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Health and Parks: Why It Matters


"Over the last five years, the YMCA has made a concerted effort to get outside of our four walls and into the communities where people are living, working, learning and playing," says Katie Adamson, the YMCA's National Director of Health Programs.  "With that in mind, there could be few better partners for us than the National Park Service."
 
As the YMCA was hoping to get its members active outdoors, the National Park Service (NPS) -- galvanized by the obesity crisis threatening our nation's health -- was seeking community partners to introduce a new generation of Americans to the parks.  Starting with a collaboration between the YMCA and National Park Service Rivers, Trails and Conservation Assistance (RTCA) program, the relationship has blossomed.  Today, the NPS is providing technical assistance to a half-dozen YMCAs across the country, on projects ranging from South Carolina's Upper Pee Dee Greenways, Trails and Blueways to Bath Trails in Maine.  Overall, healthy recreation has become a major NPS focus, with over 60 RTCA current projects highlighting community wellness.
 
This spring, the YMCA placed "Member News" posters in every Y across the country, promoting national parks and national trails to their 21 million members.  They distributed a brochure about National Parks Week as part of their Healthy Kids Day celebration in April, and intensified online connections with the NPS.  (Now, when you search for your local Y, you will also find an icon to help discover a national park or trail near you.)

Most recently, the YMCA has submitted a partnership proposal to NPS to launch a multi-city, multi-year collaboration to build "Healthier Youth and Healthier Communities".  The first phase won endorsements from some of the largest Y's in the country as well as six national park units, including Boston Harbor Islands, Gateway, Golden Gate, Mississippi National River, Mount Rainier and Saguaro.


Getting Involved

Catalysts: Getting Involved

Learn more about promoting physical activity in parks and communities and see examples of NPS healthy community partnerships
And for your own health, you can celebrate National Trails Day or
National Park Week at an event near you, or take a kid to a Junior Ranger Day event -- all coming up this spring.
Learning from the Field: San Francisco, California
Richmond YMCA

Trailhead: YMCA in Richmond, CA

It started as a coincidence.  Robert Sindelar, then Executive Director of the Richmond District YMCA in California, ran into an NPS staffer at a community meeting.  They quickly realized they could multiply their impact by working together. "We both share a vision of making sure that parks are accessible to all people, and not just people who may have traditionally used them," says Sindelar.  "We have outreach throughout the broader community and the NPS has expertise and knowledge about resources. It's an incredible synergy."

In short order, the Richmond Y created a "neighborhood trailhead" -- even though it was outside park boundaries -- because people were already gathering there.  They produced materials about the trail for speakers of Chinese and Russian to reach those sizable communities, put up a giant map, and offered suggestions about routes people could walk if they had a half-hour or an hour to spare.  "We incorporated fitness and how many calories you'd burn," says Sindelar, "but also what types of nature you're going to see and historical markers."  He adds: "Partnering with a park is a great way to get people physically active in a non-threatening way, and then you can continue the relationship and support them in making healthier choices."
 
The Richmond District Y has formed a volunteer group -- trained by NPS staff -- to help maintain trails.  Sindelar is now the Executive Director of the Presidio Community YMCA, also in San Francisco, where he is continuing his NPS connection, so the "neighborhood trailhead" program may spread to other Ys.
 
"Some kids have never experienced a hike and haven't spent a night under the stars," says Chuck Collins, President and CEO of the YMCA of San Francisco.  His aim is to change that.  "Working with the National Park Service, we want kids to understand environmental stewardship, the natural environment, and how to take action based on that knowledge."

Learning from the Field: Asheville, North Carolina

Asheville
Asheville, North Carolina: Walking Expert Mark Fenton (blue vest) leads a Community
Assessment

With its beautiful mountain scenery and thriving arts community, Asheville, North Carolina is often called one of the best places in the country to live.  But there was an obstacle holding the community back from its goal of being the healthiest community in the state.  "People here are eager to get walking, get healthier physically, and help the environment," says NPS staffer Dawn Godwin.  "But it's harder than we'd like for people to walk or ride a bike in Asheville."  The NPS partnered with the YMCA of Western North Carolina to create Activate Asheville, an umbrella group working with key stakeholders in the area, including elected officials, the Chamber of Commerce, local hospitals, media outlets, schools, and more.
 
The project launched in November with a three-day summit featuring a community walk, breakfast with the mayor, and other events drawing over 170 people.  The goal, says Godwin, "is to focus on making Asheville more walkable and bikeable through policy and infrastructure change."  As an example, the group plans to collaborate with architects and engineers building two new schools in the county to develop trails where kids can walk to and around the school, and to design a vehicular pick-up/drop-off area that eases congestion and encourages walking.

Let's Work Together


Richmond Map

San Francisco, California:

Richmond Neighborhood Trailhead Map


Could your project benefit from 1-2 years' staff time from a National Park Service specialist?


If you're working on restoring a river, building a community trail, or making an urban park flourish, we'd love to talk with you about ways we could work together. Please call or email your regional representative today. The next program application deadline is August 1, 2009.

NPS Conservation and Recreation Links

Challenge Cost Share Program | Partnership Wild and Scenic Rivers | Federal Lands to Parks

Hydropower Relicensing Program | National Trails System |  Urban Park and Recreation Recovery

Land and Water Conservation Fund | Rivers, Trails and Conservation Assistance Program

The Update informs Department of the Interior staff, organizational partners, and friends about the program successes and activities of the National Park Service Conservation and Outdoor Recreation Programs. For more details, please contact the staff person involved with each project.

This e-newsletter may be copied or redirected. Our staff would be pleased to assist your editor in adapting each story for your publication; for more information, please call (202) 354-6918 or e-mail [email protected].
Images courtesy National Park Service.

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