January 2021 - Parks & Recreation - 28

CONSERVATION

Park natural areas provide people with space
to take part in passive recreation, which has
become increasingly important during the
coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.

COVID-19 Is Prompting
Changes to Conservation
By Kelli Ondracek

T

he coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic has impacted the operations of parks and recreation departments throughout the country, often resulting in canceled or scaled-back sports programming and community center closures. Since the issuing of the
stay-home-work-safe order in April 2020, the city of Houston, Texas, has
seen markedly more use of its nature spaces. In particular, there has been
a significant increase in the use of park-trail systems in the city, as people
have sought activities in which they can get out of the house while still
keeping themselves safe through physical distancing.
Within the past several years,
the Houston Parks and Recreation Department (HPARD)
began devoting more resources
to the preservation of natural
areas. This shift in emphasis is
due in part to the multiple catastrophic flooding events that have

26

Parks & Recreation

impacted the region, including
Hurricane Harvey in 2017, which
inflicted more than $1.25 billion
in damage. Park natural areas
provide a host of benefits for the
Houston area: the trees store carbon, the vegetation captures sediment and filters pollutants, the

| J A N UA RY 2 02 1 | PA R K S A N D R E C R E AT I O N .O R G

roots of trees and grasses prevent
erosion along waterways, the soil
and plants absorb floodwaters,
and the diverse mix of flora support native wildlife. Under current COVID-19 restrictions, park
officials also are beginning to recognize the importance of these
areas for the passive recreation
opportunities they provide.

Nature Preserve Ordinance
Although it doesn't appear this way
today, Houston was once full of
vast open spaces covered in coastal prairie habitat with thick forests
lining its numerous bayou systems.
It remains one of the most biodi-



January 2021 - Parks & Recreation

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of January 2021 - Parks & Recreation

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https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/october-2010
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https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/january-2010
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