Editor’s Note: The value of parks

The value of parks

Sarah Wright | Editor

This August the National Recreation and Park Association released a Park Pulse Survey regarding park funding. It found “62% of U.S. adults say they are likely to vote for a political candidate that makes park and recreation funding a priority.” The same survey showed millennials (69%) were even more likely to back candidates who prioritize park and recreation funding. As a millennial myself, I definitely fall into that percentage. I love my local parks and nature trails, and the opportunity they provide to connect with the natural world. In those moments, surrounded by the admittedly tamed wilds of these spaces, stress melts away.

John Muir perhaps said it best: “In every walk with nature one receives far more than he seeks.”

Parks are the epicenter of fond memories, whether relishing natural surroundings or taking part in programming. Best of all, they know no age. Children learn to fish in their confines; hopefully, not hooking their fathers like I did. As they grow, their park experiences follow suit. Then, as adults, I feel we develop a greater appreciation for these natural lands set aside for our enjoyment and realize their value. And parks have a lot of value, especially as they pivot to offer more opportunities.

Camping has blossomed in city parks. I truthfully hadn’t even been aware that municipal camping was a thing until my dad’s road trips, and he shared the municipal campsites he was staying at. After his trip, I saw Pittsburgh, Pa., City Council was considering approving a program to allow camping in its city parks and thought to myself, “There is something there.” And sure enough, writer Denise Fedorow uncovered a diverse offering of city-owned campgrounds that sometimes have created revenue opportunities for parks departments. Unsurprisingly so, since the 2021 North American Camping Report finds the number of active U.S. households (meaning households that identify as campers, but may not necessarily camp each year) grew by a record 3.9 million households in 2020.

Fedorow spoke with Austin, Texas; Nashville, Ark.; Florence, Ala.; and Freeport, Maine, about their campgrounds. I highly recommend checking out her article as each of these cities takes a different approach, but all agree offering camping has been worth it.

In this issue, we will spotlight other projects and programs parks and cities are undertaking to improve citizens’ lives. These include Howard County, Md.’s, Woodcrest Drive Stream Rehabilitation Project; Lexington, Ky.’s, “Art on the Town” program that connects artists with potential customers; Bloomington, Ind.’s, completed Griffy Lake improvements; and the many ways municipalities are helping pollinators out.

Undoubtedly, there are people who will not see the value of parks; however, I think the NRPA’s Park Pulse Survey shows the bulk do and appreciate the many ways our parks departments strive to connect their communities with outdoor recreation and the natural world.