Environmental Conservation
THE VALUE OF PARKS
“Our environment is a part of
us. How we care for our
environment and live with it,
utilize and enjoy it,
determines the kind of people
we are and will be.”
Laurance Rockefeller
First President of the NRPA Board of
Trustees
For more information please contact
Shelley O’Brien at sobrien@nrpa.org.
WHO WE ARE
Our Mission: To advance parks, recreation, and environmental
conservation efforts that enhance the quality of life for all people.
• Founded in 1965
• 105,000 local, public parks
• As the largest land stewards in most communities,
parks touch the lives of more than 300 million people
in virtually every community, whether rural
communities, suburban neighborhoods, or urban
centers
For more information please contact
Shelley O’Brien at sobrien@nrpa.org.
THE VALUE OF PARKS
Parks play a vital role in stewardship of
land and natural resources.
Protect
Natural
Resources
Encourage
Environmental
Stewardship
Increase
Energy
Efficiency
Support
Local
Environmental
Leaders
For more information please contact
Shelley O’Brien at sobrien@nrpa.org.
Environmental Conservation Strategy
NRPA enables and encourages park and recreation agencies
to take action to protect and enhance the environment for
current and future generations. This includes:
Empowering
communities to
protect natural
environments and
habitats.
Developing
sustainable
conservation
solutions that
emphasize the
integration of
economic and
environmental goals.
Advocating for
environmental issues,
both nationally and
locally.
Promoting
environmental
stewardship ;
appreciation of nature
and the need to
conserve.
For more information please contact
Shelley O’Brien at sobrien@nrpa.org.
The Economic Benefits of Parks
Parks brings many economic benefits
to local communities including:
Manage storm
water, decrease
air pollution, and
increase water
quality.
Increase land
values and
property taxes.
Generate tourist
dollars and attract
businesses and
residents.
Multiply Municipal
cost savings through
park led energy
efficiency measures.
For more information please contact
Shelley O’Brien at sobrien@nrpa.org.
Environmental Projects in Park and Recreation
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Preserving wildlife corridors
Removing invasive plants; replacing with sustainable landscaping
Conserving water and fostering energy efficiency
Improving air and water quality
Protecting forests and open space
Providing environmental stewardship education
Reducing use of pesticides and chemical fertilizers
Creating greenstreets, trails, and greenways
Augmenting stormwater Management
Case Study: Waterfront Revitilization
While many cities have turned to their
waterfronts as potential drivers of economic
development, some communities are creating
or renovating waterfront parks with ecological
features that also enhance the local
environment for the benefit of both wildlife and
people.
One example is the creation of the Harlem
River Park in New York City. This was a
forgotten strip of land which was an old cement
plant with abandoned cars and a crumbling and
rusted water’s edge. Now the area has a green,
beautiful park with a bike path which has been
the site of weddings, graduations, school field
trips, and festivals this summer. On a daily
basis people are fishing, kayaking, rowing,
walking their dogs, and biking in the area.
For more information please contact
Shelley O’Brien at sobrien@nrpa.org.
Case Study: Community Gardens
Gardening programs are key to broadening children’s
exposure to and knowledge of the foods that lead to
healthier lifestyles. Especially in urban and underserved
areas, the clear benefits of introducing young people to
food sources, outdoor activity in concert with conservation,
and the importance of healthy fruits and vegetables in
creating nutritional stewardship are evident.
NRPA promotes community garden development through
the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention initiative
ACHIEVE and the Grow Your Park program.
In Topeka Kansas the Oakland Community Center has
established a community garden for children age 7 to 13.
The garden is being managed by children in summer
camps and a local Girl Scout troop. Program Director
Lance Wilson shares the story of a 9 year old girl who
worked at the garden during summer camp then replicated
the garden in her home backyard. Her mother and
grandmother are pleased because it has added fresh
foods to their diet while decreasing their weekly grocery
bill.
For more information please contact
Shelley O’Brien at sobrien@nrpa.org.
Connecting Leaders
NRPA connects national environmental experts with park and recreation leaders to support
local efforts; leveraging these two groups to develop partnerships, initiatives, and programs
that have a positive environmental impact.
The Environmental Conservation Advisory Panel includes some of the nation’s top
environmental experts from parks, academia, business, and nonprofits who assist in shaping
NRPA’s national environmental programming.
The NRPA Conservation Task Force is comprised of park and recreation leaders who are on
the cutting-edge in developing initiatives that will benefit the environment and communities.
For more information please contact
Shelley O’Brien at sobrien@nrpa.org.
WE PARTNER
-- Alliance to Save Energy
-- Energy Star
-- J.R. Albert Foundation
-- National Governor’s Association
-- Outdoor Alliance for Kids
-- Recreational Boating and Fishing Foundation
-- Urban Parks Coalition
-- Arbor Day Foundation
-- Get To Know
-- Keep American Beautiful
-- National Recreation Foundation
-- PBS KIDS Day in the Park
-- The Toro Company
-- U.S. Soccer Foundation
-- The Golf Coalition* which includes: American Society of Golf Course Architects, Audubon
International, Golf Course Builders Association of America, Golf Course Superintendents
Association of America, National Alliance for Accessible Golf, National Golf Course Owners
Association, National Golf Foundation, The PGA of America, and World Golf Foundation.
*municipal golf courses conserve open space, preserve wildlife corridors, and ensure responsible management of land,
water, and natural resources
For more information please contact
Shelley O’Brien at sobrien@nrpa.org.
WE CONNECT PARKS
• We link park and recreation leaders through
e-mail groups, forums, networks and blogs.
• We convene subject-matter experts.
• We produce publications to share best
practices, news, issues, trends, research,
and success stories from the field.
• We provide public outreach, advocacy, and
education.
• America’s Backyard is an initiative to engage
the public to save public parks.
• Parks Build Community is an ongoing
national initiative demonstrating the
transformative value of parks and recreation
on the health and vitality of communities.
For more information please contact
Shelley O’Brien at sobrien@nrpa.org.