Resources

Resources for Park and Recreation Professionals

With help from our members and research partners, we make the following resources and tools available to equip parks and recreation departments, municipalities, urban design and landscape architecture firms, and advocacy organizations to enhance capacity and build equitable, healthy, and engaged communities.

Member Exclusive
Agreement
Milwaukee Parks Foundation MOU with Milwaukee County Parks
Milwaukee Parks Foundation
This MOU between Milwaukee Parks Foundation and Milwaukee County Parks defines the relationship and the roles and responsibilities of each party.
Report
The Relationship Between Greenspace Exposure and Telomere Length in the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey
Science of The Total Environment
Living near green space could reduce a person’s biological age by 2.2-2.6 years, but can't offset the effects of discrimination and pollution.
Report
Neighborhood Greenspace and Neighborhood Income Associated with White Matter Grade Worsening: Cardiovascular Health Study
Alzheimer’s & Dementia/ University of Miami Miller School of Medicine's Comprehensive Center for Brain Health
A new study finds low income levels and a lack of green spaces are among the factors that can harm brain health.
Report
Surfacing Solutions: How Addressing Conflict and Reframing Challenges as Opportunities Can Create More Equitable and Sustainable Parks
Park People
Takeaways on trends, challenges and strategic directions in Canadian city parks in 2023.
Report
Ecology for Health: Design Guidance for Fostering Human Health and Biodiversity in Cities
San Francisco Estuary Institute
This document provides science-based guidance for designing urban spaces that foster both human health and urban biodiversity.
Report
Resilient Cities at the Intersection of Climate and Health
Resilient Cities Network and Yale University
2023 survey of city leaders to identify priorities in climate and health, capacity and existing infrastructure, and opportunities for collaboration.
Report
Fundamentals of Funding for Local Parks and Greenspace
Trust for Public Land
TPL’s 10-Minute Walk Program has compiled a list of common funding mechanisms for parks, along with a high-level summary of what they can fund.
Technical Tool
The Spectrum of Community Engagement to Ownership
Facilitating Power; Movement Strategy Center
Leaders across multiple sectors can use this spectrum to assess and revolutionize community engagement efforts to advance community-driven solutions.
Report
Managing High-Quality Parks Environments: Models and Lessons from Selected Parks in New York City, Chicago, and Cincinnati
University of Buffalo
This report examines the management features of the 21 parks to identify lessons for how to create and maintain a premier waterfront gathering place.
Report
Key Park Equity Policies: Toward a 10-Minute Walk Park Equity Policy Framework
Trust for Public Land
This report outlines policy solutions and examples that help create scaled, sustainable change and address the park equity divide.