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Conservation + Recreation: 
August, 2012 
In the News

Outdoor Nation in Boston. Nearly 100 young people camped out on one of Boston's harbor islands as a part of a dynamic Outdoor Nation summit. The Appalachian Mountain Club was there, and did a great write up of the event.

 

Urban Farming. Not all city neighborhoods are created equal; some parts have much better access to a variety of food, especially fresh food, options than others. Increasingly, urban farming has become a popular way to improve access to food, but did you know that urban farming creates an important sense of community that can lower the crime rate? Check out this in-depth article about urban farming and the impact on crime.

 

Bike Share coming to Texas Park. The San Antonio Missions National Historic Park has partnered with the City of San Antonio and their bike share program to connect the park and the downtown using bikes. It's the first bike share program in Texas, and the program will roll out with 23 stations and over 220 bikes for the community and visitors to use.

 

Saw Mill River Rebirth. In Yonkers, N.Y. the Saw Mill River used to flow underneath a parking lot. Through the efforts of this "daylighting project," the River now flows above ground, beautifying Yonkers and spurring economic development around a new river walk.

 

Groundwork Green Team goes Camping. The Green Team participants from Groundwork Anacostia River, Washington D.C., took part in a five-day camping trip to Shenandoah National Park, where they received instruction in environmental restoration, GPS technology and exotic plant management.  The trip helped foster environmental stewardship through service learning and an increased appreciation for the mission of the National Park Service, as well as the opportunity to have fun! Check out the pictures from their trip

Findings and Publications

Your Park Personality. Have you ever wondered what type of park fits you best? The Trust for Public Land has created an online tool that helps you learn about your park personality. If you take their quiz, share your park personality with us on Facebook.

 

Experience Your America Right Outside Your Door: 10 Ways to Keep Your Family Active EverydayThis kid-friendly booklet offers ten tips for families to incorporate fun outdoor physical activity into their everyday lives. It provides resources to help families find local outdoor recreation opportunities in their own communities.

New Tools

Youth in the Outdoors. The Department of the Interior and the U.S. Forest Service have teamed up to create a new online tool for young people to help find opportunities outdoors. The website, youthgo.gov, provides recreation, educational, and job opportunities conveniently located in one place.

 

Economic Impacts of Recreation. Dr. Ken Cordell is one of the leading scholars researching outdoor recreation and its economic impacts. His work is available online, take a look and see if one of his reports can supplement your own work.

Upcoming Events

News and events. The National Park Service Rivers, Trails, and Conservation Assistance program maintains a list of upcoming conferences and recent events. Were you able to attend one? If so, tell us about it on our Facebook page.  

Grants and Job Opportunities

Project Pack (Ends 8/17/2012). Outdoor Nation has teamed up with Merrell to launch the Pack Project Grants Program, to increase participation in outdoor recreation. Take a look at the grant description to learn more..

 

South Platte Urban Waters Coordinator (Ends 9/4/2012). For an interested Administrative Professional, this opportunity is a full-time, regular two-year appointment. Please review the full job posting here.

 

Tennessee River Gorge Executive Director (Ends 8/15/2012). The Tennessee River Gorge Trust, Inc, is located in Chattanooga Tennessee with the mission to protect the ecological diversity, scenic beauty, and historic past of the Tennesse River Gorge. Click here to read the job description details.

Trail of the Month

Urban Trails in Denver. The Colorado Mountain Biking Association, a chapter of the International Mountain Biking Association, is working with Groundwork Denver to build and maintain trails in the Denver urban area. These trails are our Trail of the Month!

A Tip of the Hat to...  

Kathy Newberg

Nebraska Horse Trails Committee Chairman

Lincoln, Nebraska

 

Kathy Newberg has been the foundation of the Nebraska Horse Trails Committee since its inception in 2001.  This long time trail rider requested assistance from the Rivers, Trails, and Conservation Assistance (RTCA) program to create a working group to maintain and create horse trails in Nebraska.  Eleven years later, she is chairman of the Nebraska Horse Trails Committee again and remains dedicated to the organization's goals.

 

Kathy has dedicated thousands of hours promoting horse trails, gathering volunteers, and coordinating projects.  As a result of her dedication and hard work, the group has enjoyed multiple successes over the years building new trails and improving camping facilities for equestrians.  The latest project was to partner with RTCA staff and Branched Oak State Recreation Area to plan and fund a new equestrian trailhead and campground.  Special features include an accessible campsite and mounting ramp.

 

Kathy's hard work has enabled her to move beyond just wishing for more trails.  She has become an effective advocate and has developed productive and lasting relationships with Nebraska land managers.  We salute Kathy for her dedication to improving equestrian resources.

Let's Work Together
Could your project benefit from collaboration with a National Park Service specialist?
 
If you're 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.  
 
   
Call or email your regional representative today.
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Conservation + Recreation is written to support and inform our organizational partners, friends of the program, potential partners, and Department of the Interior staff. It's our chance to share activities and successes and those of our partners. For details on specific projects, please contact the staff person involved with each project.

Images courtesy National Park Service except as noted.