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Every park and recreation agency has a unique set of internal characteristics and external factors that influence its response to climate change. Some agencies engage in sustainability planning as part of a citywide or even statewide mandate. Other agencies lead conservation efforts in their communities. Some agencies work in communities that support — or even demand — that park departments engage in creating climate-ready parks. Others face the risk of community or political backlash for creating sustainability initiatives.
In addition, every agency has a unique set of environmental factors that influence its conservation focus. Tree planting may be the most helpful strategy in one area; however, it may drain valuable water resources from another. A green infrastructure system that manages stormwater may greatly benefit one area but might eliminate essential natural habitats in another.
Federal Frameworks and Resources
There are many ways to establish a foundational understanding of the context in which you will engage in park-based conservation initiatives. Federal agencies have frameworks, programs and technical resources that can inform your conservation work and can inspire and ignite conversations within your team or across departments, and with the public and community leaders.
Many of these resources are designed to be accessible to the general public and used by professionals. This helps to create a shared vocabulary and points of reference. There are frameworks that can help you effectively communicate what you see in your community but might struggle to put into words, including both the issue and possible solutions. Case studies can provide examples of peer communities that are tackling similar issues. Sometimes, the solutions are innovative and can inspire great transformation. There are also common-sense solutions that can be implemented without great fanfare and might already be part of your annual workplan or long-term vision. Following are some resources that can assist you in these efforts.
Climate Change Indicators in the United States: Fifth Edition
The EPA’s fifth edition of Climate Change Indicators in the United States “documents how climate change is impacting the United States today, the significance of these changes, and their possible consequences for people, the environment and society,” according to the report.
Green Parks Plan: Third Edition
The National Park Service’s (NPS) revised Green Parks Plan outlines steps for achieving net-zero parks.
Resist-Accept-Direct (RAD) — A Framework for the 21st-Century Natural Resource Manager
The Resist-Accept-Direct decision framework “has emerged over the past decade as a simple tool that captures the entire decision space for responding to ecosystems facing the potential for rapid, irreversible ecological change. It assists managers in making informed, purposeful choices about how to respond to the trajectory of change, and moreover, provides a straightforward approach to support resource managers in collaborating at larger scales across jurisdictions, which today is more urgent than ever.”
Five-Year Benchmark Report, Ten-Year Urban Forestry Action Plan: 2016-2026 (usda.gov)
The Ten-Year Urban Forestry Action Plan “seeks to expand awareness of the benefits that our urban forests provide to communities across the United States, and increase investments in these urban forest resources for the benefit of current and future generations.”
Conservation.gov
Conservation.gov is “an information hub supporting locally-led efforts to conserve and restore our nation’s lands, waters, and wildlife.”
These federal frameworks can help identify the most significant climate-change impacts and park-based solutions that can move us toward more environmentally resilient communities.
Ayanna Williams, MSW, is Director of Community and Environmental Resilience
at NRPA.