NACPRO News

July 25, 2023

Get An Attractive Picnic Table That Will Last
Courtesy of Pilot Rock

Go Green with a Recycled Plastic Picnic Table 

• 100% recycled plastic is UV protected and does not rot
• Lots of color combinations to choose from
• Wheelchair Accessible designs available
• Nontip, nontrip, walk through design

For more information:  
https://www.pilotrock.com/series/picnic-tables/recycled-plastic-picnic-table-rt-series/

Linn County Conservation Wins National Park and Recreation Award
Courtesy of Linn County Government

IOWA - The Linn County Conservation Board won the National Association of Parks and Recreation Officials (NACPRO) 2023 Area and Facility Award for the recent Morgan Creek Park redevelopment. 

Morgan Creek Park, a 352-acre park, in southwest Linn County is a regional county park in an actively urbanizing area bordering Cedar Rapids. A 2015 master plan guided a major redevelopment through community input and growth considerations. The $5.87 million dollar development, completed in June of 2022, included a new park road, event shelter, accessible restrooms, inclusive destination playground, small picnic shelters, accessible trails, native prairie and wetland development. 

Read more:
https://www.linncountyiowa.gov/CivicAlerts.aspx?aid=3289

How Cellphone and Fitness App Data is Helping Create Equity in Public Parks
Courtesy of American Planning Association

By Clement Lau, DPPD, FAICP

In Los Angeles (LA) County, it's much easier to find a beautiful, tree-filled park with attractive amenities in Beverly Hills than in East LA or South LA. Home to 10 million residents, LA County has about 1 million acres of parkland — 38 percent of the county's total land area. But there are wide disparities in where these parks are located, how easy they are to get to, and what they offer their communities.

Luckily, there is plenty of data — including some from new and innovative sources — to help ensure that LA County's park planning is equitable, today and tomorrow. The Los Angeles County Department of Parks and Recreation (DPR) recently began to use data from fitness trackers and smartphone apps, among many other data sources, to help examine and reimagine park restoration and conservation through an equity lens.

Read more:
https://www.planning.org/planning/2023/summer/how-cellphone-and-fitness-app-data-is-helping-create-equity-in-public-parks/

The Importance of Community-Based Organizations in Parks and Recreation
Courtesy of NRPA

By Clement Lau, DPPD, FAICP

Since July is Park and Recreation Month and this year’s theme is “Where Community Grows,” I would like to recognize the importance of community-based organizations (CBOs) in parks and recreation. 

CBOs play a crucial role in enhancing parks and recreation facilities, engaging community members, and promoting social cohesion. Often led and driven by passionate community leaders and representatives, these organizations contribute significantly to the betterment of public spaces like parks, making them more vibrant, inclusive, and beneficial for the entire community. Highlighted below are some ways that CBOs positively benefit communities through their involvement in parks and recreation...

Read more:
https://www.nrpa.org/blog/the-importance-of-community-based-organizations-in-parks-and-recreation/

The Science of Play, 2nd Edition
Courtesy of PlayCore

With 12 new articles, Dr. Stuart Brown continues to uncover The Science of Play in this new edition. Dr. Brown has documented thousands of in-depth personal play profiles throughout his career irrefutably demonstrating the negative emotional and multi-sensory consequences associated with a play-deprived life. He came to understand that humans are uniquely designed to enjoy and participate in play throughout life and launched the National Institute for Play to promote the integral role play has in human development.

Download here:
https://www.playcore.com/science-of-play-request

Deadly extreme heat is on the rise in national parks 
Courtesy of CNN

By Eric Zerkel

Extreme heat appears to be killing people in America’s national parks at an alarming pace this year, highlighting both its severity and the changing calculus of personal risk in the country’s natural places as climate change fuels more weather extremes.

More people are suspected to have died since June 1 from heat-related causes in national parks than an average entire year, according to park service press releases and preliminary National Park Service data provided to CNN. No other year had five heat-related deaths by July 23, park mortality data that dates to 2007 shows, and the deadliest month for heat in parks – August – is yet to come.

Read more:
https://www.cnn.com/2023/07/23/us/national-park-heat-deaths-climate/index.html

Making Hiking Accessible Without Cars
Courtesy of Streetsblog

By Michael Moore 

When it comes to making hiking and exploring national and state parks accessible without a car, the U.S, still has some room for improvement. While many of the most popular national parks here and in other countries around the world have successfully implemented innovative strategies to enhance accessibility and sustainability, the others can still take inspiration from these examples.

Read more:
https://usa.streetsblog.org/2023/07/20/making-hiking-accessible-without-cars

US Conference of Mayors Adopts New City Park Resolution, Urges "Robust" Federal Investment
Courtesy of City Parks Alliance

In June, the US Conference of Mayors (USCM) unanimously adopted a new city park resolution that urges Congress to provide robust federal investment for our nation’s urban parks and trails. 

The resolution states that the U.S. Conference of Mayors views urban parks as essential infrastructure for 21st-century cities and believes everyone living in urban areas should have equal access to parks, green spaces, and recreational opportunities. The resolution highlights the health, economic, and environmental benefits of city parks and the need for more federal investment in underserved communities.

Read more:
https://cityparksalliance.org/blog/us-conference-of-mayors-adopts-new-city-park-resolution-urges-robust-federal-investment/

‘Alarming’ levels of microplastics found in Lake Tahoe, study shows
Courtesy of the Las Vegas Review Journal

NEVADA - Lake Tahoe is known around the world for its pure, blue water, but a new study shows that the wondrous lake is full of something else these days: microplastics.

Of the 38 lakes and reservoirs from six continents tested by researchers, Lake Tahoe came in third for the highest concentration of microplastics, according to the study published Wednesday in the journal Nature.

The research shows that “we are not immune from the plastisphere, and that the plastics we use are going all over the globe, and into the lakes in our backyard,” said Sudeep Chandra, a professor and director of the Global Water Center at the University of Nevada, Reno who helped conduct the study.

Read more:
https://www.reviewjournal.com/news/science-and-technology/alarming-levels-of-microplastics-found-in-lake-tahoe-study-shows-2870844/

NACo High Performance Leadership Academy

Do you want to reward an employee who has risen to the occasion in recent years—maybe during the COVID-19 crisis or amidst emergency circumstances? Are you excited about someone who has the potential to take your team to the next level? Then please consider encouraging them to participate in an upcoming NACo High Performance Leadership Academy.

The 12-week online program is hosted by the National Association of Counties (NACo) with the goal of helping prepare current and emerging leaders to plan, lead, and sustain positive change in county government. Participants will benefit from real-time webinars, self-paced activities, and peer group discussions, spending an average of 4 to 5 hours per week on the program’s highly interactive and flexible training activities. 

Contact the Academy directly: [email protected]

For more information:  
https://www.naco.org/resources/education-and-training/naco-high-performance-leadership-academy

WEBINAR REPLAY | Nature-Based Solutions to Climate Threats 
Courtesy of City Parks Alliance

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

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

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

Park Access Network: Building Equity into Urban Green Infrastructure and Parks Planning
Courtesy of NRPA

Live Event, July 26, at 2:00 to 3:00 p.m. EDT
Free

Join Chris Kennedy, associate director of The New School’s Urban Systems Lab, and Dr. Zbigniew Grabowski, associate extension educator from University of Connecticut’s Center for Landuse Education and Research, to learn more about recent research exploring how cities can build equity into green infrastructure, parks planning and practice.

For more information:  
https://learning.nrpa.org/products/park-access-network-building-equity-into-us-urban-green-infrastructure-and-parks-planning

Exploring Outdoor Recreation as a Component of Economic Diversification
Courtesy of NACo

July 27, 2023, 3:00 P.M. to 4:00 P.M. EDT

Join the BRECC National Network for a conversation on outdoor recreation as a viable component to build a robust, diverse local economy. Learn more about research trends linked to outdoor recreation economic development, small business ecosystems and resources that could support coal communities. Participants will learn from a collective of rural communities, all located in or near a national forest region, working together towards economic growth and quality of life while striving to maintain their unique cultural identities. 

For more information:  
https://www.naco.org/events/exploring-outdoor-recreation-component-economic-diversification

Webinar: Youth-Engaged Design and Quick Build Installation
Courtesy of the Federal Lands Transportation Institute Training Newsletter

Date: August 1, 2023
Time: 3:00 pm to 4:00 pm ET
Cost: Free 
Organization: Pedestrian and Bicycle Information Center (PBIC)

This webinar will focus on engaging youth in transportation project planning and design, with a focus on quick build projects. Panelists include a representative from the City and County of Honolulu, and a representative and intern from the Civic Design Center in Nashville. They will describe the role of young people in walking and biking projects, including identifying community and design needs, advocating for change, and installing quick build projects. Additionally, presenters will highlight the impact of young people on project processes and results and share advice for those who are new to considering this important group of community members.

For more information:
https://unc.zoom.us/webinar/register/8316879727764/WN_5f0JUWGrQwqO2mgKB-ktfA#/registration

Register for the 2023 SHIFT Summit
Courtesy of GP RED

September 10-14 - Bend, Oregon

The 2023 Summit program includes a variety of educational, research-focus, practice-enhancing, and experiential aspects. Formats include workshops, speed talks, panel discussions, and nature-based activities. Built-in Experiences are included for opportunities for active outdoor recreation and experiential education. We want to “walk the talk” while learning how to help others do it better. 
For more information:  

https://www.gpred.org/shift/

NEW - Community Engagement & Partnership Coordinator & Executive Director of The Nature Foundation Will County
Forest Preserve District of Will County
Joliet, Illinois
$70,842 - $106,308 Annually
Application Deadline: Aug 14, 2023

Parks and Recreation Director
City of Durango, Colorado
$135,000 - $150,000 Annually
Application Deadline: Aug 8, 2023

Executive Director
Fox Valley Park District
Aurora, Illinois
$175,000 - $195,000 Annually
Application Deadline: Aug 18, 2023

Executive Director
Palatine Park District
Palatine, Illinois
$160,000 - $210,000 Annually
Application Deadline: Aug 21, 2023

Recreation Coordinator 2
Cecil County
Elkton, Maryland
$52,136 - $64,129 Annually
Application Deadline: Jul 28, 2023

Athletics Division Manager - Twin Lakes Park
Sarasota County Gov
Sarasota, Florida
$85,010 - $95,014 Annually
Application Deadline: Open until filled

Director of Parks and Recreation
Louisville Metro Government, Kentucky
Salary: Depends on qualifications
Application Deadline: Open until filled

For more information:
https://nacpro.mcjobboard.net/jobs

Got a vacancy to fill? 
NACPRO will post your vacancy on our website and email a copy to our mailing list of over 1100 parks and recreation professionals for a fee of $100 for NACPRO members and $200 for non-members.

National Association of County Park and Recreation Officials
PO Box 74, Marienville PA 16239
(814) 927-8212
www.NACPRO.org