July 2013 - Parks & Recreation - 35

to build or invest in new development.
Businesses often want areas where their
employees will be happy and healthy
citizens, meaning parks are a part of
the equation for job and local economic
growth. Whether people visit locally or
travel varied distances, parks also serve
as tourism hotspots. When people visit
a destination's parks and natural areas,
they spend money on food, entertainment, overnight accommodations and
much more. For these reasons, economies that include parks and recreation
flourish. And it goes without saying that
parks also provide benefits for the environment. Park areas provide vegetation
that cleans the air, water and landscape,
and they provide a valuable habitat for
wildlife. Tree canopies are linked to reducing heat effects in cities by providing
shade and cooling for developed areas.

From children to seniors, the park
is a place for everyone to play and
enjoy their leisure time. Parks foster
social interactions, providing for the
development of a sense of community. Park visitors, whether at the local
neighborhood playground, a national park, or perhaps Cumberland Falls
State Park, are all directly or indirectly enjoying the company of others.
As I walked back to my car and
concluded my visit to a fantastic state
park, the wind slowly pushed through
the canopy overhead and the tree frogs
began an evening ritual. I realized perhaps I need to do more to acknowledge the benefits I receive from having
parks in my life. I simply cannot imagine a life in which I do not visit places
where I can hear people say, " How
cool is that? " and " Dad/Mom, look

at that! " I cannot imagine a life where
I could not go to the local park and
hear the sounds of nature all around
me. I cannot imagine a life without
parks, and I need to do more to tell
and convince others of this as well.
As I have expressed to so many people, the benefits of parks are well-documented, but these benefits need to be
better marketed and communicated.
This July, when you visit a park, large
or small, think about how you benefit
from parks. Tell someone about those
many benefits, the many ways each
and every one of us has a better life
because of parks.
Michael J. Bradley, Ph.D., is an Assistant
Professor in the Department of Recreation
and Park Administration at Eastern Kentucky
University (michael.bradley@eku.edu).

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Parks & Recreation

July 2013 - Parks & Recreation

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