Open Space Radio

The December issue of Parks & Recreation magazine is out now, and on today's bonus episode of the podcast, we're going to be diving deeper into one of this month's feature stories, titled, " Biodiversity Lays the Pathway to Good Health ." The article explores how the COVID-19 pandemic could become the tipping point for connecting biodiversity with human health, and we're thrilled to be joined by t...

If you attended the 2020 NRPA Annual Conference: A Virtual Experience (NRPA Virtual), you may have joined us for the Coffee Talk sessions that we hosted at the beginning and end of each day, when we had the opportunity to chat with park and recreation professionals, thought leaders, subject matter experts and NRPA staff about some of the most pressing issues that are impacting your work. While eac...

Today is November 3, 2020 – an important day for our country, our democracy, our values and our future. Today is Election Day! On this day — and over the last few weeks — millions of Americans will head to the polls to make their voices heard. And whether you mailed in your ballot, voted early or are still undecided as you listen to this episode, we know that our guests today are going to provide...

On t his  bonus episode of the podcast, we're going to be diving deeper into one of the feature stories from the November issue of  Parks & Recreation  magazine, titled, "A New Approach to Parks and Recreation System Planning." In this article, the author — and our guest  on  today 's episode  — writes about how today's environment is shifting our thinking about the future of parks and recreation...

With NRPA's 2021-2023 Strategic Plan, we made a commitment to centering equity in all that we do. And we talked about this with our president and CEO, Kristine Stratton, on episode 70 . The vital importance of focusing on equity has been put into the spotlight, as this year has underscored the many systemic inequities that exist in our world. Whether through the lens of public health, criminal jus...

We talk a lot about how important physical activity is, and we know this has been especially true throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, when people have taken to their local parks to not only maintain their physical well-being, but their mental well-being, as well. However, there is a form of physical activity that we don't get to talk about as often: action sports. Sports like skateboarding, surfing...

On this month's bonus episode of Open Space Radio, we're diving deeper into the cover story of the October issue of Parks & Recreation magazine, "Glenn Harris: An Advocate for Racial Equity and Social Justice." In the article, NRPA's executive editor, Vitisia Paynich, interviewed our keynote speaker for the 2020 NRPA Annual Conference: A Virtual Experience, Glenn Harris. Glenn is the president of...

On our previous episode of Open Space Radio, which was part one of our Great American Outdoors Act coverage, we spoke with Happy Haynes, the executive director of Denver Parks and Recreation, about what the passage of the Great American Outdoors Act meant for access to quality parks and recreation opportunities in her city and the country as a whole. On today's episode — part two of our coverage —...

Last month, we witnessed history as the Great American Outdoors Act was officially signed into law. This legislation will definitively fully fund the Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF). LWCF is the most important source of federal funding to create and develop local parks, trails, boat launches, sports fields, and other recreation areas and park infrastructure that enrich our communities. Per...

On this episode of Open Space Radio, we're celebrating our birthday! We started Open Space Radio a little over three years ago, and while many of you may have heard us talk about the early days of finding our podcasting groove — with not a whole lot of podcasting experience to pull from — we like to invite you, our listeners, in every once in a while to reflect back on some of our favorite Open Sp...

The September issue of Parks & Recreation magazine is out now, and on this month's bonus episode, we're diving deeper into the cover story, "Going Above and Beyond," by NRPA's executive editor, Vitisia Paynich. The story highlights how the COVID-19 pandemic and the fight for racial equity compelled the Baltimore County Department of Recreation and Parks to mobilize and take action in order to cont...

On this episode of Open Space Radio, we are talking about BioBlitzes. And the only thing more fun than saying "BioBlitz" may be actually participating in one. A BioBlitz is an event where your community can visit your park and identify the different wildlife species in that area. It provides an opportunity for people to understand and learn about the various species in that area, and also provides...

On today's episode of Open Space Radio, we are looking at where NRPA is going in the next three years and beyond. Like any organization or group, every few years we must assess where we've been, where we are and where we want to go. Over the past several years, NRPA has centered our strategic plans around our three pillars: health and wellness, social equity and conservation. Now, we're building u...

The  August issue of Parks & Recreation magazine  is out now, and on today's bonus episode, we're diving deeper into one of this month's feature stories, " Restoring Nature's Playground ." We're thrilled to be joined by the two authors, Patti Sterling, the grants coordinator for Town of Bel Air, Maryland, and Akosua Cook, a park planner for the city of Chattanooga, Tennessee, to talk about the imp...

On today's episode of Open Space Radio, we're thrilled to be joined by Dr. Kim and Claude Walker — the founders of the Nashville-based Abundant Life Adventure Club, which is an outdoor adventure company breaking down barriers to the outdoors so that everyone can enjoy the wellness benefits of parks and open spaces. The mission of the Abundant Life Adventure Club is one that we're excited to dive i...

Today's episode of Open Space Radio is all about what park and recreation professionals have been doing to creatively and safely engage their communities in the past few months and their plans for the summer ahead. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, many park and recreation agencies have had to come up with innovative ways to not only implement virtual programming options, but also make sure the people...

The July issue of Parks & Recreation magazine is out now, and on today's bonus episode of Open Space Radio we're diving deeper into the cover story, " Celebrating YOU This July ." As you know, we usually interview the author or the subjects of the magazine article for our bonus episode each month, but in today's case, the author is already with us! Cort Jones, NRPA Communications Manager and fello...

We're in a time where many people are having tough conversations with friends, family, loved ones and colleagues. We're living through a global pandemic, an economic crisis, a fight for racial equity — and it's all happening at once. Amidst all of this, there is another crisis that continues to exist — the opioid crisis and substance use disorder. According to Kaiser Health News , the COVID-19 pan...

Open Space Radio condemns all forms of racism and violence. We mourn the loss of all those whose lives have ended as a result of senseless brutality. As part of the #podcastblackout, we stand firmly with all who seek justice and reform and are using our platform to protest the death of these people: George Floyd Eric Harris Breonna Taylor Ahmaud Arbery Ezell Ford Alton Sterling Sean Bell Trayvon M...

The June issue of Parks & Recreation magazine is out now, and on today's bonus episode of Open Space Radio, we're diving deeper into one of this month's feature stories, " Homelessness and the Global Pandemic ," which explores how the Los Angeles City Department of Recreation and Parks (RAP) is supporting people experiencing homelessness, among other vulnerable populations, during the COVID-19 pan...

Every day, in communities across the country, the people of parks and recreation are providing essential services and making their communities better places to live, work and play. This July, for Park and Recreation Month , NRPA will be redefining the field of parks and recreation as a vital necessity by sharing how park and recreation professionals are frontline staff, confronting our most pressi...

We often get to have conversations with park and recreation professionals who are doing incredible work in their communities. Many times, the guests who are gracious enough to join us on Open Space Radio are people who are already established in their careers. It's not every day, though, that we get to chat with college students who are studying the field of parks and recreation and who will soon...

The May issue of Parks & Recreation magazine is out now, and on today's bonus episode of Open Space Radio, we're diving deeper into one of the feature articles, " Collaboration in the Time of Pandemic ." We're honored to be joined by the author, and executive director of NOVA Parks, Paul Gilbert, as well as Jane Rudolph, director of Arlington County Department of Parks and Recreation, and Kirk Kin...

Earth Day is a time when people all over the world promote the importance of environmental awareness, and it serves as a reminder that anyone can take small steps to protect the environment. This year, on April 22, we will celebrate the 50th anniversary of Earth Day. Earth Day has been a critical event since its inception in 1970 – in fact, in response to the very first Earth Day, landmark environ...

The year was 1870. It was only five years after the end of the Civil War, and it was the year that the California legislature proclaimed the inception of Golden Gate Park in San Francisco. This iconic park is affectionately known to San Franciscans as "Everybody's Park," and 150 years later, it is celebrating its sesquicentennial. We originally recorded today's episode a few months ago with Phil G...