Parks & Recreation

Ranking the Country's Parks

Washington, D.C. dethroned three-time defending champ Minneapolis in the latest version of the ParkScore index, released this week by the Trust for Public Land.

By Kate Elizabeth Queram
May 22, 2019

Ranking the Country's Parks

Washington, D.C. dethroned three-time defending champ Minneapolis in the latest version of the ParkScore index, released this week by the Trust for Public Land.

By Kate Elizabeth Queram
May 22, 2019

Parks & Recreation

Ranking the Country's Parks

Washington, D.C. dethroned three-time defending champ Minneapolis in the latest version of the ParkScore index, released this week by the Trust for Public Land.

By Kate Elizabeth Queram
May 22, 2019

The Sounds of State Parks—on Spotify

Michigan's tourism arm will drop an album this month of ambient music layered with sound recordings from 10 state parks.

By Kate Elizabeth Queram
May 9, 2019

America’s Management of Urban Forests Has Room for Improvement

A new survey finds that urban forests could benefit from better data on climate change and pests and a focus on social equity.

By Amanda Kolson Hurley, CityLab
March 26, 2019

The Inequality of Parks and Green Space

New research finds that income, education, and race are correlated with access to green space across and within U.S. metro areas. But some cities are more equitable than others.

By Richard Florida, CityLab
March 19, 2019

Small Bikeshare System to Launch in an Unexpected Place

Wheeling, West Virginia looks to leverage its local network of bike trails.

By Michael Grass
February 26, 2019

Paying the Homeless to Clean Up City Parks

STATE AND LOCAL ROUNDUP | Civil asset forfeiture reform bills … New Orleans short-term rental restrictions … and Oregon roadkill consumption rules.

By Michael Grass
January 11, 2019

City Leader Wants Residents to Try Balancing the Parks and Rec Budget

STATE AND LOCAL ROUNDUP | Federal shutdown delays hurricane recovery funds … another Flint water crisis plea deal …. and confusion comes with Conn. town’s pay-per-bag trash collection proposal.

By Michael Grass
January 8, 2019

A New Placemaking Center to Guide Changing Demographics and Technology

Brookings Institutions’ Bass Center for Transformative Placemaking wants to connect more residents to opportunities using cutting-edge development practices, tools and policies.

By Dave Nyczepir
November 14, 2018

How One Parks Department Created a Mobile Playground

Baton Rouge's parks agency wanted to get kids moving to combat youth obesity.

By Christine Vestal
November 14, 2018

When the Honors System Short-Changes State Parks

An audit found that one-third of park visitors in this state didn’t pay an entrance fee.

By Michael Grass
October 30, 2018

How a Midsize U.S. City Is Preparing to Host One of the World’s Largest Sporting Events

The IAAF track-and-field world championships are still three years away. Local officials in Eugene, Oregon may be “slightly nervous” but are embracing an “opportunity to really shine.”

By Michael Grass
October 15, 2018

Predicting Obesity From a City's Infrastructure

An artificial intelligence algorithm found a correlation between green space and obesity in several cities.

By Kate Elizabeth Queram
September 20, 2018

Mitigating Flood Impacts With Resiliency Parks

How a New Jersey city is combating flood risks with comprehensive parks planning

By Kate Elizabeth Queram
September 19, 2018

Hovercraft Case in Alaska Tests Federal Rules on Rivers in National Parks

A 9th Circuit decision—now before the U.S. Supreme Court— is being viewed by some as a potential “springboard for the expansion of federal control over state-owned navigable waters throughout the country.”

By Laura Maggi
September 16, 2018

This City Park Is Using Goats to Remove Invasive Plant Species

It's the goats' second season at Theodore Wirth Regional Park, a project spearheaded by the Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board.

By Kate Elizabeth Queram
July 12, 2018

Which Major City Has the Best Parks?

For the third year in a row, Minneapolis claimed the top spot in the Trust for Public Land's ParkScore index.

By Kate Elizabeth Queram
May 29, 2018

City in Michigan Removes Fountain Offensive to Native Americans

Kalamazoo officials have not yet decided what to do with a 1940 monument or how to repurpose the park space.

By Ben Lando, Special to Route Fifty
May 24, 2018

Report: 68 National Parks Threatened by Offshore Drilling Expansion

Companies simply can’t guarantee a catastrophic spill won’t occur jeopardizing the livelihoods of coastal communities, a new report says.

By Dave Nyczepir
May 23, 2018

Florida Snakes Remain Hungry as Hunters Capture 1,000th Python

STATE AND LOCAL ROUNDUP | Wisconsin localities turn to “wheel taxes” ... Sacramento plans massive tents for the homeless ... N.Y.C. rent-controlled housing at risk … and Toledo’s lead-safe property deadline.

By Michael Grass
May 22, 2018

Ann Arbor Puts a Cork in Public Tree Tapping

“Not only is tapping street and park trees illegal, but doing so causes damage, leaving trees susceptible to insects and diseases,” the city said in a newsletter.

By Kate Elizabeth Queram
May 15, 2018

Washington, D.C. dethroned three-time defending champ Minneapolis in the latest version of the ParkScore index, released this week by the Trust for Public Land.

Michigan's tourism arm will drop an album this month of ambient music layered with sound recordings from 10 state parks.

A new survey finds that urban forests could benefit from better data on climate change and pests and a focus on social equity.

New research finds that income, education, and race are correlated with access to green space across and within U.S. metro areas. But some cities are more equitable than others.

Wheeling, West Virginia looks to leverage its local network of bike trails.

STATE AND LOCAL ROUNDUP | Civil asset forfeiture reform bills … New Orleans short-term rental restrictions … and Oregon roadkill consumption rules.

STATE AND LOCAL ROUNDUP | Federal shutdown delays hurricane recovery funds … another Flint water crisis plea deal …. and confusion comes with Conn. town’s pay-per-bag trash collection proposal.

Brookings Institutions’ Bass Center for Transformative Placemaking wants to connect more residents to opportunities using cutting-edge development practices, tools and policies.

Baton Rouge's parks agency wanted to get kids moving to combat youth obesity.

An audit found that one-third of park visitors in this state didn’t pay an entrance fee.

The IAAF track-and-field world championships are still three years away. Local officials in Eugene, Oregon may be “slightly nervous” but are embracing an “opportunity to really shine.”

An artificial intelligence algorithm found a correlation between green space and obesity in several cities.

How a New Jersey city is combating flood risks with comprehensive parks planning

A 9th Circuit decision—now before the U.S. Supreme Court— is being viewed by some as a potential “springboard for the expansion of federal control over state-owned navigable waters throughout the country.”

It's the goats' second season at Theodore Wirth Regional Park, a project spearheaded by the Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board.

For the third year in a row, Minneapolis claimed the top spot in the Trust for Public Land's ParkScore index.

Kalamazoo officials have not yet decided what to do with a 1940 monument or how to repurpose the park space.

Companies simply can’t guarantee a catastrophic spill won’t occur jeopardizing the livelihoods of coastal communities, a new report says.

STATE AND LOCAL ROUNDUP | Wisconsin localities turn to “wheel taxes” ... Sacramento plans massive tents for the homeless ... N.Y.C. rent-controlled housing at risk … and Toledo’s lead-safe property deadline.

“Not only is tapping street and park trees illegal, but doing so causes damage, leaving trees susceptible to insects and diseases,” the city said in a newsletter.

Thank you!