Parks

Social Benefits

As community places, parks have something to offer everyone, from kids and teens to the elderly; their presence can also be a cohesive force in a neighborhood, or an entire city.
  • The Public Value of Urban Parks

    A report from the Urban Institute examines the hidden life of urban parks in creating stronger neighborhoods.

  • Places for People

    Why do some parks flourish while others fail? M. Christine DeVita, President of the Wallace-Reader's Digest Funds, shows why community involvement is key. From Trust for Public Land's "Land and People" magazine.

  • Obesity Trends in the U.S.: 1985-2000

    This dramatic PowerPoint presentation from the Centers for Disease control can help you make a powerful case for more green space - along with the programming and other activities to encourage people to use it. See the listing below for the CDC's complementary "Active Communities" initiative.

  • Parks, Recreation, & "Active Community Environments"

    This initiative from the Centers for Disease Control links neighborhood design with public health, promoting the development and use of close-to-home parks and many other planning changes to encourage physical activity. Includes a two-page downloadable information sheet.

  • Impact and Benefits of Recreation on Youth-at-Risk

    A report from Canada focusing on the role that physical activity and recreation can play in the development of young people, and in reducing youth-related risk factors.

  • Cohesive Neighborhoods are Safer Neighborhoods

    Do parks decrease violence? Information from SCIENCE magazine and a Harvard University study.

  • Why Trees Are Good

    Beyond Joyce Kilmer- stats and other useful information about contributions trees make to neighborhood environmental quality, visitor perceptions, and more.

  • What Good Is Community Greening?

    Research that supports the common sense answers you've been using for years -- from the American Community Gardening Association.

  • Benefits of Recreation in Winter

    An overview of the "benefits" literature and some specifics as they pertain to winter recreation.

  • An Old Game Brings New Life to San Rafael's Albert Park

    A community-based planning process reveals traditional activities, such as bocce, that transform a forgotten park into a true community place.

  • The Benefits of Parks: Why America Needs More City Parks and Open Space

    A highly informative examination of the essential role parks play in urban neighborhoods, this white paper from Trust for Public Land includes chapters on the health, environmental, economic, and social benefits of parks and open spaces.