NRPA’s Health and Wellness Advisory Panel, made up of 10 park professionals and researchers, recently attended the CDC Weight of the Nation Conference in Washington, D.C. A message heard throughout the conference was that local park and recreation agencies are critical in helping solve the obesity epidemic, making positive impacts in communities Read more

John McGovern, J.D., of Recreation Accessibility Consultants (RAC) provides perspective on the ADA Requirements for Existing Title II Swimming Facilities. NRPA and RAC collaborated on an open letter that outlines how park and recreation agencies can make existing swimming facilities accessible.  Read more

A big part about being a kid is going to the playground at your local park. Getting outdoors, enjoying the fresh air and being active can do wonders for a child and not to mention enables them to burn off Read more

Daniel A. Biederman, president of Biederman Redevelopment Ventures, is well known for his work as a transformer of urban parks. While he is most famous for revitalizing Manhattan’s Bryant Park in the 1990s (primarily through corporate sponsorships), he has also Read more

With the coming observance of Earth Day on April 22, this week you may want to take some time to think and reflect on the role of parks and recreation in conservation and sustainability. Perhaps you’ll take this as an opportunity to set some conservation goals for yourself and your agency. Read more

A growing number of physicians and pediatricians are looking to parks as natural partners in the fight against chronic disease and obesity.These physicians are recognizing the exceptional health benefits of using parks and trails to improve one’s health. Read more

Many of us view conservation as the collection of recycling and energy saving habits that good citizens of the planet try to practice in their daily lives. Carpooling. Reminding a guest to toss that Coke can in the recycling compartment. Read more

Today’s blog is a guest post from Kathy Capps, Grants and Risk Manager, City of Raleigh Parks and Recreation Department in North Carolina. Kathy is a Young Professional and attended her FIRST Legislative Forum. If you have never been to Legislative Forum or you are a veteran attendee, Kathy’s take on the experience is a great reminder why it is important to attend. Read on, comment and share! Read more

In the world of blogs, Wednesday often are “wordless” (or nearly wordless), and photos are used to tell the story. With Legislative Forum in full swing, it has been a week with much focus on speeches, Hill visits, talking points, appropriations, and the swirl of national politics. Read more

Today’s special guest blog post comes from Brad Armstrong, a student at Utah State University and a member in the NRPA Young Professional Network. Brad’s post provides great tips and veteran insight into NRPA’s annual advocacy event, National Legislative Forum. Read more