NACPRO News

October 31, 2023

Cutting edge technology being used to manage wildfire threats
Courtesy of CBS Bay Area

By John Ramos

CALIFORNIA - The East Bay Regional Park District is the largest in the nation, with more than 125,000 acres backing up to many Bay Area cities. So, managers were alarmed when, in 2020, they noticed a huge die-off of trees in the forest.

"We realized that we had, basically, an emergency--a public safety emergency--because we had dead and dying trees, all due to climate change, that we had to deal with," said district Fire Chief Aileen Theile. "We had to start thinking outside the box and thinking of new and innovative ways to be able to process that."

The result is a massive fuel reduction project, now ongoing, in Anthony Chabot Regional Park. 365 acres of eucalyptus forest is being thinned out.

Read more:
https://www.cbsnews.com/sanfrancisco/news/cutting-edge-technology-being-used-to-manage-wildfire-threats/

Report: America’s Historic Bike Boom is Flatlining
Courtesy of the PBIC Newsletter

By Kea Wilson

America's pandemic-era bike boom hit a troubling plateau last year — and unless communities invest more into getting people riding, those numbers may not go up again anytime soon, a new study finds.

According to a new report from the mobility data analytics firm Streetlight — which may be the first to quantify the impact of Covid-era cycling phenomenon on a national basis, since many city Departments of Transportation don't bother to count people on two wheels — bike trips in the U.S. surged 37 percent between 2019, pre-Covid, and 2022, when it had upended virtually everything about American life. And in top-ranked New York City, trips nearly doubled over that period, with cities like San Diego (which increased 71 percent), Bakersfield, Calif. (70.8 percent) and Las Vegas (69.6 percent) not far behind.

Read more:
https://usa.streetsblog.org/2023/09/28/report-americas-historic-bike-boom-is-flatlining


Little kids need outdoor play — but not when it’s 110 degrees
Courtesy of the Hechinger Report

By Anya Kamenetz

Much research supports young children’s need for movement, outdoor play and time in nature. Regulations in many places require kids in child care facilities to have access to outdoor play space, weather permitting.

But increasingly, the weather does not permit. And leaders in the world of early childhood development are starting to call attention to the imperative to design and upgrade child care centers — and the cities where they are located — for our climate-altered world, with the needs of the youngest in mind.

“Copenhagen has parks that do flood with extreme rain,” Chachra said, but permeable surfaces, like grass, allow the water to drain away quickly. “Asphalt, rubber, and metal get extremely heated when you don’t have shade to protect those surfaces. Grass, mulch, and wood absorb heat differently. A shaded street or area is 4 degrees Celsius cooler than those that don’t have shade,” she added. And when cities make room for parks over cars, there is more equitable access to safe, cooler outdoor space.

Read more:
https://hechingerreport.org/column-little-kids-need-outdoor-play-but-not-when-its-110-degrees/


Understanding Diversity, Inclusion & Social Equity in Outdoor Play and Recreation Environments
Courtesy of PlayCore

Addressing diversity in outdoor play and recreation environments demonstrates how a community respects and values all forms of inherent differences we possess as individuals. These differences might be obvious or invisible, slight or profound, and include age, race, gender, ethnicity, culture, socioeconomic status, or ability.

Ultimately, the whole environment should celebrate the diversity of the community. Well-designed inclusive parks are a primary attraction for all community members which contribute to greater appreciation for diversity, increased healthy behavior, and sustained repeated social interactions that provide a catalyst for increasing civic engagement and cooperation between individuals, growing the social capital of a community. 

Read more:
https://www.playcore.com/news/understanding-diversity-inclusion-social-equity-in-outdoor-play-and-recreation-environments

Defining Special Districts
Courtesy of the National Special District Coalition

Currently, federal law lacks a consistent definition of “special district” or “special purpose unit of government.” NSDC has led the charge since April 2020 to craft a federal definition with the primary objective to enhance districts’ access to federally funded programs (and other funding opportunities).

Ahead of an anticipated Congressional Research Service report on this topic and with open inquiries from the U.S. Census Bureau concerning districts, NSDC assembled a working group of special districts leaders from across the Coalition to develop a formal proposal for a definition.

The final definition proposal is still pending; however, there are three primary elements of how to define and consider a special district: (1) it’s status as a political subdivision of a state that (2) provides limited or specific services within specified boundary, and (3) is not a school district or other type of general purpose government.

Read more: 
https://www.nationalspecialdistricts.org/advocacy/priorities


St. Charles County’s newest park to be an ‘emerald’ of trails, nature and wildlife
Courtesy of STL Today

By Charlotte Renner

MISSOURI - The 126-acre Spring Bend Park, located south of Highway 364 and west of the Missouri River, is slated to open in the spring. The county plans to invest $5 million into the property, and approved a $632,000 design contract with the St. Louis firm SWT Design.

In 2008, the Parks Department implemented conservation efforts to remove invasive species, establish a thriving prairie system and conduct controlled burns to maintain the ecosystem. Bartak adds that there’s a strict conservation easement on the property, which means preserving the property’s natural beauty is a top priority. “The park will remain in a mostly natural state,” Bartak says. “The main focus will be natural resources, woodlands, prairies and native habitats.”

Read more:
https://www.laduenews.com/family-and-education/spring-bend-park-conservation-st-charles-county/article_7ea9e0e8-6469-11ee-ae41-27a7c574f4b4.html


Creating a New Regional Park by Restoring Degraded Lands
Courtesy of Planetizen

By Clement Lau

CALIFORNIA - The 1,365-acre Puente Hills Landfill closed in 2013 after 56 years of receiving trash from homes and businesses in over 60 cities and unincorporated areas across Los Angeles County. The L.A. County Department of Parks and Recreation (DPR) is working towards transforming 142 acres of the landfill into parkland, creating the first new regional park in the county in more than 35 years. The proposed park will offer a variety of recreational and educational experiences and programming for residents living in the San Gabriel Valley and beyond. The additional parkland that will be created will help to offset the severe shortages for parkland regionally and in the surrounding communities.

Read more:
https://www.planetizen.com/news/2023/10/126081-creating-new-regional-park-restoring-degraded-lands


San Francisco Board of Supervisors Pass No Right on Red
Courtesy of the PBIC Newsletter

By Roger Rudick

“This is another important step toward reducing traffic collisions and making our streets safer for pedestrians and cyclists,” said Supervisor Preston, who authored the bill. “We have a duty – especially to kids, seniors, persons with disabilities, and other vulnerable populations – to reach our Vision Zero goals and save lives as an urgent priority.”

The resolution will now be considered by the SFMTA board. If SFMTA follows through, San Francisco will join New York, which has banned right-on-red since forever. Washington, DC, Cambridge, Massachusetts, and Seattle also approved bans and are in various phases of putting up signs and rolling it out.

Read more:
https://sf.streetsblog.org/2023/10/04/supes-pass-no-right-on-red


Modernizing Olympism Through Play Equity
Courtesy of LA Business Journal

By Renata Simril

CALIFORNIA - In a world where access to sports and physical activities remains uneven, the LA84 Foundation stands as a shining example of how play equity can modernize the very essence of Olympism. Founded on the principles of fostering fair play, education, and access to sports for all, the foundation has left an indelible mark on the landscape of sports and social development.

In partnership with LA County Parks & Recreation, Playworks, the NFL Foundation and the Los Angeles Sports and Entertainment Commission, we launched the “Park On The Move” program to bring sport and play to three of the most park-poor communities in LA County. This year, over 1,000 children have participated, and over 1,200 pieces of sports equipment have been given to kids to take home. Activations held at schools, churches and libraries have increased community cohesion and well-being.

Read more:
https://labusinessjournal.com/custom-content/trusted-advisors/modernizing-olympism-through-play-equity/


Submit Your Proposal to Speak at the 2024 NRPA Annual Conference

NRPA is now accepting proposals to present at the 2024 NRPA Annual Conference in Atlanta, October 8-10, 2024. 

The NRPA Annual Conference brings together thousands of people across several different fields who all are passionate about building strong, healthy and resilient communities through the power of parks and recreation. We are seeking speakers who can resonate with our attendees’ passion for parks and recreation and inspire even greater impact in communities nationwide. When considering your submission, be sure to keep next year’s theme in mind: “Where You Belong.” 

Submissions are due December 17, 2023.

For more information:
https://learning.nrpa.org/call-for-conference-proposals

UPDATED: Director of Parks and Recreation
City of McKinney, Texas
$139,009 - $201,555 Annually
Application Deadline: November 27, 2023

Deputy Director of Parks and Open Space Operations
City of Aurora, Colorado
$116,230 - $145,290 Annually
Application Deadline: Nov 20, 2023

Head, Marketing and Communications
County of Los Angeles Department of Parks and Recreation
Alhambra, California
$110,892 - $149,425 Annually
Application Deadline: Open until filled

Chief of Recreation
Muskingum Watershed Conservancy District
New Philadelphia, Ohio
Salary: Negotiable
Application Deadline: Open until filled

Nokomis Beach Recreation Specialist
Sarasota County Gov, Florida
$21.63/hr - $32.45/hr
Application Deadline: Open until filled

Landscape Architect
Lake County Forest Preserves
Libertyville, Illinois
$78,737 - $118,230 Annually
Application Deadline: Open until filled

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

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