February 2013 - Parks & Recreation - 29
C O N S E R VAT I O N
purposes. It involves government
spending and its impact on the
economy as a whole.
Last year, the State of Oregon
Parks and Recreation Department
(OPRD), a strong proponent of sustainable parks, included as a component of the 2013-2017 Oregon Statewide Comprehensive Outdoor Recreation
Plan a chapter on " Developing Sustainable Park Systems in Oregon. "
The overall goal of sustainable
parks, according to the chapter, is
to promote the use of sustainable
practices, maximize the useful life
of buildings and park facilities, and
enhance the natural environment.
It provides state and local park and
recreation providers with a better understanding of sustainability
practices and recommends steps to
create sustainable parks.
OPRD proposed revising the
state grant program's evaluation
criteria to emphasize sustainability for land acquisition, new facility
development, major rehabilitation,
and trail projects. These important,
new sustainability criteria award
applicants additional points for the
use of sustainable design, practices, and elements. A well-designed
park and recreation project utilizing sustainable design, elements,
or practices would likely receive
the maximum points under the new
evaluation criteria.
Secondly, Oregon developed a
self-assessment tool kit to help park
and recreation providers evaluate
their current levels of sustainable
practices. The assessment tool (Sustainable Park and Recreation Practices Scorecard) will also assist in
establishing a statewide baseline and
tracking future improvements.
Grant recipients throughout Oregon are already incorporating
sustainable elements into projects.
Some examples include installation
28
Parks & Recreation
of green roofs on buildings, use of
pervious surfaces for parking lots and
trails, installation of rain gardens to
treat storm water on site, irrigation
controls adjusted for rainfall, and automatic lighting controls to minimize
electricity use.
Why Should We Care about
Sustainable Parks?
A commitment to sustainable management practices provides an opportunity to address many of our most
pressing challenges, such as balancing the design and construction of
parks with long-term maintenance
requirements, enhancing community
living, and reducing consumption of
resources.
Sustainable parks are designed,
constructed, and operated to address issues facing communities and
their surrounding regions. They can
significantly decrease water use by
reducing irrigation needs through
the use of rain gardens and recycled
water. Sustainable (green) buildings
can save up to 60 percent in annual energy costs when compared
to conventional building designs.
Studies have also shown substantial
increases in employee productivity
(2 to 16 percent) in green buildings
designed with careful consideration
to natural lighting and improved air
circulation.
Where to Start?
Agencies should first conduct a
self-assessment and determine a
starting point. Next, they need to establish benchmarks and track the use
of resources over time.
To get started:
% Educate and engage staff and the
public. This represents a critical
step toward conservation savings.
Everyone needs to be aware of
conservation goals.
% Keep your ears open to good ideas
| FEBRUARY 2013 | WWW.NRPA.ORG
that may come from unexpected places. Accounting staff may
notice unusual variations in utility bills. Community center staff
can ask useful questions, such as,
" Why heat areas that are not in
use? " Maintenance vehicle trips
can be shortened or eliminated to
save fuel. Grounds staff may have
innovative ideas about stormwater
runoff.
% Define a conservation education
strategy, and don't assume it has to
be implemented via live meetings.
% Build alliances with community organizations dedicated to conservation and environmental missions.
Conservation organizations bring
different strengths to the table.
Working together, great things can
be accomplished.
All residents will support reductions in municipal budget expenses
when they derive from real savings.
But they need to know about conservation and sustainability initiatives.
Share your park department's valuable expertise-your horticulturist,
for example, can recommend native
species that require less water and
fertilizer. The advocacy benefits related to the sustainability mission
can be substantial. Most community residents support the stewardship
mission. Our responsibility is to
build and maintain sustainable communities.
Sustainability a buzzword? Maybe
so. But let's ensure it endures as a pillar in how parks improve the quality
of life for all people.
Timothy Gallagher of Gallagher
Consulting is the former Director of Parks
and Recreation for Los Angeles County
and the City of Seattle. He was hired by
the State of Oregon Parks and Recreation
Department to write the sustainability
chapter. Gallagher also works with RJM
Design Group as a senior associate
(timothy.gallagher53@gmail.com).
February 2013 - Parks & Recreation
Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of February 2013 - Parks & Recreation
February 2013 - Parks & Recreation - 1
February 2013 - Parks & Recreation - 2
February 2013 - Parks & Recreation - 3
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