Conservation

The Historical and Cultural Significance of Trees

Learn how park and recreation professionals can instill an appreciation of the significance of local trees among members of their community.

Read more

Bikes and Bees

Learn about efforts to enhance biodiversity and educational opportunities at Minneapolis’ Perkins Hill Park.

Read more

Green Infrastructure Promotes Resilience

Explore how equitably implementing green stormwater infrastructure into parks can help ensure open space is used to its full potential.

Read more

Balancing Trees: Conservation, Safety and Green Space

Explore how trees provide ecological and cultural benefits to our communities, and tree-care professionals help us prioritize conservation, safety and green space.

Read more

Optimizing Fleet Management for Sustainability

Learn how park and recreation professionals can use creative strategies to prioritize sustainability in their fleet management operations.

Read more

Cultivating Outdoor Enthusiasts for Environmental Resilience

Learn how NRPA is exploring opportunities to cultivate outdoor enthusiasts using parks, green spaces, planning and facilities to address environmental justice issues.

Read more

Advancing Equity and Conservation Through Environmental Education

Explore how technology, art, sports and play offer unique ways to help children build a positive connection to nature and the environment.

Read more

Fostering Park-Based Neighborhood Resiliency in Detroit

Learn how public-private partnerships support resilient, climate-ready communities.

Read more

Federal Funding Fosters Sustainability and Resilience

Learn about the complex and nuanced effects of the Inflation Reduction Act of 2022 on park and recreation agencies.

Read more

Parks and Recreation Builds Sustainable, Resilient Communities

Discover how NRPA partners with the park and recreation field to advance sustainable plans and strategies through advocacy and education.

Read more

Thriving Parks: More Habitat, Less Lawn

Consider how park and recreation professionals can convert unused turf grass into vibrant habitats to support biodiversity and local wildlife.

Read more

Climate Change Is Now

Learn how Maui County is integrating sea-level rise and coastal threats into planning.

Read more

Connection to the Diné Bikéyah

Insight into who the Diné Bikéyah are and how more equitable conclusions can be reached.

Read more

Embracing Generational Diversity to Cultivate an Effective Workplace

To get the most out of our workplaces, it is imperative that we understand multi-generational dynamics and the differing viewpoints and experiences that our co-workers may have.

Read more

Recruiting and Engaging Your Workforce

When recruiting staff for your agency, consider targeting often overlooked or marginalized populations through community partners, elected officials and targeted recruitment.

Read more

BioBlitzes and the State of Our Habitats

A BioBlitz is an event where community scientists observe and document flora and fauna in an area to capture a snapshot of a place’s biodiversity.

Read more

The Atlanta BeltLine

In Atlanta, along a 22-mile loop of open and planned trails and parks, the Atlanta BeltLine is building a legacy of equity and wellness for its residents.

Read more

Parks as Places for Connection, Belonging and Inspiration

As we grapple with everyday challenges due to climate change and social inequities, can park programs become spaces for communities to come together, and find hope and inspiration to confront these challenges?

Read more

Can We Talk About Resilience?

Just asking two or three simple questions can help park and recreation professionals and people outside of the field to think about the role of parks in community resilience.

Read more

Centering Community in Building Equitable and Resilient Parks

Ensuring our parks benefit everyone is essential to guaranteeing resilient, healthy and equitable communities.

Read more

Restoring the Riverfront in Atlanta

The Riverwalk Atlanta project will reconnect the city to its waterfront by providing access to the river’s edge.

Read more

Helping People to Beat the Heat This Summer

As summer’s warmer temperatures lead to higher concentrations of ground-level ozone, older adults and children are likely to be affected by resulting health ailments.

Read more

The Role of Parks in Disaster Planning, Recovery and Response

Here are a few ways parks help reduce community vulnerability and improve resilience.

Read more

Measuring and Treasuring Our Night Skies

The National Park Service has been collecting and analyzing data used to understand night sky quality for 20 years.

Read more

Urban Nature and Intentionality: Elevating Urban Biodiversity and Equity

Through intentional efforts, cities can determine priorities for creating new natural areas if the desired result is to provide more equitable access.

Read more

Creating Partnerships for People and Wildlife

Learn why park and wildlife agencies should collaborate.

Learn More

Sustainable Construction Decisions

Learn more about this natural solution for the Northbrook Park District in Illinois.

Read more

Ensuring Equitable Climate Solutions for Our Parks

As stewards of the land, park and recreation professionals have the opportunity to ensure equitable climate solutions are incorporated in communities across the country.

Read more

Parks and Recreation and the South Atlantic Conservation Blueprint

The Southeast Conservation Adaptation Strategy (SECAS) is working with the broader conservation community to develop a cross-boundary plan to address climate change.

Learn More

Investing in Safe Streets

Learn why we must invest in safe streets to move people to parks, trails, restaurants, transit stops, schools and jobs.

Learn More

Engaging the Next Generation of Stewards

How to approach volunteer and outreach programs through an equity lens.

Learn More

A BioBlitz Event for Any Environment

Anyone can sign up to host an NRPA BioBlitz to receive all the toolkits needed to run the event.

Read more

Bernalillo County Benefits From NRPA Programs

The grant-funded project, Second Street Landscaping Project, enabled vegetation and green stormwater infrastructure to be installed along this pre-existing trail.

Learn More

From Pines to Prairie: Putting Adaptive Resource Management to Work

Adaptive resource management is a structured, iterative process that allows for robust decision making in the face of uncertainty by learning from previous management outcomes.

Learn More

Revitalizing Parkland in Evanston, Wyoming

Park and recreation professionals at Evanston Parks and Recreation District are working to transform the underutilized space into a year-round outdoor recreational area for their community.

Learn More

Gauging the Value of the SITES Rating System

In its second decade, SITES promises to use its growing influence as a municipal governance tool with the goal of codifying NRPA’s Three Pillars into local policy.

Learn More

Reflecting on Systemic Racism in Conservation

Learn how Louisville Parks and Recreation has taken significant steps toward addressing systemic issues within the structure of its natural areas program.

Learn More

COVID-19 Is Prompting Changes to Conservation

Since the issuing of the stay-home-work-safe order in April 2020, the city of Houston, Texas, has seen markedly more use of its nature spaces.

Learn More

Conservation Inspiration: A Class for Older Adults to Engage in Action

Small groups of older adults are likely to engage in personal action if they believe others in the group would do what is needed to protect the environment.

Read more

Park and Recreation Professionals Advancing Greener Parks

NRPA has identified green infrastructure and how it can be supported and implemented in local parks as a top legislative priority.

Read more

Empowering Nonprofits' Switch to Solar

A Sun Club sustainability grant provided to the Frick Environmental Center in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, helped the center to reduce its environmental impact while promoting sustainability in the community.

Read more

Moving Forward: Making Racial Equity Real

The Forest Preserves of Cook County, Illinois addresses institutionalized racism by examining how it has impacted the patterns of investment in and stewardship of the preserves.

Read more

Reversing the Impacts of Nature-Blindness

Due to the pandemic, our communities are reconnecting with nature. How can we ensure they continue to engage with open spaces?

Read more

The Fight Against Tick-Borne Disease

Understand how partnering with local public health agencies can help protect your community from vector-related illnesses.

Read more

COVID-19 Crisis Highlights Need for Greener Parks

Incorporating green infrastructure into parks can help boost their overall benefit to communities through increased health, environmental, social and economic benefits.

Read more

Conservation at the Crossroads

Story County, Iowa, and its partners create a learning corridor that not only brings people together, but also helps to improve the economy, environment and quality of life.

Read more

Transforming Urban Infrastructure in Lakeland, Florida

Sasaki design firm looks at how to use conservation as a main driver of form and function, all while achieving the goals of restoring the environment, reestablishing habitat and, ultimately, connecting people to nature.

Read more

Developing a More Diverse Generation of Park Stewards

Learn how conservation corps programs are inspiring youth and young adults to become park stewards.

Read more

Using Advanced Technology to Reach Our Conservation Goals

As we look back and recognize the strides we have made in conservation, we can also look to the future and determine what tools and tactics we need to address today’s threats.

Read more

Can a Walk in the Park Put You in a Holiday Mood?

Twitter study shows the greener the urban green space, the more cheerful people become.

Read more