NACPRO News

January 2, 2024

Maricopa County aims to create new parks under updated master plan
Courtesy of Maricopa County

ARIZONA - Parks Vision 2030 builds on the legacy of the previous master plans and the many park system enhancements that have occurred during the last 50-plus years. The current planning effort focuses on expanding park and open space opportunities. In 2022, MCPRD'S attendance grew to 2,720,806, an increase of over three-quarters of a million visitors since 2012. Over the next ten years, attendance is projected to reach 3.7 million, taxing the capacity of the existing natural resources and facilities.

Parks Vision 2030 Plan aims to identify the qualities and characteristics of a high-quality regional system of parks, open spaces, and trails. Protecting important landscapes or places for people to enjoy and recreate is critical. As growth continues and development expands into previously undisturbed native landscapes, it is essential to protect high value natural resources for our future.

Read more:
https://www.maricopacountyparks.net/about-us/parks-vision-2030/

The Influencer Era
Courtesy of NRPA

By Alexandra Reynolds

MISSOURI - Great Rivers Greenway, a regional parks and trails district that comprises a network of greenways throughout three St. Louis-area counties, has engaged with local social media influencers to promote its programs and open space, says Communications Manager Dallas Adams. The district focuses on attracting a diverse group of area residents to visit the greenways and attend programs. Documenting experiences with their unique lens and storytelling strategies, influencers explore the greenways, take part in programs and encourage their followers to do the same.

“We partner with social media influencers to come and enjoy our programs and to create content about the greenways to share out with their platforms. We’ve engaged with both paid and organic influencers — so making an ask and an invite to just come out — and also, we have paid influencers to make unique content that we become collaborators on,” says Adams.

Read more:
https://www.nrpa.org/parks-recreation-magazine/2024/january/the-influencer-era/

Accessible kayak launch now open at Lake Chaminwood
Courtesy of the Forest Preserve District of Will County

ILLINOIS - A new accessible and adaptive kayak and canoe launch at Lake Chaminwood Preserve near Channahon is now open and ready to assist paddlers as they head out onto the water. The launch was chosen after researching many options, said Matt Novander, the Forest Preserve's chief landscape architect who oversaw the project. 

"The new launch and dock create an interesting solution to a complex problem," Novander said. "People are unique and they have varying abilities. What one person needs assistance with is another person's strong suit and vice versa. The reason why we selected this launch was because of its holistic design and approach to addressing those variations."

Read more:
https://www.reconnectwithnature.org/news-events/news/accessible-adaptive-kayak-launch-now-open-at-lake-chaminwood

Artificial Intelligence: Here and Now
Courtesy of NRPA

By Lindsay Collins

While some park and recreation agencies have begun to use AI for tasks like administrative functions and marketing materials, many look forward to the help it could provide with social media content creation, customer service, security and maintenance, and program development, NPP’s survey shows. “You have fewer people doing that work faster, and then spending more time reviewing and creatively iterating and building versus starting from scratch,” says Bhatt. “If we look five years out, I see long-term planning, design, architecture, capital planning — all those pieces are going to be impacted because AI can take in all the designs around the world, look at your prompts and create designs that you would never even think of.”

For park and recreation agencies looking to dip their toes into the world of AI, Pitti’s advice is to jump in and try it. “Type in something as simple as, ‘Build me a job description for the position that I have coming up this summer’ and understand what it can put out there. And then experiment with it. Take an hour of your day, plug some different things in — it will not be time wasted whatsoever,” he says.

Read more:
https://www.nrpa.org/parks-recreation-magazine/2024/january/ai-here-and-now/

280 million e-bikes are slashing oil demand far more than electric vehicles
Courtesy of the PBIC Messenger

In the United States, a staggering 60 percent of all car trips cover less than 10km. You might think switching to an electric vehicle is the natural step. In fact, for short trips, an electric bike or moped might be better for you—and for the planet. That’s because these forms of transport—collectively known as electric micromobility—are cheaper to buy and run.

But it’s more than that—they are actually displacing four times as much demand for oil as all the world’s electric cars at present, due to their staggering uptake in China and other nations where mopeds are a common form of transport.

Read more:
https://arstechnica.com/cars/2023/11/280-million-e-bikes-are-slashing-oil-demand-far-more-than-electric-vehicles/

$1.5 Billion Available through 2024 RAISE Grant Program
Courtesy of the PBIC Messenger

The US Department of Transportation (USDOT) published a Notice of Funding Opportunity for $1.5 billion in grant funding through the Rebuilding American Infrastructure with Sustainability and Equity (RAISE) discretionary grant program for 2024. These grants help communities carry out projects with significant local or regional impact. USDOT encourages applicants to consider how their projects can address climate change, ensure racial equity, and remove barriers to opportunity. At least $15 million in RAISE funding is guaranteed to go towards projects located in Areas of Persistent Poverty or Historically Disadvantaged Communities, and projects located in these areas will be eligible for up to 100 percent federal cost share, as directed by Congress in the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law. Eligible applicants should apply by February 28, 2024.

For more information: 
https://www.transportation.gov/RAISEgrants

New Trail Resource from FHWA
Courtesy of the PBIC Messenger

A new guidebook, Trails as Resilient Infrastructure, demonstrates how trails are part of resilient transportation infrastructure, how trails can be planned and designed to be resilient and sustainable, and how trails have a role in emergency planning and response. 

Download:
https://www.fhwa.dot.gov/environment/recreational_trails/publications/trails-resilient-infrastructure-guidebook.pdf

Recreational immunity ruling poses questions for Oregon trail access
Courtesy of the Daily Astorian

By Olivia Palmer

OREGON - If a hiker falls on a county trail, the county can use recreational immunity as a defense in court. The statute isn’t bulletproof — it won’t shield a jurisdiction against gross negligence, for example — but generally speaking, it’s stopped liability lawsuits at the door. Now, that’s being challenged. 

The case in question, Fields v. City of Newport, revolves around a plaintiff who slipped and fell on a wooden bridge on Newport’s Ocean to Bay Trail while headed back from the beach. The Lincoln County Circuit Court initially dismissed the plaintiff’s personal injury claim and granted summary judgment in favor of the city based on its recreational immunity defense. When brought before the Oregon Court of Appeals, however, the case was reversed and remanded.

Read more:
https://www.dailyastorian.com/news/local/recreational-immunity-ruling-poses-questions-for-oregon-trail-access/article_0dc360b0-9ead-11ee-b6ac-eb6ca1b4a446.html

20 Major US Cities Most and Least Threatened by Climate Change
Courtesy of Planetizen

By Mary Hammon

Online insurance marketplace Policygenius evaluated the 50 largest U.S. cities to determine which will be most and least impacted by climate change by 2050. The factors analyzed included heat and humidity, flooding and sea level rise, air quality, and frequency of natural disasters such as hurricanes, tornadoes, wildfires, social vulnerability, and community resilience.

Read more:
https://www.planetizen.com/news/2024/01/126892-20-major-us-cities-most-and-least-threatened-climate-change

The Year Ahead in Washington, D.C.
Courtesy of NRPA

By Dan McCarthy

NRPA has been hard at work advancing policy wins for local parks and recreation. Early in 2023, we defeated an effort to prohibit congressional earmark funding from being used for park and recreation activities, and throughout the year, we fostered the advancement of the Outdoors For All Act as a part of the broader America’s Outdoor Recreation Act package. We also have fought to protect and expand important sources of federal funding for parks and recreation in final fiscal year 2024 (FY24) spending legislation.

In 2024, we will continue and grow these efforts to ensure local park and recreation professionals have a strong voice in Washington, D.C. Some key items to be on the lookout this year are summarized...

Read more:
https://www.nrpa.org/parks-recreation-magazine/2024/january/the-year-ahead-in-washington-d.c/

DEI Outdoors Practitioner Certification Course
Courtesy of American Trails

Enroll In Our Certificate Program - Become a catalyst for change in outdoor organizations with the DEI Outdoors Practitioner Certification. Elevate your expertise in diversity, equity, and inclusion as you explore strategies to foster social justice, facilitate impactful discussions, and drive meaningful transformation in outdoor education and recreation. Through this six-week program, participants gain the skills necessary to drive systemic change in their organizations. By the end of this course, participants will be well-prepared to lead transformative journeys that make outdoor spaces more inclusive, accessible, and welcoming for all.

Registration is open for the winter session. Classes start January 24. 

For more information:
https://deioutdoors.com/certificate?blm_aid=24243

Upcoming Webinars from American Trails

January 11: Risk Management During Trail Construction

January 18: The Third Mode Bonus Chapters: Progress in Walking, Bicycling, and Micromobility for Transportation

January 25: The Path to Mental Health: Using Trails to Equip Healthy Communities

February 1: Volunteer Recruitment 

February 8: Systemic Condition Analysis and Management for Multi-Use Trails

February 15: Trail Sector Research with Trans Canada Trail

February 22: Trails Are Rural Economic Drivers

February 29: Trail Assessment for Accessibility and Sustainability (registration coming soon)

For more information: 
https://www.americantrails.org/training/webinars


Free Learning Credit Opportunities in partnership with The Harbinger Consultancy
Courtesy of American Trails

Title: Consensus That Works: Formal Consensus Decision Making for Groups and Organizations
Date: January 16-30, 2024 (three two-hour video conference sessions)
Location: Virtual

Title: Outdoor Recreation Roadmap: A Community-Led Approach to Leveraging Your Natural Assets for Economic Success and Local Renewal
Date: January 24-February 28, 2024 (six one-hour video conference sessions)
Location: Virtual

Title: Creative Placemaking: Creating Communities We Love Through Arts & Culture, Diverse Partners and Community Spaces
Date: March 28-April 11, 2024 (three two-hour video conference sessions)
Location: Virtual

For more information: 
https://www.harbingerconsult.com/

Webinar: What is the Outdoor Recreation Access and Participation Survey?
Courtesy of the Society of Outdoor Recreation Professionals

Date: January 30, 2024
Time: 11:00 am to 12:00 pm ET
Cost: Free 

The Outdoor Recreation Access and Participation Survey (ORAPS) was designed to measure activity participation by different groups and enable comparisons across populations and regions. The goal is to develop rigorous national standards for collecting and disseminating information on outdoor recreation participation by US households at county, state, and national levels. ORAPS was designed to provide a more complete understanding of outdoor recreation participation by explicitly considering equity and health issues, and it includes modules on access, motivations, participation, constraints, needs, and health (physical and mental). The webinar will go over survey development, piloting, a discussion about ORAPS partnerships (public and private), and implementation needs.

For more information:
https://www.recpro.org/professional-development/event-description?CalendarEventKey=51307ec0-6ad6-426e-acba-018c88cf32e4&Home=%2fevents-calendar

Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design Training
Courtesy of NICP

February 26 - March 1, 2024: Las Vegas, Nevada
Basic Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design

March 11-15, 2024: San Diego, California
Basic Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design 

March 18-20, 2024: San Diego, California
Advanced Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design 

April 15-17, 2024: Las Vegas, Nevada
Advanced Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design 

April 18-19, 2024: Las Vegas, Nevada
CPD Certification Renewal Course (Topic TBD)

May 6-10, 2024: Tampa, Florida
Basic Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design 

September 9-13, 2024: Henderson, Nevada
Basic Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design 

October 21-23, 2024: Henderson, Nevada
Advanced Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design 

October 24-25, 2024: Henderson, Nevada
CPD Certification Renewal Course (Topic TBD)

For more information: 
https://thenicp.com/events/

2024 National Planning Conference
Courtesy of the American Planning Association 

April 13-16, 2024 - Minneapolis, MN

NPC24 is your ultimate ticket to connect with your professional community. Join APA in the vibrant city of Minneapolis and immerse yourself in an inspiring network of peers that will empower you to analyze, imagine, and plan for the future of the planning profession.

For more information: 
https://www.planning.org/conference/

NEW – Parks and Recreation Division Manager
City of Oceanside, California
$105,348 - $141,084 Annually
Application Deadline: Jan 26, 2024

NEW - Parks, Recreation, and Cultural Arts Director
City of Encinitas, California
$144,650 - $235,619 Annually
Application Deadline: Jan 29, 2024

NEW - Senior Park Maintenance Worker
Santa Clara County Parks and Recreation
Los Gatos, California
$81,149 - $98,180 Annually
Application Deadline: Jan 22, 2024

NEW - Chief of Planning and Design
Great Parks
Cincinnati, Ohio
$111,280 - $167,024 Annually
Application Deadline: Jan 22, 2024

Open Spaces Director
Arapahoe County Government
Centennial, Colorado
$126,542 - $202,567 Annually
Application Deadline: Open until filled

Parks Division Manager
City of Oklahoma City, Oklahoma
$91,204 - $139,437 Annually
Application Deadline: Jan 19, 2024

Park Land Resource Manager
Travis County Parks
Austin, Texas
$80,000 - $95,000 Annually
Application Deadline: Jan 19, 2024

Parks Interpretive Program Supervisor
Santa Clara County Parks and Recreation
Los Gatos, California
$110,593 - $134,453 Annually
Application Deadline: Jan 2, 2024

Parks, Recreation, Arts and Culture Director
City of Lawrence, Kansas
$137,342 - $203,008 Annually
Application Deadline: Jan 8, 2024

Division Director of Administrative Operations
Glenview Park District, Illinois
$135,000 - $155,000 Annually
Application Deadline: Jan 5, 2024

Director of Finance & Human Resources
Macon County Conservation District
Decatur, Illinois
$90,000 - $100,000 Annually
Application Deadline: Jan 29, 2024

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.