NACPRO News

August 8, 2023

Protect both bears and campers with these certified products
Courtesy of Pilot Rock

Our Pilot Rock BPRT Series Recycling and Trash Receptacles and BPFL Series Food Storage Lockers have been designed -- and tested -- to keep bears out. Out of your trash and out of your camping and food supplies. This protects bears, as well as campers. Each unit has been tested and approved by the Grizzly and Wolf Discovery Center (GWDC) using the Interagency Grizzly Bear Committee (IGBC) protocol.

Read more:
https://www.pilotrock.com/product/bear-resistant-products/

PBC Parks’ 50th Anniversary Commemorative Book recognized by Graphic Design USA

FLORIDA - The Palm Beach County Parks and Recreation Department’s 50th Anniversary Commemorative Book was recently recognized as a winner in the 2023 American Inhouse Design Awards by Graphic Design USA (GDUSA). The annual award is a premier showcase for outstanding work by inhouse designers and their departments.

In 2022, the Parks and Recreation Department launched a yearlong celebration to commemorate the department’s milestone anniversary and produced a 50th Anniversary Commemorative Book. The 244-page publication was designed in house by the department’s Office of Public Engagement and printed by the Graphic Division within the County’s Public Affairs Department. It encompasses an overview of the park inventory and employees, and is threaded with historical details collected over the last 50 years. 

Check it out:
https://indd.adobe.com/view/94ff3eb6-47cd-492b-a981-7d2ba544bdb6.

Desert Defenders Make Seed Bombs to Replenish County Parks
Courtesy of Maricopa County

ARIZONA - A group of Maricopa County volunteers called the Desert Defenders have been hard at work making seed bombs to replenish plants that are native to our gorgeous desert parks. Reseeding is important to keeping the parks’ ecosystems thriving for plant and animal life. Often times invasive plant species infiltrate parks and must be treated and reseeded with native plants. Wildfire impacted areas in the parks also need to be replenished with native species.

Watch here:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4_P737F-RrI

Sensory bags bridge communication gap between officers and community
Courtesy of Parks and Recreation Business

By Marika Carley

MARYLAND - In April 2022, The Maryland-National Capital Park Police (M-NCPP), Montgomery Parks Division, and the Montgomery Parks’ Program Access Office collaborated to equip officers with sensory bags, which allow officers to bridge the communication gap between themselves and individuals from vulnerable populations with different cognitive abilities and neurodiversity and who may be verbal or non-verbal, distressed, or overstimulated. In August 2021, the bags were distributed to the Search & Rescue team and K-9 units for use by first responders. 

Sensory tools have been utilized across different settings to stimulate the senses, calm an individual, or allow a person to concentrate. During a crisis, a person may not understand everything that is happening, especially when a first responder arrives on the scene. Filled with fear, curiosity, or heightened anxiety, some individuals may not be able to respond appropriately to directions or understand that someone is there to help them.

Read more:
https://www.parksandrecbusiness.com/articles/a-winning-sense-ation

Researchers create calculator to predict dam removal costs
Courtesy of River Management Society

Ever wonder how much it might cost to deconstruct a 20-meter-high masonry dam in Alabama? What about breaching a 3-meter earthen dam in California? 

Federal scientists have an app for that.

Researchers from the U.S. Geological Survey, Army Corps of Engineers, and Bureau of Reclamation, along with scientists from Oregon State University and the University of Georgia,  have released a tool to estimate dam removal costs. The "Dam Removal Cost Estimator" is the result of research into 668 dams taken down nationwide between 1965 and 2020, which examined expenses like project planning, deconstruction, monitoring, and mitigation activities

Read more:
https://subscriber.politicopro.com/article/eenews/2023/07/26/researchers-create-calculator-to-predict-dam-removal-costs-00108278

2023 NRPA Park and Recreation Salary Survey Report
 
The 2023 NRPA Park and Recreation Salary Survey report presents compensation data provided by agency size, type and certain demographic characteristics of incumbents in the positions (e.g., education, certifications and years in the profession). The analysis also examines factors that determine pay raises and bonuses (if offered) and highlights other benefits that comprise full compensation packages for park and recreation professionals.

For more information:  
https://www.nrpa.org/salarysurvey/

Wheelchair courses make fitness more attainable
Courtesy of Parks and Recreation Business

By Tammy Martinez

PALM BEACH COUNTY, FLORIDA - In 1983, members of a local disability community helped bring a Wheelchair Accessible Heart Trail to John Prince Park, located in Lake Worth, Fla. In 2018—35 years after the original course was constructed—the community made renovations and additions to the now-called Wheel Course. Improvements included installing new equipment, widening pathways, making additions for children, improving parking and signage, and making repairs to paving and painting.

The nearly half-mile path was designed for individuals with physical and developmental disabilities to be active and connect with the community. The course allows participants to set their own pace with different exercise activities, encouraging them to progressively improve their health and bolster self-confidence. 

Read more:
https://www.parksandrecbusiness.com/articles/finding-excellence-in-exercise

Tourism and Parks: Better Together
Courtesy of NRPA

By Seth Hendler-Voss

VIRGINIA - “How would you feel about moving tourism functions under your department?” The county executive posed this question during my first month as the director of parks and recreation for Prince William County, Virginia. I enthusiastically accepted without knowing I was about to join a small cadre of agencies with the dual responsibility of serving both residents and outside visitors.

Six years later, Prince William County’s tourism market is thriving, jumping from the ninth to the seventh largest tourism economy in Virginia, due in large part to the collaborative synergies between two agencies with a shared talent for experience curation.

Read more:
https://www.nrpa.org/parks-recreation-magazine/2023/august/tourism-and-parks-better-together/

FHWA E-Bike Resources
Courtesy of the PBIC Messenger

FHWA is advancing research on e-bikes to better understand trends and impacts, and how jurisdictions around the country are managing them. An e-bikes webpage offers a recently released e-bike fact sheet that defines e-bikes and identifies key topic areas, future research needs, and case studies to share how communities have encouraged e-bike use, among other resources. FHWA also released a description of e-bike related initiatives and research.

For more information:  
https://www.fhwa.dot.gov/environment/bicycle_pedestrian/resources/e-bikes/index.cfm

Experts warn of "massive shift" for outdoor sports as extreme heat worsens. How will your workout change?
Courtesy of CBS News

By Li Cohen

The days of lacing up your sneakers for a midday run during a summer may be coming to an end. Extreme heat is scorching cities across the world, an issue that is expected to only persist and worsen as time goes on – and experts say it will likely cause a "massive shift" in outdoor sports as we know them.

Allison Colman, senior director of programs for the National Recreation and Park Association, told CBS News her organization has seen "behavior changes" from outdoor enthusiasts who are trying to do just that. Many people, she said, are asking for access to outdoor rec spaces earlier in the morning or later at night, when temperatures are cooler. 

Read more:
https://www.cbsnews.com/news/extreme-heat-outdoor-sports-how-will-your-workout-change/

River City Outdoors Opens Gear Library in St. Louis
Courtesy of River Management Society

River City Outdoors (RCO), a nonprofit organization based in the City of St. Louis, has opened a new Gear Lending Library that makes outdoor equipment more accessible to residents and removes barriers for those living in the St. Louis region to get outside. 

RCO is one of 13 Thrive Outside communities across the United States. The Outdoor Foundation’s Thrive Outside Initiative awards multi-year, capacity-building grants to diverse communities to build and strengthen networks that provide children and families with repeat and reinforcing experiences in the outdoors. The community-led initiative is built with trusted local and national partners and is supported by three years of funding.

Read more:
https://terrain-mag.com/river-city-outdoors-gear-library-st-louis/

Call for Award Nominations
Courtesy of American Trails

The Coalition for Recreational Trails is excited to be accepting nominations for its 2023 achievement awards which will recognize outstanding trail projects funded by the Recreational Trails Program (RTP). CRT will host an awards ceremony honoring the winners on January 24, 2024.  

Award winners will be selected from projects nominated by public agencies, trail administrators or other project sponsors. Projects must be completed in order to receive an award. In addition, projects completed before 2018 are ineligible. 

Deadline for nominations is November 17, 2023

For more information:  
https://www.americantrails.org/crt

National Recreation and Park Association announces new agreement with National Park Service
Courtesy of the Latrobe Bulletin

The National Recreation and Park Association has announced a new agreement with the National Park Service to promote excellence in park and recreation management and to expand access to quality outdoor recreational opportunities for all.

Through this agreement, NRPA and the NPS will encourage and promote conservation, health and wellness, and equitable and accessible recreational opportunities through the advancement of a well-managed system of parks for all. The two organizations will facilitate collaborative actions that benefit the NPS and NRPA, which will include local, regional, state and national park entities, as well as agency divisions and programs.

Read more:
https://www.latrobebulletinnews.com/lifestyles/national-recreation-and-park-association-announces-new-agreement-with-national-park-service/article_fc431d7b-f400-5bd3-8bc9-4e6346f9bb02.html

The Lifesaving Power of Public Pools
Courtesy of Planetizen

By Diana Ionescu

Far from just being a fun way to cool down on a hot summer day, public pools can help children learn key skills that could save their lives, writes Mara Gay in The New York Times.

An estimated 4,000 people die by drowning in the United States each year—an average of 11 every day. Yet “the United States is, for a majority of its citizens, a swimming desert where, according to a Red Cross survey, more than half of the population lacks basic swimming abilities and millions are without access to safe places to enter the water.”

Now, a coalition of experts published the nation’s first Water Safety Action Plan, “a much-needed, 10-year national road map to reduce drowning.”

Read more:
https://www.planetizen.com/news/2023/07/124891-lifesaving-power-public-pools

Why America stopped building public pools
Courtesy of CNN

By Nathaniel Meyersohn

Public pools have played a critical role in American culture over the past century. But as climate change and extreme heat worsen, they are taking on an urgent public health role. Heat kills more Americans than any other weather-related disaster, according to data tracked by the National Weather Service.

Yet just as public pools become more important than ever, they’re disappearing from sight.

Pools have become harder to find for Americans who lack a pool in their backyard, can’t afford a country club, or don’t have a local YMCA. A legacy of segregation, the privatization of pools, and starved public recreation budgets have led to the decline of public places to swim in many cities.

Read more:
https://www.cnn.com/2023/07/22/business/public-pools-extreme-heat/index.html

Webinar: Creative Trails Programming Through Public-Private Partnerships
Courtesy of the Federal Lands Transportation Institute Training Newsletter

Date: August 17, 2023
Time: 1:00 pm to 2:30 pm EDT
Cost: Free 
Organization: American Trails

Utilizing a holistic community-based planning approach in partnership development, public engagement, and park programming, the Gwinnett Trails Team will discuss the Gwinnett Trails (Gwinnett County, Georgia) partnership with Children's Healthcare of Atlanta (CHOA) Strong4Life wayfinding and activation strategy to encourage and inspire children to build resilience, manage stress, and cope with challenges. This session will feature key information on how to identify partnerships, develop programming initiatives, and incorporate health and wellness inspiration to support children of all ages.

The Gwinnett Trails and CHOA partnership can serve as a model and learning opportunity on how trails organizations can engage local partners and advance mutually beneficial initiatives.

For more information: 
https://www.americantrails.org/training/creative-trails-programming-through-public-private-partnerships

Porous Flexible Pavement, Asphalt, or Porous Asphalt
Courtesy of the PBIC Messenger

August 24, 2023
1:00 PM to 2:00 PM EDT
Free

This webinar will discuss the various types of materials used for paved, multi-use trails in the District of Columbia. We will discuss different projects where we used flexi-pave, asphalt, or porous asphalt and our experience with each material. How are the materials holding up? What are the lessons learned and things we wished we knew?

For more information:  
https://www.americantrails.org/training/porous-flexible-pavement-asphalt-or-porous-asphalt

Webinar - LA County’s Park Needs Assessment: A Case Study on Park Equity Collaboration
Courtesy of City Parks Alliance

September 21, 2023
1:30-3:00 pm EDT

Join us for a case study of the Los Angeles Countywide Park Needs Assessment. This session will explore its purpose and scope, data collection methods, and targeted community engagement process in park-poor neighborhoods and low-income and diverse communities.

Register today to learn ideas for how you can collaborate with local partners to advance park equity in your community.

For more information:  
https://register.gotowebinar.com/register/728157506058225242

NEW - Division Manager - Park Maintenance & Forestry
Wichita Park & Recreation, Kansas
$83,103 - $150,768 Annually
Application Deadline: Sep 5, 2023

Recreation Coordinator 2
Cecil County
Elkton, Maryland
$52,136 - $64,129 Annually
Appliation Deadline: Aug 11, 2023

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

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

Community Engagement, Partnership Coordinator, and 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

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