April 2022 - Parks & Recreation - 10

EDITOR' S LETTER
Inaction Is Not an Option
As I write this month's column, I'm paying close attention to the
weather forecast as rain is expected to drop in Southern California.
Although there is a 40 percent chance of showers in the morning,
the amount of expected rainfall will be (pardon the pun) barely a
drop in the bucket when it comes to reversing severe drought conditions
in the Golden State. You need not live on the West Coast
to know that drought, excessive heat and wildfires have been our
reality for several years now. The question is: How can we all do
our part to sound the alarm?
This month Parks & Recreation magazine unveils its Conservation
Issue, which addresses this very question. In the cover story,
" Meeting the Challenges of Climate Change, " on page 32, Editorat-Large
Richard J. Dolesh takes a deep dive into this existential
threat and explains how it is changing the way park and recreation
agencies design, plan and manage their parks and green spaces.
He also provides real-world examples of how agencies across the
country are applying innovative principles for developing resilient green infrastructure. " We have
to look at every part of our system and how we connect blueways and greenways and streets and
communities. We must understand the impacts of climate change to the entire system, not just to
the individual pieces, " says Maria Nardi, director of Miami-Dade County Department of Parks,
Recreation and Open Spaces.
Natural disasters not only reveal the weaknesses in our national infrastructure, but also expose
the racial disparities and long-term damage that climate change inflicts upon our most vulnerable
communities. In the feature article, " Climate Change and the Threat to Racial Equity, " on page 38,
experts in the field discuss the direct link between the environment and race, as well as parks and
recreation's role in helping to reduce our carbon footprint. " We can do a better job of working with
our partners in city planning to build better sustainable development when it comes to housing in
areas of the underserved population. And to me, that's environmental justice - right planning in the
right place at the right time, " says Sara Hensley, city manager for City of Denton, Texas.
Want to know how some of your park and recreation colleagues are observing Earth Day?
Ayanna Williams, NRPA's director of community and environmental resilience, shares all the details
in the feature article, " Celebrating Earth Day, " on page 44. " On Earth Day, we can celebrate
partnerships and programs ripe with success. We also can enjoy the parks and green spaces in
our community and renew our commitment to finding solutions that build resilience, " she writes.
As you look through our special issue, I hope these articles inspire you. What's more, I encourage
you to engage with your own constituents, invite them into the climate change conversation,
and discuss ways for making your communities more environmentally resilient. Because at the
end of the day, we are all one community, one nation and one planet. And I think we all can agree
that inaction simply isn't an option.
PRESIDENT AND CEO
Kristine Stratton
VICE PRESIDENT OF
COMMUNICATIONS AND CHIEF
MARKETING OFFICER
Gina Mullins-Cohen
gcohen@nrpa.org
EXECUTIVE EDITOR AND
DIRECTOR OF PRINT AND
ONLINE CONTENT
Vitisia Paynich
vpaynich@nrpa.org
ASSOCIATE EDITOR AND
WRITER
Lindsay Hogeboom
lhogeboom@nrpa.org
MANAGER OF ONLINE
CONTENT
Jennifer Fulcher-Nguyen
jnguyen@nrpa.org
PUBLICATION DESIGN
Kim Mabon/Creative By Design
CreativeByDesign.net
SENIOR CORPORATE
DEVELOPMENT OFFICER
WESTERN REGION AND ASIA
Michelle Dellner
703.858.4635
mdellner@nrpa.org
SENIOR CORPORATE
DEVELOPMENT OFFICER EASTERN
REGION AND EUROPE
Paul Semple
916.880.5225
psemple@nrpa.org
DEVELOPMENT COORDINATOR
Melissa Hunter
703.858.2199
mhunter@nrpa.org
PHOTOGRAPHY
Dreamstime.com or NRPA
(unless otherwise noted)
VITISIA " VI " PAYNICH
Executive Editor
Director, Print and Online Content
10 Parks & Recreation | APRIL 2 0 22 | PARK S ANDRECRE AT ION . OR G
MAGAZINE ADVISORY
BOARD MEMBERS
Anthony-Paul Diaz, Chair
Michael Abbaté, FASLA
Neelay Bhatt
Ryan Eaker
Beau Fieldsend
Kathleen Gibi
Paul Gilbert, CPRP
Tim Herd, CPRE
Brian Johnson, CPSI
Denise Johnson-Caldwell
Roslyn Johnson, CPRP
Michele Lemons
Sam Mendelsohn
Maria Nardi
Lisa Paradis, CPRP
Paula Sliefert
Shonnda Smith, CPRP, AFO
Ronnetta Spalding
Anne-Marie Spencer
Stephen Springs
http://www.CreativeByDesign.net http://www.Dreamstime.com
April 2022 - Parks & Recreation

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