org For additional information on conservation planning, visit: • www.sdparks.org/content/sdparks/ en/AboutUs/Plans/MSCP.html • www.fws.gov/endangered/what-wedo/hcp-overview.html • www.fws.gov/endangered • www.wildlife.ca.gov/conservation/ planning/nccp Christine A. Tolchin is the Chief of Resource Management for the County of San Diego Department of Parks and Recreation (christine. tolchin@sdcounty.ca.gov).

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Parks and Water: Partners for Progress

By Radhika Fox

N

o matter who we are, where we live or what we do, water connects us all.

It’s our most precious resource, and the essential ingredient for prosperity, progress and the future of our communities. Water challenges in the United States are vast and mounting: water scarcity in California and the Southwest; flooding and extreme weather across the Midwest, Northeast and Southwest; and water-quality challenges, such as algal blooms in the Great Lakes and the Gulf of Mexico, and the lead crisis in Flint, Michigan.

Now, more than ever, we need partnerships to forge positive and transformative change to secure our nation’s water future. One of the bright spots is the tremendous collaboration happening across the country between water utilities and park departments.

US Water Alliance members across the country are partnering every day with their park departments. In Los Angeles, many stakeholders, including LA Sanitation, Los Angeles Department of Water and Power, and the LA 18 Parks & Recreation

Parks are excellent venues for deploying innovative strategies for conserving water or managing stormwater where it falls.

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Department of Recreation and Parks, have partnered on the One Water LA plan. This collaborative approach is designed to break down barriers and to develop an integrated framework for managing the city’s water resources, watersheds and water facilities in an environmentally, economically and socially beneficial manner.

Mutually Reinforcing and Positive Impacts When water utilities and park leaders work together, they can achieve mutually reinforcing and positive impacts for our cities. Leveraging clean water funding and creating legislative requirements for park and green-space initiatives embody a One Water ethos.

Parks are excellent venues for deploying innovative strategies for conserving

water or managing stormwater where it falls. Water infrastructure upgrades and watershed planning are big opportunities for green-space creation and expansion, community development and job creation.

Large-scale green infrastructure can implement parks, recreation and connectivity projects, while mitigating stormwater, reclaiming and reusing gray water, and replenishing drinking water. Philadelphia Water Department and Philadelphia Parks and Recreation Department have partnered on the Green City, Clean Waters project to add 500 acres of new public green space as part of the city’s plans to implement green infrastructure as an environmentally beneficial solution to stormwater management. And, in Chicago, the Space to Grow initiative partnered utilities, parks, schools and others to implement green infrastructure in schoolyards, one of the largest collections of impervious surfaces in the city. This results in more green space for communities, especially in areas of the city where residents do not live within half a mile of a park. Lower-income people and people of color often live in areas that lack green space, which can negatively impact the health and well-being of those neighborhoods. Strengthening water and parks collaborations can ensure vulnerable communities benefit.

Advocating for Infrastructure Investment This intersection of equitable resource management and infrastructure is just one place where parks and water providers can collaborate. Communities’ needs for capital continue to grow to meet challenges parks and water share: system development and renewal, population growth, regulatory compliance, changing weather patterns and the increasing costs of day-to-day operations. Everyone

agrees that our national infrastructure needs investment — hundreds of billions or even trillions of dollars could be spent repairing our aging systems. Given the tremendous potential crossover in infrastructure need, it makes sense for parks and water to both be strong advocates for infrastructure investment and to reinforce each other’s messages.

ly met our water needs. At the same time, recent acute crises, like the trio of deadly storms in Texas, Florida and Puerto Rico, have captured the public’s attention and provide a renewed sense of urgency. Politically, there is a focus on infrastructure at the national level, as well as the ripening of the five-year farm bill cycle of agriculture

Given the tremendous potential crossover in infrastructure need, it makes sense for parks and water to both be strong advocates for infrastructure investment and to reinforce each other’s messages.

The US Water Alliance, through our initiative, the Value of Water Campaign, helps to define not only the immense challenge of water infrastructure investment, but also the powerful potential of what that investment can be. This is part of why the Alliance is active in Infrastructure Week, which the National Recreation and Park Association has recently joined. From May 14 to May 18, across the country all people with a stake in infrastructure have declared that the future won’t wait and neither can we: it’s time to build. For parks and water, and all types of infrastructure, the costs of inaction rise daily. Adding our collective voices to the call for modern, fast, reliable and safe infrastructure is a great example of the partnership parks and water can develop.

We are at a crossroads in America for water policy. Long-term trends, like population growth, economic development, changing weather patterns and growing income inequality, are threatening to overwhelm both the physical infrastructure and the management systems that have previous-

policy. We are also approaching a midterm election cycle that is already shaping up to be explosive. At the state level, 36 governorships are up for election, many of which are term-limited open seats. Given the convergence of these long-term trends, short-term crises and tremendous political opportunities for change, the time has come to spread and scale the partnerships between water and park departments across the nation.

At the US Water Alliance, we believe all water has value and all stakeholders — utilities, businesses, environmental organizations and city agencies — have a role to play in driving progress. We are working to break down the barriers to cooperation and partnerships, both within the water sector and beyond.

For parks and water departments, this means building a collaborative and integrated approach to managing urban land and water resources. Together, we can forge new paths of progress toward our joint missions.

Radhika Fox is the Chief Executive Officer for the US Water Alliance (rffox@ uswateralliance.org).

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L AW R E V I E W

City Farmer’s Market Vendor Religious Freedom Claim

By James C. Kozlowski, J.D., Ph.D.

I

n late spring 2018, the Supreme Court of the United States is expected to issue its opinion in the case of Masterpiece Cakeshop v. Colorado Civil Rights Commission. In this case, a baker refused to create a wedding cake for a same-sex couple because it would violate his religious beliefs. The state civil rights commission had found that the baker’s refusal violated a state statute, which prohibited discrimination by a public accommodation based on sexual orientation.

In August 2015, the Colorado state appeals court had affirmed the civil rights commission’s order. In so doing, the state appeals court similarly found the bakery had violated state law by discriminating against individuals because of their sexual orientation. Moreover, the state appeals court held the state antidiscrimination law did not infringe on the bakery’s freedom of speech or free exercise of religion. In Mullins v. Masterpiece Cakeshop, Inc., 370 P.3d 272, 2015 Colo.App. LEXIS 1217, the Colorado Supreme Court denied review. On June 26, 2017,

20 Parks & Recreation

the Supreme Court of the United States granted certiorari to review this decision.

In the case described herein, Country Mill Farms, LLC v. City of East Lansing, 2017 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 191658 (11/16/2017), the federal district court considered a similar controversy involving an apparent conflict between the personal religious beliefs of a local family business and a municipal antidiscrimination ordinance.

City Nondiscrimination Ordinance In 1972, the defendant, City of East Lansing, had adopted a nondiscrimination

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ordinance, which included a prohibition against harassment based on sexual orientation. Such harassment included conduct or communication that had the purpose to demean an individual and substantially interfere with an individual’s access to public accommodations.

Places of public accommodation included a business whose facilities or accommodations are offered, sold or otherwise made available to the public.

Under the ordinance, a business could not deny full and equal enjoyment of services and facilities in a place of public accommodation because of sexual orientation. Further, the ordinance prohibited any posting or publication indicating public services or accommodations would be refused, denied or withheld because of one’s sexual orientation. This prohibition included any published state-

ment that “an individual’s patronage of, or presence at a place of public accommodation, is objectionable, unwelcome, unacceptable or undesirable” because of their sexual orientation.

Convictions for violations of the ordinance could result in a fine of not more than $500 and imprisonment for not more than 90 days or both.

Facts of the Case Plaintiff Stephen Tennes promotes his family business, Country Mill Farms, as a place to host weddings. Country Mill Farms is in Charlotte, Michigan, about 22 miles from East Lansing. In conformity with his religious beliefs, Tennes will not host weddings on his farm between same-sex couples.

In 2014, Tennes had been contacted by two women who were seeking to have their wedding ceremony at a Country Mill orchard. Because “promoting and participating” in a same-sex wedding at Country Mill would violate Tennes’ religious beliefs, he referred the women to another orchard in the area.

On August 22, 2016, one of the women posted a message on Facebook, discouraging people from patronizing Country Mill because Tennes had declined to host her wedding. In the ensuing discussion, questions were posed about Tennes’ religious beliefs.

On Wednesday, August 24, 2016, Tennes posted a statement about his religious beliefs on Facebook. Based on his Catholic faith, Tennes believes that marriage is a sacramental union between one man and one woman. Further, Tennes “honors his religious belief when hosting and participating in weddings at Country Mill.” He explained that, because of his religious beliefs, he would refer any request to celebrate same-sex wedding ceremonies at Country Mill to another orchard in the area.

On Friday, August 26, the parks and recreation director for the city called Country Mill and asked Tennes to agree not to attend the East Lansing Farmer’s Market (ELFM) on Sunday, August 28. Country Mill, however, attended the Farmer’s Market on Sunday, August 28, and for the rest of the 2016 season. Tennes alleged the city did not stop asking him and his family business to leave the Farmer’s Market.

Because of the pressure of the city, Tennes decided to temporarily stop booking future weddings at Country Mill. Tennes posted his decision on Facebook and informed the city.

Second Facebook Post On December 12, 2016, Tennes posted another message on Country Mill’s Facebook page, announcing that Country Mill would again host wedding ceremonies, but only ceremonies involving one man and one woman:

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L AW R E V I E W

East Lansing’s Civil Rights ordinances and the public policy against discrimination contained in Chapter 22 of the East Lansing City Code while at the ELFM [East Lansing Farmer’s Market] and as a general business practice.

Further, the Vendor License Agreement required the applicant to check a box indicating that he or she has read and agrees to all the 2017 Vendor Guidelines.

This past fall, our family farm stopped booking future wedding ceremonies at our orchard until we could devote the appropriate time to review our policies and how we respectfully communicate and express our beliefs. The Country Mill engages in expressing its purpose and beliefs through the operation of its business and it intentionally communicates messages that promote its owners’ beliefs and declines to communicate messages that violate those beliefs.

The Country Mill family and its staff have and will continue to participate in hosting the ceremonies held at our orchard. It remains our deeply held religious belief that marriage is the union of one man and one woman and Country Mill has the First Amendment Right to express and act upon its beliefs.

For this reason, Country Mill reserves the right to deny a request for services that would require it to com22 Parks & Recreation

municate, engage in, or host expression that violates the owners’ sincerely held religious beliefs and conscience.

Furthermore, it remains our religious belief that all people should be treated with respect and dignity, regardless of their beliefs and background. We appreciate the tolerance offered to us specifically regarding our participation in hosting wedding ceremonies at our family farm.

Vendor Guidelines Amended In December, after the end of the 2016 season, the city amended the 2017 Vendor Guidelines for its Farmer’s Market. A provision was added to Section 6 of the Vendor Guidelines. In pertinent part, the new provision stated the following: 6. VENDORS WILL EMBODY THE SPIRIT OF THE MARKET BY: Multiple factors that affect the success of every vendor are considered. m. Complying with the City of

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Vendor Application Denied In January 2017, the Market Planning Committee for the Farmer’s Market met to identify and invite vendors for the 2017 season. From 2011 through 2016, the Planning Committee had invited Country Mill to participate in the Farmer’s Market, eliminating the need for County Mill to apply. The city, however, barred the Planning Committee from inviting Country Mill to the Farmer’s Market for 2017. The city further instructed the Planning Committee that, should Country Mill submit a vendor application, the application had to be sent to the city for review.

The Planning Committee did not invite Country Mill to be a vendor.

Country Mill submitted a 2017 vendor application, which was reviewed by the city. On March 7, 2017, the city sent Tennes a letter denying Country Mill’s vendor application: It was brought to our attention that The Country Mill’s general business practices do not comply with East Lansing’s Civil Rights ordinances and public policy against discrimination as set forth in Chapter 22 of the City Code and outlined in the 2017 Market Vendor Guidelines, as such, The Country Mill’s presence as a vendor is prohibited by the City’s Farmer’s Market Vendor Guidelines.

Tennes emailed the city official who

signed the letter, asking for clarification about the business practices that were objectionable. The city sent a second letter, this time referencing Tennes’ December Facebook post: It was brought to our attention this winter that your Facebook post dated December 12, 2016, outlines a business practice that would be considered a violation of the City of East Lansing Civil Rights Ordinances and our public policy against discrimination contained in Chapter 22 of the East Lansing City Code.

their application, was retaliation for the messages expressed on Facebook” in violation of his free speech and freedom of religion rights guaranteed by the First Amendment.

As defined by the federal district court, a plaintiff must show the following to establish a claim for retaliation in violation of the First Amendment: (1) plaintiff was engaged in a constitutionally protected activity, (2) the defendant’s adverse action caused the plaintiff an injury that would deter or chill a person of ordinary firmness from continuing to engage in that activity, and (3) a causal connection such that the adverse action was motivated at least in part as a response to the exercise of the plaintiff ’s constitutional rights.

In determining whether a “retaliatory

First Amendment Retaliation In his complaint to the federal district court, Tennes alleged that “the incorporation of the Ordinance into the Vendor Guidelines, and subsequent the denial of

motive existed,” the court would consider all the surrounding circumstances and the time between the protected activity and the adverse action.

Applying these principles to the facts of this case, the federal district court found Tennes had “pleaded a plausible claim for First Amendment retaliation”: The August and the December Facebook posts are protected speech as both messages contained expressions of religious beliefs. After the August message, the City made repeated requests for the Plaintiffs to stay away from the ELFM. At the end of the 2016 season, the City then amended the Vendor Guidelines for the following 2017 ELFM season. The City directed the ELFM Planning Committee not to invite

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L AW R E V I E W

Country Mill, as it had in the past.

The City further directed the Committee to forward Country Mill’s application to it. The City denied the vendor application, an adverse action. The causal relationship can be inferred based on these circumstances. The denial of the vendor application excludes Country Mill from the ELFM, and thus cuts off an income stream.

cise of religion means, first and foremost, the right to believe and profess whatever religious doctrine one desires.” Moreover, the court noted the Free Exercise Clause “protects not only the right to hold a particular religious belief, but also the right to engage in conduct motivated by that belief ”: The Free Exercise Clause protects religious observers against unequal treatment and subjects to the strictest

Under the circumstances of this case, the federal district court found plaintiff Tennes and his family had alleged sufficient facts to state a plausible claim for a violation of their rights under the Free Exercise Clause.

In the opinion of the federal district court, these adverse actions on the part of the city “would deter a person of ordinary firmness from otherwise engaging in constitutionally protected discussion of religious beliefs.”

First Amendment Religious Freedom In his complaint, plaintiff Tennes and his family business had further alleged “the Ordinance, and the incorporation of it through the Vendor Guidelines, imposes restrictions on the free exercise of their religion.” In particular, Tennes claimed he had “a sincerely held religious belief that marriage is a sacramental union of one man and one woman.” Moreover, in order to practice his religion, Tennes claimed he had to operate his business in accordance with his religious beliefs.

As noted by the federal district court, “the Free Exercise Clause of the First Amendment to the United States Constitution applies to the States through the Fourteenth Amendment.” As characterized by the court, “the free exer24 Parks & Recreation

scrutiny laws that target the religious for special disabilities based on their religious status...The Free Exercise Clause is implicated if the law at issue discriminates against some or all religious beliefs or regulates or prohibits conduct because it is undertaken for religious reasons.

That being said, the federal district court acknowledged that “public authorities may enforce neutral and generally applicable rules and may do so even if they burden faith-based conduct in the process.” On the other hand, even if a law appears to be neutral and generally applicable, the court would invalidate a law where the objective is to “infringe or restrict practices because of their religious motivation” or “worse is a veiled cover for targeting belief or a faith-based practice.”

Religiously Motivated Conduct Under the circumstances of this case, the federal district court found plaintiff Tennes and his family had alleged sufficient facts to state a plausible claim for a violation of

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their rights under the Free Exercise Clause.

The court found Tennes had alleged sufficient facts to suggest “the City enacted a generally applicable and neutral policy, which was then used to target Plaintiffs’ religiously-motivated conduct”: The Ordinance did not apply to Plaintiffs in 2016. After the City learned that Plaintiffs would not hold same-sex weddings on their farms because of Plaintiffs’ religious beliefs, the City amended the Vendor Guidelines to incorporate the neutral and generally applicable law and applied it to Plaintiffs.

Accordingly, in the opinion of the federal district court, the complaint was sufficient to support a claim that the city’s action was a “veiled cover for targeting belief or a faith-based practice.”

The federal district court found sufficient alleged facts in the complaint “to infer that the predominant purpose of the changes to the Vendor Guidelines was motivated by the disapproval of Plaintiffs’ religious beliefs”: For this claim and this motion, the Court considers only the complaint.

As pled, an objective observer could plausibly view the context of events and consider any secular purpose of the changes to the Vendor Guidelines a sham. For the same reason, an objective observer could plausibly perceive the actual effect of those changes as discouraging the religious belief that marriage should only be between one man and one woman.

To overcome the city’s motion to dismiss, the federal district court found the complaint was indeed adequate to support a claim that the city had denied Tennes’ application based on his “religiously-motivated choices.”

Doctrine of Unconstitutional Conditions As noted by the federal district court,

Tennes had also claimed the city violated “the doctrine of unconstitutional conditions.” As described by the court, the unconstitutional conditions doctrine prevents the government from coercing people into giving up their constitutionally protected rights in exchange for a governmental benefit: The doctrine applies whether the government approves a benefit that comes with a condition or whether the government denies a benefit because the applicant refuses to meet the condition...Prospectively, the doctrine prohibits the government from conditioning a benefit on an agreement that the recipient refrain from exercising constitutional rights.

Put another way, the government cannot indirectly penalize that which the Constitution otherwise prohibits the government from regulating directly.

In this instance, Tennes alleged the city had pressured him to stop attending the EFLM after his August 2016 Facebook post. In addition, Tennes claimed the city had denied his application to participate in the ELFM in 2017 because he had exercised his constitutionally protected rights under the First Amendment.

In reviewing Tennes’ unconstitutional conditions claim, the federal district court found sufficient facts had been alleged to conclude that the city had arguably denied Tennes a benefit based on his religious beliefs. Specifically, the court found the city had “reacted to protected conduct,” conduct motivated by Tennes’ religious beliefs. Further, the court found the city would have had Tennes “give up” his religiously motivated conduct “in order to obtain a vendor license.”

Motion to Dismiss Denied Since Tennes had alleged sufficient facts in the complaint to support his claim that the city had violated his First Amendment rights, the federal district court de

nied the city’s motion to dismiss Tennes’ lawsuit. As a result, Tennes would have an opportunity to pursue and prove his First Amendment claims against the city in further proceedings in a full trial.

James C. Kozlowski, J.D., Ph.D., is an Attorney and Associate Professor in the School of Recreation, Health and Tourism at George Mason University (jkozlows@gmu.edu). Webpage with link to law review articles archive (1982 to present): http://mason.gmu.edu/~jkozlows.

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FUTURE LEADERS

Ensuring Today’s Children Experience Free Play

By Brian VanDongen, CPRP

D

igging in the sand. Pumping your legs on the swing set. Climbing across monkey bars. Playing stickball in the park, street hockey in the cul-de-sac or manhunt in the woods. Many young professionals, like me, have fond memories of these playful activities from our childhood. Those times spent exploring the playground taught us about the neighborhood around us and how our bodies moved, balanced, jumped and ran.

Playing pick-up sports with neighbors and friends taught us conflict resolution when an all-but-expected ruling disagreement arose. We also learned about our emotions, how to meet new people and how to interact with a group. The time we spent playing taught our generation a lot of things that can’t necessarily be learned in a classroom.

Today’s young professionals are unique, in that we were fortunate enough to experience play — and more importantly, free play. However, we also were among the first to be highly scrutinized with standardized testing, to experience an increase in the competitive nature of recreational sports and to have easy access to video games. We lived a childhood that was like the “old days” when it came to play — the only rule was to

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come home before the street lights came on — but we were also exposed to the changing social and societal norms that children are accustomed to today.

Perfect Advocates for Play Instead of being free to play, today’s children are immersed in a competitive world from a very early age. Between highly structured and overly competitive youth sports and constant high-stakes

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standardized testing at schools, children have little time to be kids.

Play built our imaginations and our creativity, helped us make friends and resolve conflicts and disagreements, gave us exercise and helped our bodies grow. Play made us happy, and we should want today’s children to have playful childhood memories like the one we experienced. Every child has a right to play. In today’s stressed-out world where childhood anxiety is on the rise, children need downtime to engage in free play.

That’s where we, as young professionals, need to step in. We need to promote the value of play to our communities.

Children look up to young adults and people of our generation, so when we organize and implement programs, we need to be role models for play.

Fortunately, park and recreation professionals, and especially young profes-

sionals, are a perfect group to advocate for play. We understand the benefits, have the resources to form play groups and programs and, most importantly, want our residents and children to use our parks and facilities and be playful in them.

Examples of Play-Oriented Programming There are many projects and programs we can undertake to make play a priority in every community. A major concern for parents — and rightfully so — is their child’s safety. While past generations were free to roam the playground without adult supervision, parents today feel safer supervising their child constantly (sometimes to the point of being “helicopter” parents). The 24/7 media reports and access to news at our fingertips on our smartphones make us believe that the world is a less safe place, even though, according to the FBI, as reported in an April 14, 2015, The Washington Post Wonkblog, titled “There’s never been a safer time to be a kid in America” (https://tinyurl.com/y744ed94), crime has decreased since 1997.

To help alleviate these concerns, recreation departments can host Playground Days, where there will be trained staff supervising children. This allows children to get the free play they need, with the supervision parents expect.

A second approach a recreation department can implement is a “Play Ambassador” or “Playologist” program. These programs teach high-school-age students about the benefits of play and fun games for younger children to play. Then, as a play ambassador or playologist, they can help run programs and play events for children and help energize them with playful activities.

A third program is creating a town-wide scavenger hunt.

For example, departments can distribute a list of tasks for each family to do at one of their parks, take a picture of it, and have families send their pictures to the department.

This can be a wonderful way for residents to explore all aspects of the parks. Sometimes, residents are unaware of a certain park or its amenities. A scavenger hunt is a low-cost, low-overhead program to encourage families to explore the parks and play spaces in their community.

As young professionals, we need to work to increase awareness about the importance of free play to get support from parents, schools and recreation committees (or commissions, advisory boards, etc.), and elected officials. Because we fondly remember our time playing and know how it helped us grow, we need to take the lead in advocating for more time, more space and more opportunity for children to play.

Ralph Waldo Emerson said, “It is a happy talent to know

how to play.” We need to work to ensure that play, as we know it, does not disappear. Play is a talent every child has. It’s our job to have that talent shine in every child.

Brian VanDongen, CPRP, is the Assistant Director for the Readington Recreation Department (programsreadington@gmail.com).

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HEALTH AND WELLNESS Research conducted on Health Care Provider (HCPs) shows that prescriptions given along with counseling can increase patients’ physical activity. Park Rx programs are another way to inform the public and HCPs about the health benefits of parks. However, these programs are not without their challenges: making connections to stakeholders (physicians, public health and parks), designing a program that meets the needs of the community and stakeholders, funding for programs and providing evidence that the program is meeting its goals. So how can you address these challenges when designing a Park Rx program?

Developing a Park Prescription Program for Your Community

By J. Joy James, Ph.D., Becki Battista, Ph.D., and Richard W. Christiana, Ph.D.

P

ark Prescription or “Park Rx” programs are gaining in popularity and helping to motivate people to be active in our parks. These programs encourage physicians to “prescribe” physical activity in park settings to their patients.

By creating awareness of near-by parks and their health benefits, they can also help increase participation in programs in, as well as stewardship of, parks.

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Identify Stakeholders When looking to create partnerships, stakeholders to consider are HCPs, the public health department and community members. Some communities have created health coalitions to leverage partnerships, while others have reached out directly to HCPs. Finding an interested and engaged HCP or public health official will be crucial to the success of program design and implementation, so we recommend the following resources: 1. Local chapter of the American Academy of Pediatrics (www.aap.org): This is one way to find HCPs and its “The Role of the Pediatrician in Primary Prevention of obesity” report contains recommendations to pediatricians to promote and identify opportunities for physical activity.

2. Exercise is Medicine™ (EIM): EIM offers physicians and communities resources for integrating physical activity into healthcare provider services, as well as for linking patients to evidence-based community programs (www.exer​ciseis​ medicine.org).

3. Public Health Departments: Investigate the local public health department initiatives to see where the park resources might align (many times, initiatives are mentioned on the department website). Reach out to the person(s) heading healthy living

(PA, eating, weight, diabetes prevention) initiatives. Discuss resources parks have to offer that align with health initiatives.

Then determine a path for Park Rx. Setting the Primary Goal for Park Rx Program A crucial step in developing a Park Rx program is to identify the primary goal. Is it creating park/agency awareness, increasing participation in park programming or enhancing health of the community?

Health and parks do go hand in hand, but it may be vital to the program design and success to prioritize one over the other. For programs to engage HCPs, the primary goal must be health oriented with a primary health outcome, otherwise the program risks losing its support. It may be more accurate to place promoting parks as the secondary outcome and promoting health (through promoting parks) as the primary outcome. Once a goal is determined, then an organization can design a distinct program based on the leadership, partnerships and resources available in its community.

Designing the Program A variety of Park Rx programs exist across the United States. Some programs have created resource packets that include places for PA and a Park Rx sheet for HCPs to give to patients (Park Rx America, http:// parkrxamerica.org), and some have the physician prescribe PA and refer the patient to a local recreation and park agency (Portland Rx Play, http://bit.ly/2p5WnuO).

Some programs use park surroundings to encourage PA (TRACK Trails, www. kidsinparks.com) or encourage HCPs to prescribe walking (Prescription Trails, https://prescriptiontrails.org), while others provide events at parks with HCPs (Docs in the Park, http://bit.ly/2DfbxTI).

However, the challenges with designing the program are not only in accessing the HCPs, but also the legal constraints of the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 (HIPPA).

able database of parks and outdoor spaces to help HCPs and patients locate places for outdoor PA. The goal for this online database is to include parks/outdoor spaces across America, support for linkage to patient electronic medical records, patient tracking of visits to outdoor spaces to “fill” the prescription, and a way for healthcare providers to follow up with patients with reminders and motivation. Park Rx America relies on local community partners to assess their parks and outdoor spaces to add to the online database, but it provides tools for assessing parks, recruitment materials for getting healthcare providers on board, and Park Rx materials.

The Kids in Parks’ TRACK Trails (www.kidsinparks.com/track-rx) encourages children and families to get outdoors.

Age-appropriate resources are available for each TRACK Trail, and the children can register online to earn prizes. While not a prescription program, Kids in Parks is working with HCPs and communities to use TRACK Trail resources to encourage physical activity in natural settings.

In addition to encouraging PA in outdoor settings, a byproduct of programs like these is that participants may become more comfortable in natural settings and outdoor recreation pursuits. These programs, while mainly focused on people’s health, have the potential to develop commitment to conservation of public lands, as well as increase interest in outdoor recreation activities.

HIPPA (www.hhs.gov), legislation designed to safeguard medical information, limits what HCPs can share, as well as requires patient consent for something as simple as passing along a name to agencies. When designing a program, if the HCP is conducting follow-ups, there are no HIPPA concerns. However, if the park and recreation agency is conducting follow-ups with a patient, then HIPPA requires the patient’s consent.

In a study we conducted, we asked HCPs for their perspective on Park Rx programs. The study participants identified the following challenges to encouraging physical activity: • limited time with patients • lack of training or awareness of resources to have conversations with patients • patients’ healthcare needs beyond exercise • a lack of awareness of where to send patients for PA • hesitation to write a prescription for something they do not believe a patient can comply with daily Some strategies the HCP study participants recommended to help in designing include: • tailoring the discussion of outdoor PA to each individual child and family (focus on barriers to getting outdoor PA followed by provider suggestions of techniques to deal with these barriers) • setting goals related to PA with patients and families and following up at the next office visit • having the healthcare providers’ staff or recreation and park staff conduct follow-ups with patients (see HIPPA Concerns for implementing this strategy)

Detailed references for this article are available at www.parksandrecreation. org/2018/April/developing-a-park-pre​ scription-program-for-your-community.

Park Rx Program Examples An additional benefit of a Park Rx program is that it can be an outdoor recreation resource. Following are a few programs that use natural settings to encourage people to exercise: Park Rx America (http://parkrxamer​ ica.org) hosts a publicly available search-

The authors are a team at the Appalachian State University HOPE Lab – “Promoting HOPE (Healthy Outdoor Play and Exercise) for children and youth”: J. Joy James, Ph.D., is an Associate Professor of Recreation Management (jamesjj@ appstate.edu), Becki A. Battista, Ph.D., is an Associate Professor of Exercise Science (battistara@appstate.edu), and Richard W. Christiana, Ph.D., is an Assistant Professor of Public Health (christianarw@appstate.edu).

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Missouri State Archives

SOCIAL EQUITY

This 1933 photo shows AfricanAmericans gathered on Watermelon Hill, the picnic area that was available to them in Kansas City’s Swope Park.

Changing the Narrative: Using the power of storytelling to engage new park users

By Roland Richardson

I

ncreasing diversity and inclusion on public lands has never been more important than it is today. The upcoming generation — the most diverse generation in U.S. history — will determine the future of our nation’s public lands and waters. If that generation does not feel connected to public lands, then it won’t cherish and protect them in the ways previous generations have. This lack of connection is particularly evident in communities of color, which have much lower rates of engagement with public lands.

Culture: 1. the customs, arts, social institutions and achievements of a particular nation, people or other social group. a. “Caribbean culture” 2. the attitudes and behavior characteristics of a particular social group. b. “the emerging youth culture” 30 Parks & Recreation

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As the stewards of local urban greenspaces, forests and natural areas, local parks offer unique, place-based opportunities to investigate and connect with nature in locations that are close to home and do not require a large amount of time or money to enjoy. Because of these factors, local parks are well-positioned to create a new generation of culturally relevant parks and to engage new audiences.

What Is a Culturally Relevant Park?

“Cultural Relevancy” is a phrase that’s being used more and more in regard to public lands. The term was first coined in the early 1990s by Dr. Gloria Ladson-Billings, an American pedagogical theorist and teacher/educator, who used it to describe a new way of “culturally relevant” teaching defined as a way of

Relevance: 1. the quality or state of being closely connected or appropriate. a. “This film has contemporary relevance.” teaching students in which they (a) experience academic success; (b) develop and/or maintain cultural competence; and (c) develop a critical consciousness.

Dr. Billings found that integrating cultural awareness into the classroom allowed students to relate course content to their cultural context and, in turn, better understand what was being taught.

A park or park agency is considered culturally relevant, if “what” it does and “how” it does it is relevant to diverse audiences. The “what” can encompass programming, advocacy, curriculum or any of the substantive mission-driven pieces of an agency’s work. The “how” is its approach to the work, who it involves in its efforts, the language it uses, its partnerships and its messaging. In other words, cultural relevance in parks is achieved when all Americans can establish a personal connection to the park and/or park programs, and find meaning and value in the experience because it relates to them in a way that helps them better understand what is being offered.

engage new audiences, but one example that is particularly relevant comes from the Kansas City Parks and Recreation, which used a unique place-based story to engage new audiences.

How Does This Relate to Public Lands?

In an article, titled “Public Lands Should Be Challenged with Equity of Access for All,” in the January 2017 issue of The Hill, Jose Gonzalez, founder of Latino Outdoors, is quoted as saying: “We need to explore what the ideas of wilderness, protected spaces, and open spaces mean to diverse communities.” There are many notable examples of parks using storytelling to

local African-American

Watermelon Hill Swope Park, a 1,805-acre park in Kansas City, Missouri — the city’s largest park and one of the largest urban parks in the United States — was segregated until the mid-1950s. Prior to desegregation, only one picnic shelter, a spot called “Watermelon Hill,” was available to Af-

Kansas City Parks decided to embrace the history of Watermelon Hill and host a communityengagement event, designed to educate newer residents about history. rican-Americans visiting the park. The late Joelouis Mattox, a local historian and former columnist, helped bring the history of Watermelon Hill to light in a lecture he presented at a local community center about the history of Watermelon Hill in Swope Park.

“When I moved to Kansas City,” Mattox says, “Swope Park was already open to everyone and free of segregation. But, Watermelon Hill still existed. Everyone felt comfortable there.

Church groups and other organizations would have their picnics there. Families would go there. Black people created that name for Shelter No. 5 because people in our community who did use the shelter [would] bring watermelons with them when they had picnics in the park.” Fifty-pound ice blocks in washtubs kept the melons cold. And, there were watermelon-eating contests.

Watermelon Hill was a “get-away place” for the black community.

When researching the story of the segregated shelter for his lecture, Mattox discovered that black men and women older than about 50 knew exactly what he was talking about. Most new residents, however, had never even heard of it.

Kansas City Parks decided to embrace the history of Watermelon Hill and host a community-engagement event, designed to educate newer residents about local African-American history. The department took the unflattering history of segregation at Swope Park and used that story to engage new audiences by making the park culturally and historically relevant to a wider range of audiences.

Using the story of Watermelon Hill as the focus of the event allowed participants to relate the educational content being offered by the parks department to their unique cultural context.

Today, Watermelon Hill is known as a mythical place that connects the past to the present. Other park and rec departments can use this example to share their own stories to engage new park attendees and increase diversity and inclusion on public lands.

Roland Richardson is NRPA’s Conservation Program Manager (rrichardson@nrpa.org).

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Howard Marsh Metropark:

Illustration courtesy of SmithGroupJJR

A Marsh and So Much More

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This new park advances several goals near Ohio’s Lake Erie shore

By Scott Carpenter

W

hen Howard Marsh Metropark opens later this month, 1,000 acres of critically important habitat will return to the Lake Erie shore, and Metroparks Toledo will be a step closer to fulfilling its promise of a park within 5 miles of every home in Lucas County, Ohio.

Western Lake Erie is an international destination for birding, fishing and boating. Around Easter, the “spring run” on the Maumee River attracts walleye fishermen from across Ohio and neighboring states. Closer to Mother’s Day, birders from around the world descend on the Lake Erie marshes to add dozens of species to their life lists. Yet, the region has

also made national news in recent years because of water-quality issues. Dave Zenk, executive director of Metroparks Toledo, believes Howard Marsh will help restore the lake and, with it, the region’s reputation. “This area is an outdoor lover’s paradise, with world-class natural features, yet, as far as we’ve come, we still have room for improvement,” he says. “[Howard Marsh] is the largest project we’ve ever undertaken, one of our most important projects from an ecological standpoint, and it is extremely timely for our region given the recent troubles we’ve experienced with Lake Erie.”

In a region of Ohio where outdoor enthusiasts celebrate spring holidays with

Illustration shows marsh once vegetation matures.

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walleye, warblers and watercraft, this new park near the Lake Erie shore will expand those fishing, birding and paddling opportunities. The biggest beneficiary of all, however, may be the lake itself.

Metroparks Toledo established its first park on the river’s edge nearly 90 years ago, and today has five parks overlooking the water. Howard Marsh Metropark will be the 16th park in the 12,000-acre park system and the closest to the lake.

Just six months ago, blue-green algae oozed into a kayak cove at Middlegrounds Metropark in downtown Toledo. It wasn’t the first time the iridescent slime had plagued the region. The potentially toxic algae made national headlines in August 2014 when it prompted the city of Toledo to issue a drinking water advisory for parts of three days.

Phosphorus runoff from agricultural

Photo courtesy of Toledo Aerial Media

About a year into the project, the marsh begins to take shape on what was formerly farmland.

lands upstream is the primary culprit of this recurring problem. It contributes to the growth of algae, which produces toxins as it decays in Lake Erie, the source of drinking water for 11 million people.

Contributing to the water-quality woes is the loss of natural wetlands, which function like kidneys, filtering out excess nutrients that cause algae blooms, while providing critical fish and wildlife habitat. Wetlands are among the most productive ecosystems on Earth — comparable to rainforests and coral reefs, says the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. These systems support more than one-third of the threatened and endangered wildlife species in the United States, while providing natural water-quality improvements and flood protection.

Half of the wetlands in the Great Lakes basin are gone. In Western Lake Erie, where just 10 percent of the original 300,000 acres of wetland remain, every acre counts. “According to the scientific literature, one acre of restored Lake Erie coastal wetland can remove 13 pounds of phosphorus from the water per year,”

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says Tim Schetter, Ph.D., director of natural resources for Metroparks Toledo.

Howard Marsh, currently the largest new wetland restoration project on the Great Lakes, will take hundreds of acres near the lakeshore — approximately 750 now and 250 in the future — from a willing landowner out of agricultural production and re-create a marsh wetland as a buffer between land and lake.

Establish Strong Partnerships The property, known historically as Howard Farms, is the last remaining large tract of land in the Western Lake Erie marsh region. The Ohio Department of Natural Resources Division of Wildlife has been interested in the property for more than 20 years, but was not able to come to terms with the owner.

When Metroparks successfully negotiated an agreement in 2008, the Division of Wildlife contributed half of the $6 million purchase price. Metroparks and the Division of Wildlife entered into a management agreement for fishing,

Photo courtesy of Toledo Aerial Media

This quarter-mile boardwalk will take visitors into the marsh.

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modeled here at Howard Marsh and elsewhere in the Western Lake Erie Basin,” says Gildo Tori, director of public policy for Ducks Unlimited’s Great Lakes/Atlantic Region. “The complexities of habitat conservation in areas that have been greatly altered provide challenges that demand creative thinking and innovative action that often requires diverse partnerships. Then, there is the funding puzzle to solve as well! Using private/public partnerships to leverage and multiply different funding pots makes these mega-habitat restoration projects doable.”

Mark Haynes Construction of Norwalk, Ohio, began construction in June 2016 and finished last fall after moving approximately 700,000 cubic yards of dirt — enough to fill the first 24 floors of the Empire State Building. Nearly 30,000 tons of stone was hauled in, and before the project is done, 12,000 trees and shrubs will be planted. By opening day, thanks to new pumps capable of moving 1.2 million gallons per hour, the property will be mostly flooded with lake water from a channel. The main pump, according to Schetter, could fill an Olympic-sized swimming pool in 33 minutes.

“It’s been an amazing transformation,”

Photo courtesy of Art Weber, Metroparks Toledo

hunting, trapping and wildlife recreation and conservation at the marsh. A $1.76 million grant from the Clean Ohio Fund Greenspace Conservation Program and $1.24 million from Metroparks paid for the other half of the purchase price.

Converting Howard Farms into Howard Marsh required additional partnerships and funding. Metroparks contracted with Ducks Unlimited, the international wetlands conservation organization, to design the wetland habitat infrastructure, and with SmithGroupJRR, of Ann Arbor, Michigan, to design the public amenities infrastructure.

Ducks Unlimited also obtained a $2.8 million grant from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, through the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative, to assist with construction.

The Division of Wildlife committed a total of $4 million to help fund the wetland restoration, with Metroparks providing a 25 percent match. The division’s contribution was reimbursed with dollars from the federal Pittman-Robertson Act, an excise tax on hunting and fishing equipment that was used to fund habitat restoration.

“Successful conservation requires multilevel private/public partnerships, as

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says Denis Franklin, a Metroparks natural resources department supervisor who has overseen the project from the start.

“It’s hard to imagine just 18 months ago this was a farm field.

“Since construction started,” Franklin continues, “the project has generated interest from local, state and federal agencies, as well as from neighbors, nature lovers and local business groups. We’ve given more than 70 tours since the project began. It’s rare to see something like this, especially on this scale.”

Among the site’s visitors was a CNN crew, which visited last summer to interview Ducks Unlimited’s Tori for a story about the potential loss of funding for the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative, an issue that has recently cropped up again.

Create More Room to Roam Placing a park near the lakeshore has been a priority for Metroparks Toledo for several years. Providing additional parkland is a strategic initiative begun in 2002 when nearly two-thirds of Lucas County electors voted in favor of a property tax levy to acquire additional parkland for the future. The “land levy” fueled the greatest era of growth in the park district’s history, leading to the opening of the first new parks in four decades.

“Since that time, we have added 4,500 acres, from the globally significant Oak Openings Region on the west side of the county, to this property near our eastern border,” explains Scott J. Savage, president of the Board of Park Commissioners, the governing body of Metroparks Toledo. “Without this property, we could not make good on another promise: to have a Metropark within 5 miles of every resident of Lucas County. With so little of the original Lake Erie wetlands remaining, being able to restore 1,000 acres so

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close to the shore is a rare opportunity.”

With more than 6 miles of hiking trails and another 6 miles of permanent, deep-water channel for fishing and kayaking through nearly 600 acres of marsh, the park will provide new recreational outlets while creating habitat for migrating birds and spawning fish.

“Howard Marsh will be a special place where people with varied recreational interests can enjoy the wonders of a Great Lakes coastal wetland,” says Steve Madewell, who was executive director of Metroparks Toledo when construction began and for whom a 1,300-foot boardwalk trail there will be named. “Without a doubt, Metroparks is bringing an element to Howard Marsh that adds a wonderful dimension: excellent public access for a broad range of activities.”

Expand the Natural Habitat Adjacent to Howard Marsh is the Metzger Marsh Wildlife area. Just down the road are the Magee Marsh Wildlife Area and the Ottawa National Wildlife Refuge (Ohio’s only federal refuge) and nearby is Maumee Bay State Park. Combined, these Lake Erie marshlands create a habitat complex that is critically important because more than half the endangered and threatened birds in the state require wetlands for part of their life cycle.

Birds bring birders, which is good news for local businesses too, especially during the “shoulder seasons” (time between peak and off-peak seasons) in spring and fall when other forms of tourism are light.

There are nearly 2.4 million birders in the state, and Ohio Sea Grant research completed in 2012 shows that bird watching along Ohio’s Lake Erie coast contributes more than $26 million annually and 283 jobs to northern Ohio’s economy.

Historically, 37 species of warblers and more than 300 species of birds have been seen at Magee Marsh Wildlife Area,

Photo courtesy of Art Weber, Metroparks Toledo

Fishermen wade into the Maumee River, casting for walleye that are migrating upriver.

making it recognized worldwide as a top birding destination for songbird migration. Annually, 70,000 to 80,000 people visit Magee Marsh in the six-week period from mid-April through May during the songbird migration. The Biggest Week in American Birding, a 10-day event that’s based at Maumee Bay State Park and sponsored by the Black Swamp Bird Observatory, attracted visitors from 47 states and 20 countries last year!

Marshes are also important breeding grounds for fish in a region that calls itself the Walleye Capital of the World. Walleye fishing on Ohio’s 2.24-million-acre share of Lake Erie is a $600-million-a-year industry.

Connect More People with the Outdoors In August 2017, with most of the groundwork completed but the marsh not yet flooded, Metroparks invited elected officials to see the property, as they would never again be able to see it. Under a large tent to fend off the cold onshore winds, local and state officials mingled with Metroparks supporters and a group of 50 visi-

tors on a tour hosted by Ducks Unlimited.

Also in attendance was Ohio Governor John Kasich, who spoke about the recreational and tourism aspects of the project. “We need to tell the world about that,” Kasich said. “We need to do a better job of telling people what’s here.”

For Metroparks, the economic impact on the region helps build the case for support of the agency’s conservation mission.

“More parks and trails will connect more people with the outdoors, and that’s ultimately what we are all about,” says Zenk, who has been with the park system 11 years and executive director for just more than a year. “We have to keep upping our game, providing new experiences to give people reasons to keep coming back. Putting a park within only a few minutes of every single person in the district breaks down a lot of barriers and improves economic development across the county.”

Scott Carpenter is Director of Public Relations for Metroparks Toledo (scott.carpenter@ metroparkstoledo.com).

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#FindYo on America’s Rivers and Trails

Colorado’s Cache la Poudre Wild and Scenic River; (top) riding the rapids on Idaho’s Lochsa River; (right) Oregon’s Zigzag River 38 Parks & Recreation

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of Tim Palmer Photo courtesy

Photo courtesy of Dave

Gardner

Photo courtesy of Tim Palmer

By Lisa Ronald and Leigh Schmidt

ourWay T

his year, recreationists and conservationists alike will be celebrating the 50th anniversary of public rivers and trails. On October 2, 1968, the Wild and Scenic Rivers Act and the National Trails Act were passed. At the time, outdoor enthusiasts and congressional champions demanded free-flowing rivers and long-distance trails to balance a national policy of rampant dam building and a lack of connection to the outdoors and historically significant places. These monumental acts of Congress marked the beginning of more than a decade of environmental lawmaking, protecting natural attributes like air and water quality, and institutionalizing public participation in environmental reviews. These acts also brought rivers and trails — the networks that connect communities to public lands — to the forefront of American consciousness.

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recreational trails have no minimum mileage requirement and many are located entirely within city, county and state parks. Since its creation in 1968, the National Trails System has grown to encompass more than 100,000 miles of trails in all 50 states, Washington, D.C., and Puerto Rico.

For rivers, the passage of the Wild and Scenic Rivers Act of 1968 created the National Wild and Scenic River System that includes wild, scenic and recreational rivers. The system protects specific segments of free-flowing, un-dammed rivers for water-based recreation, fish and wildlife habitat, scenery, geology, and cultural and historical uses. Protected rivers provide a wide range of visitor experiences, from wild and primitive, to those in developed areas that are readily accessible by a road. As with the National Trails System, the Wild and Scenic Rivers System has grown steadily since

Photo courtesy of Thomas O’Keefe

Photo courtesy of Jayme

Dittmar

The National Trails Act established the initial components of the National Trails System, launching the creation of what are now called, National Scenic, Historic and Recreation Trails along with Rail Trails. These trails provide outdoor recreation opportunities and promote resource preservation and public access. Through designated trails, the public can identify the scenic, historic and recreational elements the trails protect and more easily connect with nature, history and their communities. Scenic and historic trails have a minimum mileage requirement of 100 miles, while

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its creation and today protects 208 rivers, encompassing more than 12,000 river miles in 40 states and Puerto Rico.

Visiting National Trails and Wild and Scenic Rivers National Trails and Wild and Scenic Rivers are open for all Americans to enjoy. Many recreationists visit on their own, but the tourism and outdoor recreation industries also play critical roles in introducing people to the outdoors. Horse packers, hiking guides and river outfitters inspire and educate customers about the historical and contemporary values of rivers and trails and the public lands to which they provide access. State and local governments are also critical players in river stewardship and recreation by providing and maintaining river access to sites, trails and trailheads.

Let’s take a closer look at some beloved rivers and trails: Ice Age National Scenic Trail Tracing the edge of the glacier that covered much of Wisconsin during the Ice Age, this 1,000+-mile trail travels along some of Wisconsin’s most beautiful natural areas and across a variety of unique landscape features. These glacial remnants are now considered among the world’s finest examples of how continental glaciation sculpts our planet. But, the Ice Age Trail is more than a path through the woods. It is a place for mental and physical rejuvenation, a place to unwind after a grueling day and enjoy the landscape of Wisconsin. Across the state, city, county and state parks partnerships enhance the access for both thru-hikers and more casual trail users

Above: University of Montana students canoeing on the Missouri Wild and Scenic River during a Freshmen Wilderness Experience trip. Left: Paddleboarding on Oregon’s Owyhee Wild and Scenic River.

Photo courtesy of Dave Gardner

Share Your River Experiences A female paddler on Idaho’s Lochsa River, a protected tributary of the Clearwater Wild and Scenic River.

by offering campsites, shelters and parking areas. Park groups and trail groups team up to maintain and expand existing trails through efforts, such as prairie restoration and post-storm cleanup. More than 1 million people use the Ice Age Trail each year to hike, snowshoe, backpack, disconnect and reconnect.

St. Croix Wild and Scenic River Flowing for more than 250 miles along the border between Minnesota and Wisconsin, the St. Croix Wild and Scenic River is one of the eight rivers originally protected in 1968. The St. Croix River offers outdoor enthusiasts a wilderness-like experience within easy reach of a major metropolitan area through

access provided by 20 state, regional and local river parks and numerous other landings. Anglers, campers, picnickers, swimmers and bird watchers enjoy its variety of scenes throughout.

On the upper portion of the river, Class I-II rapids challenge canoeists. The Lower St. Croix is popular for recreational enthusiasts who enjoy canoeing, boating, fishing, rock climbing and hiking along its scenic shores. Near St. Croix Falls, the Minnesota and Wisconsin Interstate State Parks provide access to the Ice Age Trail’s western end. Power and sail boating are popular at the very lowest end of the river, where it widens into Lake St. Croix.

At places where the river flows through towns, like Hudson, Wisconsin, plein-air artists (a branch of impressionism that attempts to represent outdoor light and air) draw inspiration from the tranquility of its lazy, burbling waters.

Everyone who loves rivers has a compelling river story. Boaters, anglers, hunters, campers and other recreationists are sharing their river stories as part of an anniversary campaign to collect 5,000 personal river stories from Americans across the country. This year’s 50th anniversary of the Wild and Scenic Rivers Act is an opportunity to help protect and steward beloved rivers using the power of stories. Join other river lovers and share your river story.

Learn more at www.americanrivers.org/ rivers/wearerivers./

Lewis and Clark National Historic Trail The Lewis and Clark National Historic Trail retraces the steps of the members of the Corps of Discovery from 1804 to 1806 in their search for a route to the Pacific Ocean. The story of the Lewis and Clark Expedition is more than the story of two men. It’s the story of indi-

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viduals and groups, military men and scientists, a president and a slave, women and men, French-speaking boatmen and Native Americans. It is a story of loss and hope, and one of changes that began in 1803 and continue today. Today, you can still experience the trail as the Corps did. Hike Idaho’s Bitterroot Mountains and follow the centuries-old footsteps of the Salish, the Nez Perce and the Corps of Discovery, explore meadows and forests on horseback or enjoy activities never imagined by the Corps. Bicycle along rugged paths or endless blacktop, or, in winter, discover the trail on skis or snowshoes. Travel by car or bus to see in days what Lewis

Share Your Trail Experiences

and Clark required months to explore.

Along the trail, state parks, such as the Sacajawea State Park in Washington, and Lewis and Clark State Parks in several states, expand the education and experience of the trail through interpretive centers, educational programming and historical reenactments.

Missouri Wild and Scenic River Much of Lewis and Clark’s exploration of the west took place by river, and Montana’s Missouri Wild and Scenic River parallels 150 miles of the historic trail.

Today’s visitors raft, canoe or kayak through the Upper Missouri River Breaks National Monument, which protects public lands surrounding the river and ensures a sense of solitude. Floaters will see folded, buckled, twisted and rippled landforms sculpted by volcanic activity

Photo courtesy of Bob Wick, Bureau of Land Management

Our trails offer limitless opportunities. Join the celebration by sharing your trail stories, entering the Trails Photo Contest, participating in an event, or by simply getting out on the trail, and maybe bringing along a friend. Learn more at www.trails50.org.

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and glacial erosion. Campers enjoy dark star-filled skies and are lulled to sleep by the sound of wind rustling the leaves of cottonwood trees that line the riverbanks. Of the 49 species of fish residing in the river, fishermen are most likely to catch goldeye, drum, sauger, walleye, northern pike, channel catfish, carp and smallmouth buffalo. Of the six remaining paddlefish populations in the United States, Missouri’s appears to be the largest in average size. The Upper Missouri River valley is home to 60 species of mammals and 233 species of birds. Bald eagles, which were once scarce, are again nesting in cottonwood snags.

The North Country National Scenic Trails stretch 4,600 miles over seven states, from the middle of North Dakota to the Vermont border of New York.

The 1,000-mile main trail of Alaska’s Iditarod National Historic Trail system was formerly known as the Seward to Nome trail.

Celebrating 50 Years of Protection During this year’s 50th anniversary of rivers and trails, groups across the country are celebrating their rivers and

n ac Heritage Trail Associatio

Cyclists survey the land from the Salisbury Viaduct along the Potomac Heritage National Scenic Trail.

Photo courtesy of Potom

Wekiva Wild and Scenic River Crossing the Florida National Scenic Trail multiple times, the Wekiva Wild and Scenic River is a complex mix of springs, seepages, sinkholes and blackwater streams. Since almost all the river flows through state forests, preserves and parks, local communities are vital to the management of this “partnership” river — a unique category of designated rivers managed through long-term partnerships between federal and state government and citizen stakeholders.

The Wekiva’s subtropical river basin supports diverse plant and animal life, including the needle palm, shield fern, gopher tortoise, Florida black bear and American alligator. Paddlers and fishermen enjoy hour- or day-long trips on this river’s popular paddle trails.

Learn more about visiting these and other National Trails at www.trails50.org and Wild and Scenic Rivers at www.rivers.gov.

Photo courtesy of Bob Wick, Bureau of Land Management

Flagler National Recreation Trail The Flagler Trail, designated as a Seminole County, Florida “Showcase Trail,” is located along an abandoned railroad and runs for approximately 14 miles.

The journey begins at the St. Johns River Trailhead and Lake Harney State Wilderness Area. Along the way, experience an untouched, completely shaded canopy of trees. The entire Flagler Trail is designated for local unpaved horseback riding and also allows bicycling. The southern portion of the trail is part of the Florida National Scenic Trail.

trails through community building events.

Check out river festivals, like FeatherFest celebrating California’s Feather River and NoliFest celebrating Tennessee’s Nolichucky River. Or, participate in educational and artistic events, like Northern Arizona University’s first Student Water Symposium and writers’ retreats on the Salmon and Missouri Rivers. On June 2, National Trails Day will feature guided hikes and rides on trails across the country. The Arizona Trail Association will traverse the entire Arizona National Scenic Trail in a day, and the National Pony

Express Association will complete a Re-Ride, from California to Missouri.

These and countless other local events embody the unique connections people have to all rivers and trails — scenic, historic, wild or otherwise — and to the federal, state, regional, county and city public lands and open spaces that surround them. You can participate in this unique time in river and trail history by joining existing celebrations or spearheading a new community event or activity where you live.

Learn more about river events near you at https://arcg.is/15j9nC and trail events at https://arcg.is/4OP9H. Lisa Ronald is the Wild & Scenic Rivers 50th Anniversary Coordinator (lisa@wilderness.net).

Leigh Schmidt is the Communications Coordinator for Trails 50 (communications@ trails50.org).

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Have Moved into Parks Across the United States — Now What?

By Richard J. Dolesh

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T

he coyote has been celebrated and reviled in American history for centuries. On one hand, the coyote is regarded as a trickster, a lover, a magician and a prankster that has special power to affect the course of man’s events. The coyote spirit is respected, if not revered, in many Native American cultures, and the lessons it teaches are valuable to man, if sometimes painful to bear. In some cultures, the coyote is a spirit guide that can enjoy causing mischief and willfully mislead people, but it is also viewed as a spirit that can impart wisdom and knowledge.

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COYOT E S

On the other hand, the coyote has been seen as a dark predator that ghosts through the night, preying on lambs and fawns and even on your pets. For many ranchers and farmers, the coyote is a predator that causes untold economic damage and one that learns how to avoid every deterrent or trap that might be deployed to catch him. Some USDA wildlife specialists say that coyotes are smarter than just about any predator you might encounter, and they can adapt to any environment.

cies to do? Should they regard coyotes as a dangerous pest and attempt to eliminate them from their parks however they can, or should they accept that coyotes are performing an important ecological function, and therefore, follow a policy of live and let live?

Coyotes, perhaps more than any other suburban and urban predator other than mountain lions, have inspired fear in certain communities. Some people fear having such a predator freely roaming about

“Coyotes are here to stay,” says John Kanter, senior wildlife biologist for the National Wildlife Federation. “They are well-established in urban locations now, even in the densest of urban areas.”

Coyotes (Canis latrans) have been present in the American West and Southwest for an astonishingly long time, perhaps more than a million years. However, it is only over the course of recent decades that they have spread eastward and southward throughout the United States, moving into cities and suburbs and inhabiting parks, stream valleys and even densely developed urban areas. According to Professor Stan Gehrt of Ohio State University, a wildlife ecologist and respected coyote research biologist, they are so widespread now that they can be found in every large metropolitan area in North America.

Coyotes are an apex predator (occupies the top of a food chain on which no other animals prey), that has found a home in urban environments, especially in urban and suburban parks, and they are here to stay. “They are widespread and doing pretty well in most urban areas,” says Gehrt.

“They have a higher survival rate and even a higher reproductive rate than in rural areas. The city acts as a refuge for them.”

Accept or Control?

So, what are park and recreation agen46 Parks & Recreation

their neighborhoods and parks, and they want them gone even by lethal means.

Others have gone beyond fear and loathing to acceptance and tolerance. They have come to understand that coyotes are not the threat they have been portrayed to be and that they are quite beneficial to urban ecosystems. And, to the surprise of many people, experience has shown that coyotes can live side by side with humans and their pets pretty much in harmony.

Camilla Fox, founder and director of Project Coyote, a San Francisco-based advocacy organization, says, “For those not accustomed to having a predator in their midst, coyotes make some people nervous.” Project Coyote, which she founded about 10 years ago, works on “promoting compassionate conservation and coexistence between people and wildlife through education, science and advocacy.” Fox says they approach advocacy from a science-based perspective, which is critical to show how to safely and responsibly deal with coyotes in urban environments.

“Coyotes are here to stay,” says John Kanter, senior wildlife biologist for the National Wildlife Federation. “They are

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well-established in urban locations now, even in the densest of urban areas. In some ways, they are like crows — social, smart and adaptable.” Should people fear them? “They should not,” Kanter says.

“People should take sensible precautions living in proximity with coyotes. There are many things you can do to avoid conflict, such as not feeding pets or other animals outdoors, and keeping pets close and under control when you are outdoors.”

Coyotes vary in appearance and size, but one sure field mark is their large, conspicuous ears that are most often seen as upright and alert. Coyotes generally breed in the late winter and have pups in just over two months. The pups venture out of the den about a month after birth and run free by mid-summer. The coyote family stays together until fall, and the young can breed by their first winter.

Food habits of coyotes are extremely varied. They will feed on rodents and small mammals, including smaller carnivorous predators such as cats, rabbits, deer, fruits, vegetables and even carrion. Coyotes have proven to be highly adaptable in all environments.

The human dimensions of dealing with wildlife is a subject that is of keen interest to wildlife managers, as well as observers of human social behavior. Tolerance and acceptance of carnivores and predators are becoming a well-studied subject by researchers working in wildlife biology and ecology. There is a growing recognition of the value of predators in ecosystems, especially urban ecosystems, and the economic and environmental impact they may have is important to any consideration of managing public lands and open spaces.

Assessing impacts of carnivorous predators range from how well they keep invasive, exotic and pest species in check, to the issue of human and pet interactions that cause humans to fear them, which leads to demands for action to control such predators. There are few places where tolerance of wildlife is more tested than in urban environments, where human/wildlife con-

flicts can happen frequently.

“When coyotes first appear in urban areas, there is a large measure of fear, sometimes fed by the media and social media,” says Fox, “but with proactive education, fear is reduced, and there is much more acceptance and appreciation.” She details how the city of San Francisco agencies, working with nonprofit partners, public lands managers and state wildlife officials, have developed strategies to educate the public and eliminate the sources of human/wildlife and pet/wildlife conflicts.

“Our problem is not so much direct contact with coyotes. It is more about people seeing coyotes in our parks,” says Chris Matthews, division director nature preserves and natural resources for Mecklenburg County Parks and Recreation in North Carolina. “We had a coyote observation reporting line, and we learned that coyotes are everywhere within our jurisdiction, including the densest downtown areas.”

“Coyotes get a bad rap,” says Matthews. “We used to get a lot of calls, but it is much less now. Sure, there are certain times of the year when there are more sightings, such as when they are breeding and when pups are born, and then when the young strike out on their own. But most people have come to accept the presence of coyotes,” he explains, “especially after they realize they are not wolves.

Coyotes are very intelligent and very observant. They get used to people just as you get used to having and seeing wildlife in your parks and living near you.”

Evie Kirkwood, director of St. Joseph’s County Parks near South Bend, Indiana, says they have documented coyotes in every one of the parks in their 1,300-acre system, but interactions with humans have been minimal. In fact, she says, “Ninety percent of the public does not even know coyotes are in their parks.” Their staff is trained and prepared to reply to questions and concerns. She notes, however, that for a variety of reasons, including state regu-

istockphoto.com

Coyotes are omnivorous, intelligent, adaptable — and they are here to stay in parks.

lations and a lack of qualified personnel, their staff does not trap coyotes — that is strictly the function of state wildlife personnel or state-authorized trappers. Kirkwood notes that park staff does not refer coyote complaints to commercial trappers for control by lethal trapping. “One thing I learned from Stan Gehrt of OSU,” Fox shares, “is that when you trap a coyote, you will not be done with coyotes. The void will be filled by other coyotes sooner or later.” Fox, Gehrt, Kanter and others with knowledge of coyote population dynamics emphasize this point. “If you remove established coyotes from an area, they will be replaced and very quickly, either from local populations or transients traveling through their territories,” says Gehrt.

Heading Off Conflicts Conflicts with pets are one area of legitimate concern for pet owners and park managers. Dogs that are off-leash or those permitted to roam outside of their owner’s supervision can come into

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COYOT E S

control can be. Kirkwood says that St. Joseph’s County has a leash law and their rangers practice positive reinforcement with owners who are allowing their dogs off-leash. Most local jurisdictions, including Mecklenburg County, have a leash ordinance as well. “The problem is not so much dogs off-leash or on-leash,” says Matthews, “but more a matter of personal control and keeping dogs in sight.”

“We need to develop firm regulations...No feeding or taming of wildlife should ever be accepted, especially of the intelligent and ‘wily’ kind.”

Photo courtesy of Caitlin Cahill

conflict with coyotes, especially during breeding and “pupping” season. Matthews cautions people to modify their own behavior as much as their pets. Dogs should not be allowed off-leash in parks where coyotes are present and during seasons that coyotes are active.

If you encounter coyotes, whether or not you are with your dog, you should not run. Instead, make noise and make yourself “big” by spreading your arms, opening your coat, if you’re wearing one, and yelling. If you have a small dog, pick it up and just slowly back away. Do not run. Remaining alert and aware of your surroundings always is a good practice.

Coyote/Dog encounters can be a source of conflict. “It depends on the size and personality of the dog,” says Gehrt. Experts agree that fenced, off-leash dog parks are not a source of dog/coyote conflict, but free-roaming dogs outside their owners’

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Fox says that park agencies can take effective action when a known den is located during breeding season. An agency might put out sandwich boards or other signs to let the public know to take extra care during this time.

All experts agree, proactive education about coyotes is a must. Having a single, knowledgeable point of contact is helpful as well, according to Matthews.

Shannon Pederson, a wildlife biologist who is a lecturer and student adviser at the University of Maryland, says there are benefits to having coyotes serve as an apex predator, but there are also responsibilities that go along with that service.

“We need to develop firm regulations and a societal ecological conscience. No feeding or taming of wildlife should ever be accepted, especially of the intelligent and ‘wily’ kind,” she emphasizes.

Wildlife researchers collectively agree

Coyotes can now be found regularly in the densest urban areas as this photo, taken in New York City and featured in National Geographic magazine, shows.

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that conflicts can occur when dealing with wild predators in a largely human environment. However, managing that conflict is key to successful coexistence. This is especially true when benefits outweigh the costs. Gehrt says there are times when lethal control may be necessary for an especially aggressive animal that is an obvious threat to health and safety of people, but such occasions are extremely rare.

Live and Let Live Nearly two decades ago when Gehrt and his team started their long-term study of the impacts of coyotes in urban environments, people wanted to do everything they could to get rid of coyotes, including trapping and killing them when they were found. However, despite all the measures employed against them, coyotes were successful in outwitting every control measure tried. “As time goes on where humans and coyotes live side by

side,” Gehrt says, “people become generally tolerant and favorable.

“Native Americans got it right about the Trickster mythology,” Gehrt continues. “In spite of all our efforts, coyotes are able to change people’s attitudes without people even being aware that they are changing their minds and learning to accept them.”

Kirkwood says that while their park personnel may be successful in educating people, they haven’t had as much success with coyotes. During the winter, St. Joseph’s County Parks staff members spend a substantial amount of time and effort grooming their highly prized cross-country ski trails. They make significant efforts to educate hikers and dog-owners not to disturb the groomed trails. However, without fail, they regularly find that coyotes defecate right in the middle of the trails, and they have yet to figure out how to educate the coyotes.

Photo courtesy of Marianne Campolongo | Dreamstime.com

Sign about coyotes in New York state on park path in the woods green forest.

Richard J. Dolesh is NRPA’s Vice President of Strategic Initiatives (rdolesh@nrpa.org).

The Latest Park and Recreation News and Trends

On the Go

Available on iTunes and Google Play

www.openspaceradio.org

The Official Podcast of NRPA

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O Ta ut ke I sid t e:

The Key to Engaging Young Children with Nature

By Paula Jacoby-Garrett

I

t’s been clinically proven to enhance children’s growth and development, cognitive abilities, creativity, problem-solving skills, physical health, social relationships, self-discipline and reduce their stress.

It’s free, and it’s right outside your door — It’s nature!

Yet, today, there is an “increasing divide between the young and the natural world,” even though there is a “growing body of research that links our mental, physical and spiritual health directly to our association with nature,” says author and journalist Richard Louv. Louv coined the phrase “nature deficit disorder” or the lack of “vitamin N” (nature), as he researched the lack of nature experiences in youths and adults and prompted an international push toward providing nature education and experiences for all ages.

While the physical benefits to counter childhood obesity are obvious, benefits to the child go beyond physical health. A May 2010 Report to the President from the White House Task Force on Childhood Obesity states: “Children’s level of physical activity has been shown to increase when they participate in environmental education programs that promote outdoor activity” and “children of all ages are healthier, happier and have better social skills if they have frequent opportunities for free and unstructured play outdoors.”

Furthermore, according to the Children and Nature Network, “Time spent in nature can improve not only general health and well-being, but also improve academic success through increased focus and attention, enhanced critical thinking and problem-solving skills, greater engagement and enthusiasm. It can also reduce ADHD symptoms and minimize disruptive behavior.”

Beyond physical and mental benefits, experiences with nature can help foster passion and care for the outdoors and our natural spaces. “Simply being outside,” says Lindsay Glasner, BirdSleuth and K-12 outreach coordinator for Cornell Lab of Ornithology, “can drastically change a child’s mindset and foster a love for the world around them.”

For recreation managers, tight financial constraints and a lack of personnel and specialized training can make implementing nature programs a daunting task. Knowing where to begin and how to stretch resources can be

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difficult. One way to successfully initiate a program is to look at others that are successful in this space. These can be models or guides to launching programs in your area.

The Wildlife Explorers Program (Ages 5–10) In November 2016, NRPA launched its Wildlife Explorers (www.nrpa.org/wild lifeexplorers) curriculum for children 5–10 years old. The six-week program contains activities for children, including a guide for facilitators, and can be conducted in any outdoor space with no previous experience required for staff. To date, more than 1,000 partners are either currently using, or plan to use, the curriculum soon. The goal is to reach 200,000 children over the next few years.

“The intended participants of the Wildlife Explorers program are children who are already at their park and recreation centers as part of an afterschool or summer-care program. Research has shown that positive and frequent early experiences in nature influence the development of lifelong environmental concern among adults and even environmental career choices. Getting kids outside and comfortable with spending time in nature early on is critical,” says Serda Ozbenian, NRPA’s conservation program manager. “The activities in the workbook were developed by our partners, the National Wildlife Federation and Cornell Lab of Ornithology, for 5–10-year-olds, but the Wildlife Explorers curriculum can be modified for older or younger groups.”

NRPA has provided several resources at the bottom of its Wildlife Explorers webpage (www. nrpa.org/wildlifeexplor​ers) to further familiarize staff with the program. “We recognize that agencies are often lacking the necessary staff, resources and experience needed to implement outdoor programming,” Ozbenian explains.

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“Many out-of-school time program leaders are young adults who may also have had insufficient time outside and are lacking the prior experience needed to implement outdoor programming. [They] may be facing the same discomfort outdoors as the kids in the community. For these reasons, the Wildlife Explorers program provides resources and training for young program leaders to increase their capacity and comfort to successfully implement nature-based programming outdoors. In this way, the program not only connects kids to nature, but also connects young adult program leaders to nature and increases their environmental leadership opportunities within park and recreation agencies.”

“The program was very well-received in our community, as it enabled us to use a park that was designed to educate the public about the unique history, geology, plants and fauna within our region,” says Stephanie Gardner from the Parks & Recreation Department of Tukwila, Washington. “The program provided the opportunity to bring kids into the park and teach them how to explore and connect with its uniqueness.”

“I love that the program is so accessible,” says Mary S. Rapoza, director of the New Bedford [Massachusetts] Parks Recreation & Beaches.

“Our staff delivered a great program to the children without any prior environmental education experience.”

Alexandrea Matthews, program and events

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manager at New Bedford Parks Recreation & Beaches, added that the program fits well into their afterschool program.

“Wildlife Explorers was highly customizable, so we could easily adapt it to our urban program,” Rapoza shares.

“Most of the students we work with had never been in the woods before, so we enhanced our Wildlife Explorers program with a trail walk field trip. They got to examine our local plants and try to build their own animal habitats. Being immersed in nature helped the kids take ownership of their local natural resources. Over the course of the program, we saw an increase in the children’s critical thinking skills, and they were asking more questions about their surroundings. We saw an increase in the students’ comfort with being in nature, and by the end of the program, they were much more interested in their environment.”

In Omaha, park and recreation professionals worked with other city divisions, such as forestry, to implement the program.

As an NRPA Wildlife Explorers grant recipient, the Omaha Parks & Recreation was able to offer the program to a wide variety of children in multiple settings, such as community centers and parks.

The Nature Tykes Program (Ages 3–6) It’s late morning at the Clark County Wetlands Park; the Las Vegas strip is visible in the distance. A group of preschoolers are lying on their backs intently studying the underside of a desert lizard called a chuckwalla. They are part of the Nature Tykes program that is providing urban preschoolers with nature experiences.

Established in 2013, the program’s goal is to engage preschoolers with nature in a 100 percent outdoor classroom. They practice “recognizable preschool activities and concepts: color and shape matching, counting, adding/subtracting, graphing, language, poetry, stories, puppets, singing, games, puzzles and art,”

says program creator Jody Walker.

What “makes us unique is that we teach and learn outdoors, in nature, covering at least a mile — moving from place to place. All Nature Tykes lessons are centered around things in nature — the plants and animals that we find at the Wetlands Park.”

Like many other metropolitan areas, Las Vegas is a dense urban city where more than a third of school-aged children are overweight or obese. Located on the east side of the valley, the Clark County Wetlands Park was once a dumping ground and homeless camp.

Conservation efforts have transformed the area into a wetlands and urban river environment — attracting a host of wildlife.

For Liz Bickmore, program administrator at the Clark County Wetlands Park, it’s about creating quality programming with limited resources. “We are very careful about how we budget our resources so that we can maintain a high level of standards without sacrificing quality. We have been extremely fortunate to attract and maintain dedicated and talented staff and volunteers that work at the Wetlands Park, because they love the place and they love sharing their experience with others.”

For program creators Jody Walker and Nancy Gyori, taking children outside seemed natural. “We were both raised in a time that outdoor play was just part of growing up,” says Walker. “We had the freedom to roam, to explore and to imagine. We wanted to share that with the smallest children and their parents.”

It was important for the Nature Tykes program to be set in the outdoors for all classes — 100 percent of the time. Walker says, “We all connect to the earth in different ways, but if you’re not in it, it’s hard to learn to appreciate and ultimate

Photo courtesy of Jody Hiatt Walker

Preschoolers wave flags they made while participating in the Nature Tykes program.

ly protect and preserve it.”

The push for outdoor education programs has been gaining momentum, and in the past decade, a multitude of programs have erupted, from outdoor classrooms among the trees of the Washington Botanical Gardens to the beach classrooms of San Diego. What they all have in common is a significant portion of their entire day is spent outdoors.

“Learning is fun. Through all sorts of adventures and activities, we learn what happens in nature — we count insect legs, build nests, pretend to be

hunting owls, make cat-tail puppets, design prints of real fish, scavenger hunt for tortoise eggs, taste leaves, make maps, design birds, play freeze-bird tag and discover that a lizard doesn’t have a belly button — and that is awesome!” exclaims Walker.

“For supplies, I think it’s important not to have ‘stuff.’” Our projects are usually re-purposed materials or we use items in the park that occur naturally. I like to imagine what it was like for people long ago without all those purchased toys and educational materials. It’s amazing what you can do

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Photo courtesy of Wildlife Explorers New Bedford Parks, Recreation & Beaches

Children in The Wildlife Explorers Program examine plants at a local park.

with a bit of imagination, a smidgeon of creativity, a rock, a stick, some leaves and re-purposed materials,” says Walker.

In early evaluations of the Nature Tykes program, parents voiced that the hour-long program wasn’t long enough.

The program is now extended to an hour and a half and includes a free-play component, called Hummingbird Time, where the children can play and interact with nature as they want to with limited boundaries and parental involvement.

“We found that parents want to par54 Parks & Recreation

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ent all the time. They guide, influence, interject, set boundaries, explain, wipe, work out problems and say ‘don’t’ a lot. We think that the freedom to play is important. To run with arms outstretched. We’ve watched it build creativity and compromise,” Walker continues. Time to play independently can allow children to build relationship skills and develop self-awareness and control.

Back at the Clark County Wetlands Park, the program is winding down, but the children are still full of energy and conversation. “I want to be an owl,” says one preschooler, “except for the throwup part.” A young girl speaks up: “I’m going to be a scientist…or a ballerina.”

In 2014, the Nature Tykes program was recognized by the Nevada Recreation & Park Society with the Program Excellence Award. Today, it has a strong following that includes parents, grandparents and multiple siblings. Diane Arnott has taken two of her grandchildren through the Nature Tykes program, and shares the following: “I love the outdoors, and it’s good for the kids. They have time to explore and look for things — like a treasure hunt. For one of my grandsons, the freedom of the outdoors was the biggest draw, for the other, it was seeing all the animals.”

For Jody Walker, the program’s success is all about the children and imparting her love of nature. “I wanted to share the absolute joy I find outdoors and help connect people to the natural world,” she explains. “I want to support parents in their efforts in raising smart, energetic, creative, thoughtful children. [An administrator] once told me, if you’re having a good time, then the program is successful.”

“I am.”

Paula Jacoby-Garrett is a Freelance Writer based in Las Vegas, Nevada (paula.jacoby. garrett@gmail.com).

RECEIVE a $20,000 Grant for Your Local Parks

vote now You could receive $20,000 for your local parks by rallying your community to nominate your city each day in April for the Meet Me at the Park Earth Month campaign. The more nominations, the closer your community gets to a makeover!

Plus, you could win a GoPro Prize Pack just for voting.

Visit NRPA.org/DisneyMeetMeAtThePark for official sweepstakes rules and to learn more about how to get involved.

NRPA would like to thank Disney, ABC and ESPN for their continued support of local parks through the Meet Me at the Park Earth Month campaign.

nrpa.org/DisneyMeetMeAtThePark

NRPA Update 2018 NRPA Agency Performance Review Now Available

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RPA is proud to announce the release of the 2018 NRPA Agency Performance Review, the annual review of data and insights for park and recreation agencies in the United States. The 2018 NRPA Agency Performance Review summarizes the key findings from NRPA Park Metrics, our benchmarking tool that assists park and recreation professionals in the effective management and planning of their operating resources and capital facilities.

The Review features 22 charts and tables 2018 NRPA AGENCY on a wide variety of financial and perPERFORMANCE REVIEW formance metrics collected from survey responses of 1,069 park and recreation

KEY FINDINGS

OPERATING

agencies. These charts and tables cover: • Park Facilities (parks and non-parks, indoor and outdoor facilities) • Programming (team sports, fitness and

$

$

EXPENDITURE

$

$

$78.26/YEAR 1,000 RESIDENTS:

10.1

RESIDENTS

PER PARK:

FULL-TIME

EQUIVALENT EMPLOYEES (FTES)

PER 10,000 RESIDENTS: 7.9

2114

AGENCIES OFFERING AFTER-SCHOOL CARE:

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EXPENDITURE:

28 PERCENT

PER CAPITA: ACRES OF PARK LAND PER

REVENUE-TO-OPERATING

55%

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AGENCIES OFFERING

SUMMER

CAMPS: 84%

enhancement classes; programs for children, seniors and people with disabilities) • Responsibilities of Park and Recreation Agencies (from operating parks and facilities to programming types) • Staffing (typical FTE counts, key staff responsibilities) • Budget (operating expenditures amounts and purposes) • Agency Funding (sources of funding, cost recovery, capital spending) The 2018 NRPA Agency Performance Review’s data and insights help park and recreation professionals identify the best decisions for their agency and community. Some of the report’s findings include: • Operating expenditures per capita: $78.26/year • Revenue to operating expenditures: 28.0 percent • Acres of parkland per 1,000 residents: 10.1 • Residents per park: 2,144 • FTEs per 10,000 residents: 7.9 A copy of the 2018 NRPA Agency Performance Review is included with the printed edition of this issue of Parks & Recreation magazine. You can also download the report at www.nrpa.org/ metrics, where you can also dig deeper into the data with interactive tables for each of the 22 charts and tables presented in the report.

Finally, do your part to make next year’s NRPA Agency Performance Review even better by entering and updating your agency’s data in NRPA Park Metrics (www.nrpa.org/ metrics). By entering your data, you will gain access to a more detailed analysis of your agency’s performance, including being able to compare your agency to its peers throughout the United States. Try it today!

CPRP/CPRE Exams Now Post-9/11 GI Bill Eligible

M

ilitary veterans working in the park and recreation profession bring many skills to their agencies — the ability to lead a team with clear communication, a knack for remaining calm in crisis and a superlative level of dedication to public service. One benefit of military service is the Post-9/11 GI Bill, which many service members use to fund their formal undergraduate and graduate educations. But did you know the Post-9/11 GI Bill can also be used for certification programs?

NRPA’s Certified Parks and Recreation Professional (CPRP) and Certified Parks and Recreation Executive (CRPE) exams were recently approved as Post-9/11 GI Bill eligible. Veterans

pay the CPRP/CPRE exam fees and are reimbursed once they successfully pass the exam, with one re-examination attempt allowed. NRPA’s certification manager, Molly Sullivan, worked with the Department of Veterans Affairs and Jason Lang, director of parks andUse recreation East Goshen Towntheseforlogos on all of the ship (PA) and a U.S. Army veteran, to make this a reality.Logos: Horizontal You have no excuse for not getting certified! You served your country — now use your veterans benefits to best serve your park and recreation career!

To determine eligibility, contact the Department of Veterans Affairs at 888.

GIBILL.1 (888-442-4551) between 7 a.m. and 6 p.m. Central Time, Monday–Friday, or visit www.GIBILL. va.gov.

Logos

items that you use to promote National

Vertical Logos:

Celebrate National Water Safety Month in May

E

ach May, NRPA, the Association of Pool and Spa Professionals, the American Red Cross and the World Waterpark Association partner to host National Water Safety Month — a chance to bring awareness to the need for ongoing public education on safer water practices. As primary providers of swimming and aquatic opportunities, park and recreation agencies can celebrate National Water Safety Month by hosting educational events, sharing water safety tips and participating via social media. Find all the resources you need at www.na​tionalwatersafety month.org. Throughout the month, NRPA will post water safety-related messages that can be easily shared on social media, as well as other oppor

tunities for participating in the month.

Take this time to share your role in promoting water safety.

His Super Powers er. k In Wat Don’t Wor er. heroes safe this summ Keep your little

or playing in water. when swimming, bathing Always supervise children swim. life jacket if you can’t Wear a Coast Guard approved you have diarrhea. and avoid swimming when Don’t swallow the water water. way to stay safe in the best the it’s – swim to Teach kids

alwatersafetymonth.org

Visit www.nation it safe this summer. for more tips on playing

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Always swim r a life jack r wings; wea s or rivers.

Avoid wate water. pools, lake summer. safe in the water from it safe this way to stay Never drink on playing it’s the best to swim – for more tips Teach kids

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Siempre naden con un un chaleco salvavidas. brazos. En cambio, usen Eviten los flotadores de océano ni el río. de la piscina, el lago, el Nunca beban el agua alrededor el agua. el mejor paso para protegerse Aprendan a nadar. Es de estar seguro este verano. tymonth.org para más consejos

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Visita www.nationalw

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NRPA Update

Impacts Nearly 300,000 Children

I

n conjunction with the Alliance for a Healthier Generation and Partnership for a Healthier America, NRPA, through its Commit to Health campaign, is working to ensure that children everywhere have access to healthy foods and physical fitness opportunities during out-of-school time. Now in its fourth year, the campaign has been implemented by 1,650 park and recreation sites nationally — impacting nearly 300,000 youth enrolled in out-of-school time programming.

Since the campaign began in 2014, 47 states have sites that are part of Commit to Health, which uses the Healthy Eating and Physical Activity (HEPA) standards first adopted by the National AfterSchool Association. Youth attending Commit to Health sites report a 20 percent increase in fruit and vegetable knowledge.

“Ensuring our nation’s youth have access to healthy eating and physical activ-

ity is important — especially during outof-school time,” says Kellie May, NRPA director of health and wellness. “NRPA is committed to this effort; that’s why we encourage our member agencies to take the Commit to Health pledge. Together, we can make a difference.”

“At Healthier Generation, we believe every child deserves a healthy future,” adds Dr. Howell Wechsler, CEO of the

WE’RE RAISING FUNDS FOR YOU

Alliance for a Healthier Generation.

“We’re proud to partner with NRPA and Commit to Health to increase healthy eating and physical activity opportunities for hundreds of thousands of kids nationwide, particularly those who have fewer healthy choices.”

Join the 1,650 park and recreation sites across the country that are inspiring youth, families and communities to eat healthy and move more. To learn more about Commit to Health, visit www. nrpa.org/committohealth. From this webpage, you can access several how-to videos and recipes by selecting the “Celebrate Your Success” button below the Celebrate Commit to Health section.

JOIN OUR TEAM OR

DONATE TODAY IF WE RAISE $6,000

BY MAY 11, WE WILL BE ELIGIBLE TO RECEIVE UP TO $100K IN GRANT FUNDING.

www.crowdrise.com/NRPA

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NRPA INITIATIVE

TOOLKIT NOW AVAILABLE | #DISCOVERJULY | WWW.NRPA.ORG/JULY

NRPA Update

‘Meet Me at the Park’ Update

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RPA is once again partnering with The Walt Disney Company — including Disney|ABC Television and ESPN — to celebrate Earth Month by helping to fund local park improvement projects in 16 U.S. cities. In addition, NRPA and Disney will collaborate with recreation agencies in all 50 states on a healthy living program that seeks to increase access to play and physical activity for kids and families.

From April 1 to April 30, the public will have the opportunity to vote daily online at www.nrpa.org/disneymeetme​atthepark for one of three projects in 15 select cities to receive $20,000 in grant funding. Voters can also nominate a city to be entered for the chance to receive a $20,000 grant that will be used to support a local park within that community. In addition to the one nominated city, the other cities participating in the Meet Me at the Park campaign are • Austin, Texas • Fresno, California

• New York, New York • Brevard County, Florida • Hartford, Connecticut • Orlando, Florida • Charlotte, North Carolina • Houston, Texas • Philadelphia, Pennsylvania • Chicago, Illinois • Los Angeles, California • San Francisco, California • Durham, North Carolina • Miami, Florida • Seattle, Washington

When voting concludes at the end of April, the park project with the most votes will receive $20,000 in grant funding. Similarly, the city with the most nominations will also receive $20,000. These projects include activities, such as environmental education programming, improving trails, and refurbishing playgrounds or soccer fields. In 2017, more than 300,000 people were impacted by the Meet Me at the Park Earth Month campaign.

To learn more about Meet Me at the Park and the Earth Month campaign, visit www. nrpa.org/disneymeetmeatthepark.

NRPA in the Winners’ Circle

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RPA’s Marketing and Communication’s team experienced its own March Madness this year, securing several awards for marketing campaigns and Parks & Recreation magazine last month.

At the beginning of the month, NRPA was honored with two gold and four silver awards in Association TRENDS’ 2017 All-Media Contest, where our work was selected from among nearly 300 entries in the association publications contest.

The TRENDS All Media Contest is an annual competition, held exclusively for associations, recognizing the most creative and effective communication vehicles developed in the industry over the prior year. Out of a possible 23 categories, each of which is judged by a panel of experts, NRPA received the following awards: • Membership Promotion Campaign – Gold Award 60 Parks & Recreation

• Conference Promotion Package – Gold Award • Monthly Trade Association Magazine – Silver Award • Social Media – Silver Award • eLearning & Live Training – Silver Award • Best New App­– Silver Award Next up was the PR News 2018 CSR & Nonprofit Awards, honoring the best corporate social responsibility and nonprofit communications initiatives. The winners are judged on the impact of the communications campaigns they’ve led in the past 18 months and on the positive influence they’ve had on society at large. NRPA received the 2018 PRNews Nonprofit Award for Digital PR and Marketing for the Meet Me at the Park Earth Month campaign.

“NRPA is so pleased to be in the winners’ circle this year, as we have been

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for the past three years. We’re proud of the great work our staff has put into media and communicating with our members, and we look forward to building on our success in the coming year,” says Gina Mullin-Cohen, NRPA vice president of marketing, communications and publishing.

Everyone Deserves a Park Within a

Parks are essential to the physical, social, environmental, and economic health of a community.

That’s why The Trust for Public Land, National Recreation and Park Association, and Urban Land Institute are leading a nationwide movement to ensure there’s a great park within a 10-minute walk of every person, in every neighborhood, in every city across America.

How Can You Get Involved?

• Sign-on or encourage your Mayor to support the campaign • Share this opportunity in your region • Join the discussion with other park professionals through the 10-Minute Walk Learning Series and Parkology™

Contact Rachel Banner at rbanner@nrpa.org for more information

www.10MinuteWalk.org

NRPA Update

Member Spotlight: Sabrina Steward

By Vitisia Paynich

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t’s probably safe to say that Sabrina Steward has parks and recreation in her genes. More specifically, she and her family have had a direct connection to the Chicago Park District for nearly 50 years.

“My mother was a P.E. teacher and later chose a career path in sports and recreation and ended up working for the Chicago Park District for 25 years,” explains Steward. “Being around my mom helped to mold me and develop this love I have for parks and recreation.”

Following in her mom’s footsteps, Steward now serves as south region area manager for the Chicago Park District. Parks & Recreation magazine recently sat down with her to learn why she chose this career, how local teens are making an important difference, and what challenges young people on the south side of Chicago face today.

Parks & Recreation: How did you come to choose parks and recreation as your career path?

Sabrina Steward: As a child, I participated in many Chicago Park District activities: swimming, dancing, gymnastics, seasonal sports and day camp every summer. Once I became of age, I worked as a seasonal recreational leader for the Chicago Park District, and I did this through my high school and college years. After graduating from college, like my mom, I taught physical education for five years. But it was during that time, I realized how much I missed working for the Chicago Park District and how my passion was being in the park and recreation world. So, I resigned as a P.E. teacher and took an entry-level position as an hourly physical instructor for the Chicago Park District. And over the course of my 23 years, I’d worked my way up to my current position as an area manager. Most importantly, I couldn’t have pursued my career in parks and recreation without the support of my loving husband, son and parents.

P&R: Tell us about your role as south region area manager.

Steward: As an area manager for the

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Chicago Park District, I oversee and manage day-to-day operations for 14 staffed park locations and a multitude of play lots on the south side of Chicago. As for my team and me, we focus on the district’s core mission of providing high-quality leisure services and recreation activities to our Chicago residents and visitors.

I couldn’t have pursued my career in parks and recreation without the support of my loving husband, son and parents.

P&R: I understand you are spearheading some new teen initiatives. Can you elaborate on those initiatives?

Steward: Under my title, I hold an additional title of lead committee person for a program called, Teen Leadership Connection, that’s for teens and led by teens. Teen Leadership Connection applies to all the teens from the south side

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of Chicago, who participate in their local neighborhood parks.

[Each] month, we come together and these teens plan, implement and give us new, innovative ideas to keep our teen programs flourishing in the Chicago Park District. Teen Leadership Connection consists of 17 parks within the south region, and we have approximately 210 participants who are very involved in civic engagement, participate in park and rec activities, and do outreach. In addition, there’s a teen council that advises park staff on how to [enhance] teen programs — not just at a local level, but also on a citywide level.

These teens are very committed, and they have engaged in things, such as raising over $4,000 for charity: water, which helped build a well in Ethiopia. They collected 321 bags full of donated clothing for the organization, SAVERS; they collected over 1,800 pairs of used shoes for a charity called, Sole to Soul. Through their work, they have been recognized by WE Day and by an organization called, Doing Something Good in the Hood.

P&R: What are some of the main challenges you currently face regarding teen engagement?

Steward: As staff at parks and rec, we have to be very appreciative in providing

positive and untraditional opportunities for these teens to be engaged, because as times change, we have to stay current to our young people. One of the challenges, I would say, is competing with the streets.

So again, I have teens who work with me through Teen Leadership Connection in bringing new, innovative ideas to the program that promote healthy development and will, hopefully, carry over into adulthood. We do this through sports competition, and we try to do cross-generational competition — staff vs. teens.

We have self-care workshops, where we bring professionals in. These are partners of the Chicago Park District who engage teens in art. Also, we have our own internal wellness department where we teach them about maintaining their health, as well as keeping up their appearance. We

“...as times change, we have to stay current to our young people.” also introduce to our teens educational seminars and keep them in touch with city colleges throughout Chicago, as well as give them a chance to attend year-end college tours to out-of-state universities.

Another challenge we face with trying to keep them engaged is street violence.

Their participation in our programs can be affected by what’s going on in their neighborhoods, because they have to get from point A to point B. So, that can be

challenging at times, but we try to be creative. At times, we offer a multitude of special programs just to keep them off the streets.

P&R: What makes your job the most rewarding?

Steward: It’s most rewarding when our young people participate in our programs and then go on to share their success stories. And, I’d like to think that I played a role in their success. Parks and recreation allows for more than just sports and recreational activity. It gives you a start in life; it allows you to use your skills in your everyday life and not just in the recreational world.

— Vitisia Paynich, Freelance Writer for Parks & Recreation magazine

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www.nrpa.org/Leadership-Development

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Replace Paper Forms with ePACT

Hot Topics April showers bring May flowers, and they also bring lots of activity on NRPA Connect! Check out the preview below of topics being discussed on the only professional networking platform dedicated to the park and recreation profession: Vehicle Wraps — Agencies are looking for ideas to turn their vehicles into mobile advertisements. Do you have an example to share? More than 12 different agencies have shared their creative ideas, now it’s your turn to chime in.

Resident vs. Non-Resident Rates — Your colleagues discuss their policies for resident versus non-resident rates.

Some questions include: Is the difference you charge a percentage or is it a dollar amount? Does it vary depending on the initial price tag of a program or class? Is there a national standard?

Creating a Social Media Policy — With everyone glued to their phones and looking to Facebook and Instagram for updates on local events, it is important that agencies create a social media policy. NRPA members not only share their policies, but also give suggestions, such as social media brand ambassadors and more!

Foot Golf – Walt Disney World recently opened a new foot golf course on one of its courses in Orlando. As one member noted, Disney typically invests in “positive calculated risks” and their organization keeps a watchful eye on new recreational trends. Have any agencies tried this new trend? Is it worth adding to your recreation offerings?

Don’t forget, you can Connect anywhere! Connect is responsive on all devices. Just visit, www.nrpaconnect.org to join the conversation today.

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an efficient, standardized system. Since any recreation departimplementing ePACT in the summer ments across North of 2016 for camps and afterschool proAmerica manage the grams, 85 percent of families invited medical and emergency were active in the system within a few information they collect from families on months, and SFRPD noticed significant paper. In fact, more than 9 million pieces improvements to its data-collection proof paper are used to collect this informacesses, from start to finish. tion each year! ePACT’s centralized, highly secure sysThe San Francisco Recreation & Park tem helps SFRPD easily manage and monDepartment (SFRPD) was no different. itor administrative access to family data, SFRPD struggled with a cumbersome keeping it safe, secure, HIPAA-compliant process for collecting medical informaand available whenever it’s needed most. tion, waivers and consents for each of its Administration time and effort is reduced program participants. for staff and parents, as families submit a Families had to complete an informasingle online record per child for any protion packet for each program session for grams they attend. which their child was Staff can quickly registered (each child run reports or view, attended, on average, at-a-glance, which three or more sumchildren require supmer camps). port prior to a proAdministration gram, and adminwas challenging for ePACT has made life easier for istrators can send staff who had to our parents and provided us one-click reminders regularly follow up with a multifunctional tool, to families who forwith families who which has allowed us to be get to submit their had forgotten to records. As families submit forms or had more effective recreation service providers. update their records missed certain piec— Ann Marie Donnelly, Recreation with new details, like es of information.

Business Manager, SFRPD allergies, dietary reThere were conquirements or special cerns about the accesaccommodations, SFRPD receives it in sibility of information in an emergency, the real time, allowing staff to better prepare inability to share records between programs and ensure that everyone can participate and the security of family data overall. safely in activities. It also means departThen SFRPD switched to ePACT — ments can continue to support their para cloud-based system that lets park and ticipants in any emergency, whether it’s a recreation departments easily and seflood at the community center or an allercurely collect critical emergency data gic reaction, making ePACT an important from families attending multiple propart of your emergency planning. grams. Families input their information NRPA Premier members receive a free once and simply use ePACT as their set-up and NRPA members receive 50 persingle emergency record to connect and cent off the set-up fee. To learn more, visit share across multiple programs. http://www.nrpa.org/epact or email HayWith ePACT, SFRPD transitioned ley Herzing at hherzing@nrpa.org. from a disconnected, tedious process to

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Making Play Possible Everywhere

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For most of today’s children, free play is a rarity. Life for them, and by extension their parents, is a skillfully choreographed schedule of events: school balanced with involvement in some type of organized sports or extracurricular activity, with the remaining time spent on electronic devices. We know that free play, and play in general, is important to a child’s development.

As Karla Cisneros, city council member for District H in Houston, points out: “It’s not just their physical health, but their emotional and mental health that come from being outside and playing too.” For many families, it’s difficult to fit one more thing into already overscheduled lives.

The recent Play Everywhere Tour, powered by Target, NRPA, KaBOOM! and Playworks, showed just how easy it can be to help increase physical activity opportunities for kids and families in communities across the country. At each of four stops on the Play Everywhere Tour — Atlanta, Dallas, Houston and Miami — families and kids came out to enjoy a free, fun-filled family play day in their local park. The day included opportunities for the nearly 10,500 participating adults and kids to connect with local health and wellness providers, design their own innovative play-spaces, participate in the Play Everywhere obstacle course, and dance and exercise with local performers, Zumba instructors and fitness influencer, and celebrity fitness trainer, Massy Arias.

Dallas Park and Recreation brought some celebrities to the stage as well by organizing a performance by youth danc

Photo by Matt Brubaker

o outside and play.” For many in the generations prior to the millennials, as children this was music to our ears. It marked the beginning of hours of unstructured and unsupervised play in the neighborhood with our friends, depending on the day of week and time of day. And, often, it meant not having to be back home until dinner time or until the street lights came on, which ever came first. Even though the play was unstructured, there was a sense that it took place under the watchful eye of the adults in the neighborhood.

ers from the hit Lifetime channel show, “Bring It!” Dallas Park and Recreation staff also organized fun competitions throughout the day for everyone to take part in, including jump rope challenges, with a prize for the participant who jumped for the longest amount of time.

In Atlanta, attendees could check out great activities from the Atlanta Parks and Recreation Department’s Play Mobile, a recreation center on wheels. The Play Mobile and park and rec staff were on hand with free activities and games for children, including non-traditional sports, games, oversized board games and much more. Attendees in Atlanta also got to watch a smoothie bike in action on the stage. Peddling the bike powered the blender, creating a delicious, healthy smoothie.

In each of the cities, a group of local Play Everywhere Challenge winners was announced. Collectively, these winners will share in $720,000 to support innovative projects that encourage play in un-

expected places: on sidewalks, in vacant lots, at bus stops and in open streets.

“Play gives families the opportunity to engage with one another outside the home, to get out and enjoy nature, meet their neighbors and take a break from everyday life,” says Monica Prothro, art program manager with the City of Atlanta Mayor’s Office for Cultural Affairs. Yet, even amid the mundane, like paying a bill at the tax office, waiting at a bus stop or simply walking to school, play is possible.

For example, at Atlanta’s DeKalb County’s Tax Commissioner and Drivers Services Offices, the DeKalb County Department of Recreation, Parks and Cultural Affairs, a Play Everywhere winner, will transform the entrance to these offices into a pedestrian-based, outdoor musical walkway called, the “DeKalb Music Lab.” Or, at Buckner Terrace in Dallas, Texas, where a Sidewalk Sportscape project will transform sidewalks in the community near Skyline High School and Guzick Elementary into interactive sports-themed play areas.

These are just a few of the creative ways the Play Everywhere Challenge winners will use the funds they’ll receive to provide their communities with opportunities for play. Visit https://kaboom.org/ playability/play_everywhere/challenge to see the 39 projects and learn about the unique ways kids will play! You’re sure to be inspired.

Thank you to Houston Parks and Recreation Department, City of Dallas Parks and Recreation, City of Atlanta Department of Parks and Recreation and City of Miami Parks & Recreation Department for hosting these events.

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©Myles Mellor

Parks & Recreation Crossword

Across 1 Kids love to do this in parks 3 It’s been found as a key element in children’s ability to learn 7 Fairness in playing a game 11 House member, abbr.

12 Gala 13 Place to stay overnight 14 Pond problems 16 Space alien in film 17 Fleur de __ 19 Innovative 22 Tennessee Department of the Environment and Conservation program, ___ ___ With Us 25 Soul singer Corinne Bailey ___ 27 French for the 28 2018 Parks Build Community Project in Indianapolis 31 Future program 32 Zodiac sign 33 Legislator in D.C. 34 Small lizard 36 Seasons 38 Strengthen and improve the survival of, long term 39 A path set aside for walking

Down 1 Boundless enthusiasm 2 It’s the start for an oak tree 3 Artists’ stands 4 Org. concerned with protecting the environment 5 It’s known to be “king” 6 Park equipment for kids 8 Hiker’s path 9 Auto’s green stat.

10 Cooking equipment 15 Boundary 17 U.S. Green Building Council rating system 18 Broad subject relating to health 20 Words between “‘man” and “mouse” 21 Transport vehicle 23 Vintage 24 Negative prefix 26 First digit to try the water 28 Park messages 29 Plant life 30 Mountain ash 31 Dog or cat 33 ___dragon flower 35 Data storage devices 37 ___ Locks (Sault Sainte Marie Canals)

Check the answers to the crossword at www.nrpa.org/crossword. As an added bonus for completing the crossword, you can enter a drawing to receive a $25 Home Depot gift card. The winner will be randomly selected and notified April 30, 2018.

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NRPA Update NRPA is dedicated to providing learning opportunities to advance the development of best practices and resources that make parks and recreation indispensable elements of American communities.

Find out more at www.nrpa.org/education.

SCHOOLS AND CONFERENCES HOW DOES THE PRIVATE SECTOR VIEW PARKS & REC? NRPA, in collaboration with the Oklahoma City Parks and Recreation Department, is bringing together leaders inside and outside of parks and recreation to explore how our field impacts regional economic competitiveness and quality of life.

We know parks contribute significantly in these areas, but how does the private sector see us, and what tools and funding are out there to help ensure that our park and recreational opportunities continue to drive economic development and attract businesses, talent and visitors? Join us in OKC, May 16–18, for what promises to be an insightful discussion. For more information, go online to www.nrpa.org/innovation-labs-oklahoma-city-oklahoma.

www.nrpa.org/education

Ceres, California Jupiter, Florida

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APR

2-4 3-5 9-11 10-12 11-13 18-20 18-20 23-25 23-25 25-27

Valparaiso, Indiana East Hartford, Connecticut Ashland, Nebraska Danville, California Wall, New Jersey Novi, Michigan Rosemount, Minnesota Richardson, Texas Erie, Colorado Winter Park, Florida

MAY

Phoenix, Arizona Appleton, Wisconsin Provo, Utah Riverside, California Marathon, Florida Brookhaven, Georgia Arlington, Texas Grand Forks, North Dakota Santa Clara, California Montrose, Colorado San Francisco, California Algonquin, Illinois Belton, Missouri Fairfax, Virginia Austin, Texas St. Louis Park, Minnesota Noblesville, Indiana Fife, Washington Derby, Kansas Dallas-Fort Worth, Texas Gainesville, Florida

www.nrpa.org/AFO 68 Parks & Recreation

November 5-8, 2018

1-3 2-4 2-4 7-9 8-10 22-24 22-24

Fairbanks, Alaska Mason, Ohio South Kingston, Rhode Island Las Vegas, Nevada Cranberry Township, Pennsylvania Diamond Bar, California Davie, Florida

13-15

Hillsboro, Oregon

JUN

APR MAY

3-4 3-4

September 25-27, 2018, Indiana Convention Center

CPSI PROGRAM

AFO PROGRAM 3-4 3-4 4-5 5-6 5-6 9-10 10-11 12-13 16-17 16-17 17-18 17-18 17-18 17-18 19-20 24-25 25-26 25-26 26-27 26-27 28-29

August 26-31, 2018

www.nrpa.org/CPSI

NRPA INSTITUTE

PREPARING PARK AND RECREATION LEADERS

FOR THE CHALLENGES OF TOMORROW Hyatt Lodge, Oak Brook, Illinois | August 26—31, 2018

www.nrpa.org/Directors

Operations How to Green Special Events

By Brendan Daley, LEED AP, CPRP

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ark and recreation agencies’ main focus is on recreation and health and wellness, but conservation is equally as important to our work and what we do.

Parks often organize or host community events, so it’s important for them to think about the impact of these events, not only on the infrastructure of the park, but also on the environment. From walks and runs to concerts, movies and community activities, these events can occur in a sustainable manner. Following are a few tips on how you can green your events: Develop a Waste Minimization Plan Start working with the event organizers well in advance of your event’s start time; not a few days before. Determine the ability of the event organizers to implement green initiatives and propose a list of “have to”; for example, an event

has to provide sufficient recycling. Understand the activities that will occur during setup and all the staff or vendors who will be involved. Encourage sustainable practices and determine if the vendors can provide sustainable products or minimize waste production. When

determining attendee-flow patterns, look for opportunities to engage them on recycling or other sustainable initiatives.

All events will produce waste and there will be opportunities to recover recyclable materials. According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, every year Americans create 258 million tons of trash, of which about 30 percent is recycled. It is important to offer sufficient recycling containers that clearly indicate which materials can be recycled in your community or through your waste hauler. Before the event, work with the organizers to develop a waste minimization

Photos courtesy of the Chicago Park District

A Chicago Park District’s Toddlers, Tunes and Turtles program.

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Promote Alternative Forms of Transportation How event attendees get to and from the park can also have environmental impacts. Encourage public transit if it is available in your community, and plan events in centrally located parks. Promote alternative forms of transportation, such as bicycles and have facilities available for secure bicycle storage during an event. When deliveries are being made

Some entertainment preceding a Chicago Park District’s movie in the parks program.

Photos courtesy of the Chicago Park District

plan, which details the expected types of waste and amounts, as well as containers to manage the waste and recyclables.

Composting can be done but may be more difficult, depending on local regulations or compost facility availability.

Compostable materials, such as fruit, can be collected in separate containers, much like recyclables. However, it is very important to ensure the compost waste has not been contaminated by non-compostable materials. Some vendors will not accept compostable products, such as flatware or cups, because it can be difficult to determine if they are indeed compostable.

If it’s possible to engage volunteers at your events, create a green team of individuals who can help attendees understand and participate in sustainable initiatives. Signage is not always sufficient for engaging attendees. Have your green team engage attendees at recycling points to ensure proper materials are being placed in the containers.

If your park agency or vendors purchase materials for the event, ensure that they are sustainable by looking for third-party certification, such as USDA Organic, Forest Stewardship Council or Energy Star. Products should not only be recyclable, but also should contain recycled content, which is often specified on the packaging. Encourage event participants to use refillable water bottles. Locally sourced materials are another environmentally conscious alternative.

for the event, implement an anti-idling policy whereby vehicles are turned off when not in use.

Vendors may be part of an event, both public facing and behind the scenes, servicing the event. During planning meetings with event organizers, find out who the vendors are and if they can be more sustainable, such as using green cleaning products. Also, use accurate attendance estimates to minimize the amount of material needed. Encourage their materials to minimize waste and contain recycled content. If generators are used for electricity, determine if bio-diesel or other alternative energy sources are available and, where lights are used, incorporate energy-efficient lighting, such as LEDs, whenever possible. Require any food vendors to use containers that are both recyclable and contain recycled content. Knowing the types of vendors and their offerings will provide a better waste-management plan.

While there are many green guides available online, a new resource has been developed to help event stakeholders adopt and achieve objectives, weighing the results of social and environmental decisions alongside economic ones. De-

veloped by the city of Eugene, Oregon, in partnership with the Council for Responsible Sport, the Responsible Event Framework and associated resources are available at www.eugene-or.gov/respon​ sibleeventframework. The goal of the Responsible Event Framework is to provide ways for stakeholder groups to align values with actions, and to link with larger community, policy and organizational goals. The framework was developed in partnership with the Urban Sustainability Directors Network.

Each event may have different green opportunities and environmental impacts, but all events can have a lessened environmental impact. It is also important to promote how an event is being sustainable and to engage event attendees by talking about specific green initiatives undertaken by event organizers or park staff. A green event reduces its impact, is more efficient, and will probably leave the park in a better condition than it was before the event occurred. After all, it really is easy to make your event green.

Brendan Daley, LEED AP, CPRP, is the Director of Strategy & Sustainability for the Chicago Park District (brendan.daley@chicagoparkdistrict.com).

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Doggies’ Play Time

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Portable PA Systems Anchor Audio, the leading manufacturer of battery-powered portable sound and public-address systems, introduces a new generation of portable PA systems. This new generation of portable audio products promises to deliver clear, dependable audio with improved simplicity and reliability for customers. The most significant changes include the implementation of a new wireless platform, AnchorLink, operating in the 1.9 GHz frequency range, and new Lithium Ion batteries for longer battery life and reduced product weight. ANCHOR AUDIO, 800.262.4671, WWW.ANCHORAUDIO.COM

Outdoor Power Equipment Lubricants Dynamic Green Products launched the newest addition to its NV EARTH line of high-performance, bio-based, outdoor power equipment lubricants. The new hydraulic fluids can completely replace conventional petroleum in more than 200 million pieces of equipment in North America — everything from riding mowers to farm tractors to construction equipment. NV EARTH ISO hydraulic fluid is made from renewable content that’s readily biodegradable, compatible with mineral oil and able to outperform conventional lubricants. NV EARTH, 844.683.2784, WWW.NVEARTH.COM

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Arborjet Inc.’s Eco-1 Garden Spray is now OMRI (Organic Materials Review Institute) Listed® and certified for use in organic operations under the USDA National Organic Program. Eco1 Garden Spray is a botanical blend of thyme and peppermint oils mixed with flaxseed oil, creating a unique emulsion that offers up to 15 times more active ingredients for highly effective control. Formulated with EPA Minimum Risk active ingredients allowed for use on food crops, Eco-1 Garden Spray is non-toxic to people and pets and is ideal for organic growing — even on edibles that will be harvested the same day. ARBORJET, WWW.ARBORJET.COM

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CAMP REGIS APPLEJACK TEEN CAMP PARTNER WANTED. Long established children’s camp in the Adirondacks is looking for a partner/administrative helper.

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The Easiest Way To Build Precast Concrete Buildings For All Your Park & Rec Needs VERSATILE • DURABLE • FAST • ECONOMICAL • SECURE Standard and custom plans, styles, colors, finishes • Sizes from 10’ x 12’ to 50’ x 250’ Pre-engineered, Pre-assembled, Pre-plumbed, Pre-wired • Minimal site preparation Outperforms all other materials • Resistant to rot, vandalism, fire, blast, and storms Installation in just hours • Available nationwide from a network of Licensed Producers Concessions • Dugouts • Electrical/Mechanical • Hazmat • Maintenance Sheds • Offices • Press Boxes Pump Houses • Restrooms • Locker Rooms • Field Houses • Security Shacks • Shelters • Storage & more!

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NRPA 1-2pg 7.625x4.75 November 2016.indd 1

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park essentials

INCREASE PARK

REVENUE

AT NO COST! Congratulations to our park partner, Cleveland Metro Parks, on winning the 2016 NRPA Gold medal in Class I!

, parks around the US In partnership with tes era op d an l the capital Go Ape provides al ing cit ex an g din ad ses while the adventure cour ity to your park. recreational amen

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Since 1946 The Most Trusted Name in Greenhouses

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Sales@GymsForDogs.com

www.GymsForDogs.com

Phone: 800-931-1562

We Recycle Plastic into Park Benches A plastic bottle takes over 400 years to decompose.

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THE HIGHEST QUALITY GOAL MARKET ON THE MARKET.

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park essentials

DIVE INTO NEW OPPORTUNITIES SIGN UP FOR A COURSE NEAR YOU Become a Certified AFO www.nrpa.org/AFO Aquatic Facility Operator Certification

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Greenfields Outdoor Fitness.................................................................2, 3

Aquatix by Landscape Structures..........................................................23

Gym for Dogs................................................................................................76

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Landscape Structures Inc.........................................................................11

Bedford Technology..................................................................................... 9

Most Dependable Fountains.................................................................. C2

Bona................................................................................................................... 7 Green Series Fitness...................................................................................73 Bright Idea Shop, LLC.................................................................................74 Busch Systems..............................................................................................75 Camp Regis....................................................................................................75 DOGIPOT........................................................................................................21 Dri-Dek............................................................................................................76 Easi-Set Buildings........................................................................................75

Murdock Manufacturing...........................................................................15 Pentair.............................................................................................................77 Pilot Rock/RJ Thomas.................................................................................25 Play & Park..................................................................................................... C4

advertiser index

Amish Country Gazebos...........................................................................74

Polly Products...............................................................................................77 Scoremaster Goals......................................................................................77 Shade Systems................................................................................................ 1

Go Ape.............................................................................................................76

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Great American Business Products/Pet Waste Eliminator............13

Willoughby Industries................................................................................77

Green Flush Technologies.......................................................................... 9

Wood Carvers/Golden Teak.....................................................................78

(ISSN 0031-2215) is published monthly by the National Recreation and Park Association, 22377 Belmont Ridge Rd., Ashburn, VA 20148, a service organization supported by membership dues and voluntary contributions. Copyright ©2018 by the National Recreation and Park Association. Reproduction in whole or in part without permission is prohibited. Opinions expressed in signed articles are those of the writers and not necessarily those of NRPA. Issued to members at the annual subscription price of $30, included in dues. Subscription: $46 a year in the U.S.; $56 elsewhere. Single copy price: $7. Library rate: $58 a year in the U.S.; $68 elsewhere. Periodical postage paid at Ashburn, Virginia, and at additional mailing offices. Editorial and advertising offices at 22377 Belmont Ridge Rd., Ashburn, VA 20148. 703.858.0784. Postmaster, send address changes to Parks & Recreation, 22377 Belmont Ridge Rd., Ashburn, VA 20148.

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Park Bench

Proposed Pollinator Park Hopes are high for a new pollinator park on the east side of Columbus, Indiana, to break ground this June. Forty-eight homes, damaged during the June 2008 floods that hit the Midwestern United States, once occupied the site in an area now known as Pleasant Grove. Those homes were purchased by PLEASANT GROVE PROPOSED POLLINATOR PARK the city, with a Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) grant and local monies, and latPLEASANT GROVE 6 er demolished. The FEMA 5 5 grant stipulates that the prop9 2 erty remain undeveloped as 9 7 7 green space.

11 3 Plans are for the proposed 3 8 1 4 park to include a trail, bench8 4 10 8 es, an outdoor classroom, 4 native grasses and plants that 4 would attract pollinators, as well as a memorial marking ALLEY 1. Outdoor Classroom the 2008 flood. “The idea of a pollinator park fits within the city’s plans to offer more nature-based 2. Play Field programming for area children, as well as provides trails and green spaces,” says Mark Jones, the 3. Flowering Perennials 4 1.

OUTDOOR CLASSROOM city’s parks and recreation director.

2.

PLAY FIELD 4. Native Pollinator PERENNIALS Pollinator parks are a win-win for the environment and the surrounding community. In3.4.anFLOWERING April Plantings NATIVE POLLINATOR PLANTINGS 7 5.

LOW GRASS EDGING 5. Low-Grass Edging 2015 Parks & Recreation article, titled “It’s Time We Talked About the Birds and the Bees,” Colin 6.

SIDEWALK 7.

HARD-SURFACE PATH SOFT SURFACE PATH 6. Sidewalk O’Meara, president of the National Wildlife Federation (NWF), says, “Unlike many other8.9.environSEATING 7. Hard-Surface Path 10.

MEMORIAL mental conservation crises, we don’t have to wait to take action. Pollinators benefit from each patchTO 2008 FLOOD LOCI N 11. ARTWORK CREATIVE 8. Soft-Surface Path 6 of native nectar plants, wherever they are.” MAPLETON STREET 9. Seating Before plans can move forward, the pollinator park will require approval by the Columbus Plan 10. Memorial To 2008 Flood Commission and FEMA. The park proposal goes before the city’s plan commission in May. Accord11. Artwork ing to Eric Riddle, a Columbus native and author of Watershed: Service in the Wake of Disaster, which focuses on the local disaster: “The hope is to break ground on the project by June 7, the 10-year anniversary of the 2008 flood.”

— Suzanne Nathan, NRPA’s Media Specialist

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PLEASANT GROVE

LOCI

NRPA Park Pulse Each month, through a poll of Americans that is focused on park and recreation issues, NRPA Park Pulse will help to tell the park and recreation story. Questions span from the serious to the more lighthearted, and with this month’s poll, we asked Americans:

How strongly do you agree or disagree with the following statement — promoting pollinator health should be a conservation priority across the United States.

Park and Rec Efforts to Protect Pollinators Widely Supported Baby Boomers are the biggest supporters of promoting pollinator health Nearly all (94%) Americans agree that promoting pollinator health should be a conservation priority across the United States, including two-thirds of Americans (66%) who “agree strongly” or “agree 100%.”

Baby Boomers

96%

Gen Xers Promoting pollinator health includes protecting against the decline and death of pollinators, such as honey bees and other insects, and increasing their habitat.

95%

Millennials

91%

The National Recreation and Park Association Survey was conducted by Wakefield Research (www.wakefieldresearch.com) among 1,000 nationally representative Americans adults ages 18+, between February 15th and February 21st, 2018 using an email invitation and an online survey. Quotas have been set to ensure reliable and accurate representation of the U.S. adult population 18 and older.

rigami T0WER

Transforming play.

Introducing the Origami Tower, composed of iconic architectural lines, alluring industrial shapes and textures, and a soaring roof line that beckons everyone in the community to come out and play. This unique tower provides a blank canvas that will inspire a wide variety of themed design interpretations.

Ask us how the Origami Tower can be included in your next playground project.

Learn more at: playandpark.com or call 800.727.1907

PARKS & RECREATION APRIL 2018 ◆ CONSERVATION ISSUE ◆ COYOTES IN CITY PARKS ◆ FLOODPLAIN RESTORATION IN OHIO