April 2022 - Parks & Recreation - 46

EARTH DAY
This year, April 22 marks the
52nd anniversary of Earth Day.
According to the history shared
on EARTHDAY.ORG (tinyurl.
com/mpuvsnj9), " Earth Day
1970 achieved a rare political
alignment, enlisting support from
Republicans and Democrats, rich
and poor, urban dwellers and
farmers, business and labor leaders.
By the end of 1970, the first
Earth Day led to the creation of
the United States Environmental
Protection Agency [EPA] and
the passage of other first-of-theirkind
environmental laws, including
the National Environmental
Education Act, the Occupational
Safety and Health Act, and
the Clean Air Act. " These and
other government agencies and
environmentally-focused laws
impact how parks are managed
and maintained in 2022. " Today,
Earth Day is widely recognized
as the largest secular observance
in the world, marked by more
than a billion people every year as
a day of action to change human
behavior and create global, national
and local policy changes, "
states EARTHDAY.ORG.
To find out what current opportunities
and challenges professionals
face when planning Earth
Day celebrations, volunteer and
educational events, I spoke with
Revonda Cosby, executive director
for the Arabia Mountain National
Heritage Area Alliance in Georgia.
I also had a conversation with
Dr. Rasheeda Hawk, a clinical researcher
and adjunct professor at
Los Angeles Community College.
Additionally, I visited with Ben
Nemenoff, director of development,
and Caroline Norris, director
of sales and events, at Shelby
Farms Park in Memphis, Tennessee.
Across the board, they shared
that already over-extended staff
was a challenge, but public-private
partnerships, citizen science and
use of technology to amplify their
message were opportunities.
Arabia Mountain National
Heritage Area
Many are approaching Earth Day
with caution due to the continuing
COVID-19 pandemic fluctuations
and, often, staffing challenges.
Few are planning large events
as were typical in the past. Instead,
many park and recreation agencies
are leaning on partnerships
with community nonprofits, government
agencies and corporate
sponsors. In the Arabia Mountain
National Heritage Area, regularly
scheduled volunteer days are meeting
success with corporate groups
46 Parks & Recreation | APRIL 2 0 22 | PARK S ANDRECRE AT ION . OR G
looking to cultivate a spirit of stewardship
at spaces like Davidson
Arabia Mountain Nature Preserve.
Instead of a traditional banquet
or community celebration, like an
Earth Day festival, many events are
going virtual and are being spread
out over the month of April. The
alliance also is highlighting diverse
stories, events and news via blogs
and with the help of creative influencers.
In previous years, Arabia
Mountain National Heritage
Area released a video for Earth
Day highlighting the unique green
spaces in this national heritage area
and the power of parks. " Our connection
to the earth is one of the
things that makes us human. These
forests, meadows, trails and mountains
are waiting for you. Whether
you're hiking, biking, fishing,
kayaking or discovering our natural
history, the Arabia Mountain
National Heritage Area provides
us with beauty and peace year after
year, no matter the state of the
world, " states the video (tinyurl.
com/mr3wb5f9).
Seeds of Carver
Earth Day is a time to celebrate
past success and create space for
positive action. It can be powerful
to reflect on the historical and
present-day
environmental
wins
in your community. Earth Day
also is an opportunity to highlight
unique solutions to persistent problems
and roll out new programs
that address historic environmental
injustices. Seeds of Carver, a
collective urban garden under the
Los Angeles Community Garden
Council, led by scientist and professor
Dr. Hawk, engages young
people in South Los Angeles in a
project to restore the soil by planting
sunflowers - a technical process
called " bioremediation. " " The
http://www.EARTHDAY.ORG http://tinyurl.com/mpuvsnj9 http://tinyurl.com/mpuvsnj9 http://www.EARTHDAY.ORG http://tinyurl.com/mr3wb5f9 http://tinyurl.com/mr3wb5f9
April 2022 - Parks & Recreation

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of April 2022 - Parks & Recreation
