February 2016 - Parks & Recreation - 39

help raise support, the friends group
formed a number of partnerships and
sponsorships with community organizations and businesses. Additionally,
Friends of Camarillo Dog Parks sells
branded shirts, hats and other wares
during events to help raise funds
and awareness. During the past five
years, the group has raised more than
$60,000 to support the parks and has
assisted with installation of benches,
fencing, water fountains and signage.
Furthermore, volunteers with the
group recognize the contribution they
can make to conservation needs by
participating in National Trails Day
events, tree plantings and pathway improvements.
Friends of Vernon Park, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, is one of
more than 80 groups supporting
parks in the city. These groups are the
" eyes and ears who have the pulse on
the community, " says Patty-Pat Kozlowski, director of stewardship and
volunteers with Philadelphia Parks
and Recreation. Managed by a core
of volunteer officers, but made possible through the collective support
of many, the group hosts park cleanup days, including their annual Love
Your Park Day, and special events
like the Fall Bazaar, oldies nights and
The People's Poetry and Jazz Festival. Highlighting the value of input
from the Friends of Vernon Park,
even beyond the park borders, the
city invited the group to participate
in stakeholder meetings for a nearby
bus shelter redesign. Reflecting on
the importance of partnerships with
Philadelphia Parks and Recreation
and Fairmount Park Conservancy,
Friends of Vernon Park President
Ruth Seeley writes in her annual
update letter, " All these people are
responsible for many parks in Philadelphia, but manage to make us feel

special and supported in every way. "
Friends of Banshee Reeks, in
Loudoun County, Virginia, helped
shape the vision for Banshee Reeks
Nature Preserve upon its opening in
2001. The friends group has a history of supporting citizen science
projects, such as invasive plant removal and bird banding, as well as
purchasing items needed for park upkeep. The group hosts a website and

Many friends groups are
formed by the nudging
of a park and recreation
agency.
Facebook page and sets up a booth
at community events with the aim
of raising public awareness about
the nature preserve. The Friends of
Banshee Reeks board meets monthly
with preserve manager, Ron Circe, to
discuss upcoming activities and assess how it can support the preserve.
When asked how the friends group
has changed since its inception, Circe
says, " The Friends of Banshee Reeks
was formed by a group of passionate
people who saw the opportunity to
protect this unique property, not only
for people, but more importantly for
nature. Over time, the value of Banshee Reeks has been cemented and
the group has been able to expand
its focus to promotion of the preserve, while also helping fund special
projects as they come up. I know the
group is committed to what is best for
the preserve, which helps make my
job easier. It's a great partnership. "
How an agency engages with a
friends group depends on the group's
mission, its appetite for involvement
and the agency's needs. While friends

groups should always be viewed as
potential partners, it is the park and
recreation agency - with background
knowledge, professional expertise and
a budget and mandate - that should
set the stage for a relationship that
mutually benefits both parties. The
foundation for the relationship must
be built on trust and transparency.
Whether a community has dozens
of friends groups or is on the cusp of
forming its first, suggestions for embracing the pool of talent and resources within a friends group include:
1. Hold regular meetings. Meetings are great opportunities to discuss the status of projects, upcoming
activities and specific issues. Some
friends groups include the park manager as a non-voting member of their
board - a great way to signify the
partnership.
2. Create friends groups where
none exist. Many friends groups are
formed by the nudging of a park and
recreation agency. Given basic resources such as meeting space and staff time,
community members are more likely
to feel empowered to organize support
for their neighborhood park.
3. Make a list of needs (or wants)
and share this with the friends group.
Organize the list by those needs requiring only time and those with an
additional financial cost. Don't be
afraid to discuss what you can realistically accomplish and what is likely
going to need additional volunteers,
money or political support from the
friends group.
Encouraging positive relationships
with friends groups and embracing
practices that invite community participation not only result in better parks,
but also more successful agencies.
Jimmy O'Connor is NRPA's Director of
Conservation (joconnor@nrpa.org).

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Parks & Recreation

February 2016 - Parks & Recreation

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