Open Space Radio: Parks and Recreation Trends

Last month, we witnessed history as the Great American Outdoors Act was officially signed into law. This legislation will definitively fully fund the Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF). LWCF is the most important source of federal funding to create and develop local parks, trails, boat launches, sports fields, and other recreation areas and park infrastructure that enrich our communities. Permanent full funding of LWCF has bee...

On this episode of Open Space Radio, we’re celebrating our birthday! We started Open Space Radio a little over three years ago, and while many of you may have heard us talk about the early days of finding our podcasting groove — with not a whole lot of podcasting experience to pull from — we like to invite you, our listeners, in every once in a while to reflect back on some of our favorite Open Space Radio moments from the past. An...

The September issue of Parks & Recreation magazine is out now, and on this month’s bonus episode, we’re diving deeper into the cover story, “Going Above and Beyond,” by NRPA’s executive editor, Vitisia Paynich. The story highlights how the COVID-19 pandemic and the fight for racial equity compelled the Baltimore County Department of Recreation and Parks to mobilize and take action in order to continue to serve its community.

On...

On this episode of Open Space Radio, we are talking about BioBlitzes. And the only thing more fun than saying “BioBlitz” may be actually participating in one. A BioBlitz is an event where your community can visit your park and identify the different wildlife species in that area. It provides an opportunity for people to understand and learn about the various species in that area, and also provides critical data and information to t...

On today’s episode of Open Space Radio, we are looking at where NRPA is going in the next three years and beyond. Like any organization or group, every few years we must assess where we’ve been, where we are and where we want to go. Over the past several years, NRPA has centered our strategic plans around our three pillars: health and wellness, social equity and conservation. Now, we’re building upon that very solid base and lookin...

The August issue of Parks & Recreation magazine is out now, and on today’s bonus episode, we’re diving deeper into one of this month’s feature stories, “Restoring Nature’s Playground.” We’re thrilled to be joined by the two authors, Patti Sterling, the grants coordinator for Town of Bel Air, Maryland, and Akosua Cook, a park planner for the city of Chattanooga, Tennessee, to talk about the importance of water and nature-based a...

On today’s episode of Open Space Radio, we’re thrilled to be joined by Dr. Kim and Claude Walker — the founders of the Nashville-based Abundant Life Adventure Club, which is an outdoor adventure company breaking down barriers to the outdoors so that everyone can enjoy the wellness benefits of parks and open spaces.

The mission of the Abundant Life Adventure Club is one that we’re excited to dive into on the episode today — to empow...

Today’s episode of Open Space Radio is all about what park and recreation professionals have been doing to creatively and safely engage their communities in the past few months and their plans for the summer ahead. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, many park and recreation agencies have had to come up with innovative ways to not only implement virtual programming options, but also make sure the people in their communities continue to h...

The July issue of Parks & Recreation magazine is out now, and on today’s bonus episode of Open Space Radio we’re diving deeper into the cover story, “Celebrating YOU This July.” As you know, we usually interview the author or the subjects of the magazine article for our bonus episode each month, but in today’s case, the author is already with us! Cort Jones, NRPA Communications Manager and fellow cohost of this podcast, is our ...

We’re in a time where many people are having tough conversations with friends, family, loved ones and colleagues. We’re living through a global pandemic, an economic crisis, a fight for racial equity — and it’s all happening at once.

Amidst all of this, there is another crisis that continues to exist — the opioid crisis and substance use disorder. According to Kaiser Health News, the COVID-19 pandemic may be making things worse as...

Open Space Radio condemns all forms of racism and violence. We mourn the loss of all those whose lives have ended as a result of senseless brutality. As part of the #podcastblackout, we stand firmly with all who seek justice and reform and are using our platform to protest the death of these people:

The June issue of Parks & Recreation magazine is out now, and on today’s bonus episode of Open Space Radio, we’re diving deeper into one of this month’s feature stories, “Homelessness and the Global Pandemic,” which explores how the Los Angeles City Department of Recreation and Parks (RAP) is supporting people experiencing homelessness, among other vulnerable populations, during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Joining us on the show is...

Every day, in communities across the country, the people of parks and recreation are providing essential services and making their communities better places to live, work and play. This July, for Park and Recreation Month, NRPA will be redefining the field of parks and recreation as a vital necessity by sharing how park and recreation professionals are frontline staff, confronting our most pressing health, environmental and social ...

We often get to have conversations with park and recreation professionals who are doing incredible work in their communities. Many times, the guests who are gracious enough to join us on Open Space Radio are people who are already established in their careers. It’s not every day, though, that we get to chat with college students who are studying the field of parks and recreation and who will soon embark on the exciting journey of e...

The May issue of Parks & Recreation magazine is out now, and on today’s bonus episode of Open Space Radio, we’re diving deeper into one of the feature articles, “Collaboration in the Time of Pandemic.” We’re honored to be joined by the author, and executive director of NOVA Parks, Paul Gilbert, as well as Jane Rudolph, director of Arlington County Department of Parks and Recreation, and Kirk Kincannon, executive director of Fai...

Earth Day is a time when people all over the world promote the importance of environmental awareness, and it serves as a reminder that anyone can take small steps to protect the environment. This year, on April 22, we will celebrate the 50th anniversary of Earth Day.

Earth Day has been a critical event since its inception in 1970 – in fact, in response to the very first Earth Day, landmark environmental laws like The Clean Air Act,...

The year was 1870. It was only five years after the end of the Civil War, and it was the year that the California legislature proclaimed the inception of Golden Gate Park in San Francisco. This iconic park is affectionately known to San Franciscans as “Everybody’s Park,” and 150 years later, it is celebrating its sesquicentennial.

We originally recorded today’s episode a few months ago with Phil Ginsburg, general manager of the San...

Disclaimer: Today’s episode was previously recorded and focuses on how parks can help save fireflies, which is the cover story of the April issue of Parks & Recreation magazine. We recognize some of the topics discussed on this episode are more difficult to implement at this time during the COVID-19 pandemic, but we hope you find the topic interesting and that it will give you some ideas for the future. If nothing else, you'...

Disclaimer: Today’s episode was previously recorded and focuses on the importance of mentoring in parks and recreation. While we recognize some of the topics discussed on this episode are more difficult to implement at this time during the COVID-19 pandemic, we encourage you to think of creative ways you can continue to connect with your community, while following all local, state and national ordinances and guidelines. NRPA is act...