The Role of Urban Forestry in Parks, Green Infrastructure, and Equity
The Great Urban Parks Campaign
Green Infrastructure in parks to benefit underserved neighborhoods
What We Will Cover• Introduction (Kevin O’Hara)
• Great Urban Parks Campaign
• Research on green infrastructure and equity (Jennifer Henaghan)
• Green infrastructure definitions• Parks, green infrastructure, and equity: background
research
• Parks, green infrastructure, and equity: leading the way (Lori Robertson)
• Pilot projects
Great Urban Parks Campaign
• Partnership
• Current initiative
• Grant awards
City and Regional Open SpaceAn interconnected network of natural areas and other open spaces that conserves natural ecosystem values and functions, sustains clean area and water, and provides a wide array of benefits to people and wildlife.
Green Stormwater InfrastructureSystems and practices that use or mimic natural processes to infiltrate, evapotranspirate, or reuse stormwater on the site where it is generated.
Green Infrastructure Definitions
Green Infrastructure at Scale
Regional
City
Neighborhood
Site
The Triple Bottom Line
• Environmental• Economic• Social Equity
Green Infrastructure Co-Benefits
Parks, Green Infrastructure and Equity: Background Research
• Parks are a primary component of green infrastructure networks
• Green infrastructure co-benefits• Green infrastructure can provide “exceptional
benefits for the urban poor” beyond stormwater management
• Poor and underserved neighborhoods have less access to green infrastructure (e.g., parks, tree canopy) than more affluent communities
Case Studies
Background Research: Initial Findings
• Extensive community engagement processes • Nonprofit organizations typically were the bridges between the
community and the public agencies responsible for designing, constructing, and maintaining the projects.
• Education features prominently in many of the case studies at a range of scales, from dedicated outdoor classrooms to informational signage explaining the purpose and benefits of green infrastructure components.
• Funding typically combines a variety of sources: local tax dollars, grants from federal, state, and nonprofit agencies, and donations from private businesses, community organizations, and residents.
Questions for Further Research and Development• How can a formal emphasis on green infrastructure and equity be
incorporated in the park planning and community planning process?
• What public-private partnership financing models lend themselves to these types of projects?
• Are there examples of policies to ensure equity in the siting of green infrastructure in parks?
• How can the private sector be brought into these projects?
• What barriers (regulations, technical knowledge, maintenance considerations, etc.) can impede green infrastructure implementation?
• How can potential gentrification from investment in parks be addressed?
Jennifer Henaghan, [email protected]
Link to Background Research:https://www.planning.org/nationalcenters/green/urbanparkshttps://www.planning.org/nationalcenters/green/urbanparks
Current Projects
www.nrpa.org
• Parks and People Foundation – Baltimore, MD
• Pittsburgh Park Conservancy – Pittsburgh, PA
• Environmental Learning for Kids –
Denver, CO
• Park Pride – Atlanta, GA
www.nrpa.org
Urban Forestry and Green Infrastructure
Community Engagement