Hosted by AmericanTrails.org

Parks and trails in Congress from NRPA

Washington, DC update from National Recreation and Park Association

Congressional Budget Plan Boosts Conservation Spending

Annually, Congress prepares a budget resolution to determine the total amount of spending and set limits on spending levels for each appropriations bill. Currently, Congress is moving forward with a budget resolution, which calls for a $1.5 billion increase in total natural resource and environmental spending. It is important to note that this proposed increase will be spread over many programs and multiple spending bills.I Appropriators still must determine the actual funding amounts for specific programs.  However, within the Interior Appropriations bill, park and recreation advocates are hoping to see boosts in federal, state and local partnership programs that provide funds for matching federal investments and technical assistance.

Centennial Initiative

The President has proposed the largest dollar increase in history for the National Park Service as part of the 10 year planning effort to begin preparations for the 100th anniversary of the National Park System in 1916. The planned increase of $258 million in the NPS budget would increase funding for operations, maintenance, and personnel, adding 3000 full and part time positions among other increases. However, the proposed budget would also cut all funding for the Land and Water Conservation Fund state assistance program, a top priority of NRPA and advocates for parks and recreation across the nation. However worthwhile and necessary the proposed increases for the NPS budget are, NRPA strongly believes they should not occur at the expense of LWCF, and advocates for a reasonable compromise to achieve needed funding for both the Centennial Initiative and important programs that have demonstrated long term benefits such as the LWCF.

LWCF State Assistance Advocacy Ramped-up

Since January, park and recreation advocates have been encouraging the U.S. Congress to provide adequate funding for the Land Water Conservation Fund (LWCF) State Assistance program which is once again proposed for termination in the President's 2008 proposed budget. Public Policy staff and NRPA members have coordinated a nationwide advocacy effort to support for this vital program in both the House and the Senate.

In the Senate, Sen. Ken Salazar (D-CO) and Sen. Susan Collins (R-ME) co-sponsored a Dear Colleague letter requesting the Interior Appropriations subcommittee to provide $125 million for LWCF State Assistance. The letter was delivered to the Appropriations Subcommittee Chairman with 44 Senators signing on in support. In the House, a similar effort was initiated by Reps. James McGovern (D-MA), Rush Holt (D-NJ), and Peter King (R-NY). Their letter requested the Interior Appropriations subcommittee to fund LWCF state assistance at $100 million. Their letter produced 122 House Members signed-on in support.

NRPA and a coalition of national organizations continues to advocate for this very important and worthwhile program and strongly opposes the the proposed termination of the program as proposed by the President's 2008 budget request.

Interest in Urban Parks Re-Emerging on Capitol Hill

Directors of the largest urban park and recreation systems in the nation, working with NRPA Public Policy staff, have reinvigorated a dialogue among federal legislators to once again fund the Urban Park and Recreation Recovery Program (UPARR). Since 1978 the program has provided over $270 million in matching grants for 1529 projects to plan, restore and refurbish existing park facilities in economically distressed areas.

Rep. Donald Payne (D-NJ) and Rep. Chris Murphy (D-CT) initiated a Dear Colleague letter in the House, co-signed by 38 members, requesting $30 million for UPARR for FY 2008. Similarly, in the Senate, a letter from Sen. Carl Levin (D-MI) and Sen. Norm Coleman (R-MN) generated the support of 17 Senators on behalf the urban parks program. NRPA in cooperation with the urban directors and a number of national adovocacy organizations views the efforts this year as an important first step in a long-term effort to reinvigorate and modernize funding for urban parks.

Children in Nature

Over the past several years an increasing number of scholars, park and recreation professionals, and public officials, have called attention to the growing disconnect between children and nature.  Author Richard Louv describes this phenomenon in his book Last Child in the Woods as the nature-deficit disorder (NDD).  This issue has attracted attention from leading conservation groups, corporations, and government officials including Secretary of the Interior, Dirk Kempthorne.  An emerging national coalition is committed not only to raising awareness about the problem, but also to providing significant funding to support well-designed, successful, and innovative solutions nationwide. 

NRPA believes that public parks and recreation are vital to the national effort to engage children in enjoying the outdoors and providing safe, healthful ways explore nature.  NRPA is committed to establishing local park and recreation agencies as critical elements of the larger national movement.  As part of this effort, the leaders and members of two professional branches of NRPA, the National Society for Park Resources and the American Park and Recreation Society, have joined forces to encourage to encourage NRPA agencies to gather information about programming and facilities that provide children and their families with structured and unstructured opportunities to experience and enjoy nature.  This information will help NRPA to systematically document gaps as well as successes, as well as to communicate about the central role that park and recreation agencies nationwide play to provide these critical connections.   

More resources:

Bibliography
Quotations
Glossary
Acronyms
Tools
Trailbuilding
Wildlife and trails
Planning
Maintenance
Volunteers
Products & services

Do you need training?
Do you have training opportunities you'd like to publicize?
Are you a trails expert who can teach trail skills to others?
The National Trails Training Partnership wants to work with you to make training more available.

Contact us!