May 2008

UpFront

Ten thousand trees planted in a single day, with the ultimate goal of 1 million new trees by 2017. A fleet of city vehicles powered by, among other things, soybean oil and the sun. Youth programming that encourages habitat restoration, diversity of species, and improved water quality.

No, we’re not talking about Seattle or San Francisco here (although those folks are certainly doing their fair share of wonderful things).

This is New York City, the concrete jungle, the city that never sleeps. This month’s first-ever Green Issue introduces readers to two enviro-giants on the NYC scene: New York City Department of Parks and Recreation Commissioner Adrian Benepe, who, along with Mayor Michael Bloomberg, has pledged to turn the agency into “New York’s Greenest,” and David Rivel, executive director of City Parks Foundation, a nonprofit that provides green (and non-green) programming to youth in all five of the city’s boroughs.

All of this brings up a great point. If a city as big as New York can take the green leap, what can the rest of us be doing in our own towns to follow suit? Surely there are some steps we can take to make an existing process or program more sustainable and healthier for our natural environment.

So go ahead, take a bite of our inaugural Green Issue. We guarantee it will have you feeling positively green—not with envy, but with inspiration.

:: In This Month's Issue ::

Pr_may08On the Cover
The (Big) Green Apple
By Adrian Benepe
The New York City Department of Parks and Recreation is considering the environment around every turn.



OTHER FEATURES

Going to Extremes
By Kelly Bastone
From Oklahoma to Tennessee, public park and recreation agencies are responding to residents' enthusiasm for action sports.

Headway on the Hill
From NRPA staff reports
NRPA's 2008 National Legislative Forum on Parks and Recreation was the most syccessful ever.

COLUMNS

Perspectives: The Resason Why
By Linda Kotowski, CPRP
Let's not keep the benefits of parks and recreation a secret.

Advocacy Update: Dollars and Sense?
By Stacey Pine and Richard J. Dolesh
NRPA's environmental summit is setting a national course for stewardship.

Research Update: Perceiving Leisure
By Byunggook Kim
Leisure is viewed from and experience-shape perspective.

Law Review: Field-Use Policy Favors Residents
By James C. Kozlowski, J.D., Ph.D.
A selective soccer field policy gets kicked  around in the courts.

In Every Issue

UpFront  I  P&R Contributors  I  Leave It Better  I  Playbook  I  Tip-Off  I  NRPA in Action  I  FirstPerson  I  Product Roundup  I  Index to Advertisers  I  Picture This

Coming Up in Next Month's Parks & Recreation

>> When disaster strikes: Clean up your trails after a natural catastrophe

>> We gain insight from Adrian Benepe, New York City's parks director, about the department's efforts to be a better environmental steward.

>> Check out highlights from NRPA's National Legislative Forum on Parks and Recreation in Washington, D.C.