August 2020 - Parks & Recreation - 28

CONSERVATION

PHOTO OURTESY OF SEAN SHAFFER/CHICAGO PARK DISTRICT

Students from Chicago Public Schools work
together to create their own play space for a
day of pop-up nature play in Ping Tom Park.

Reversing the Impacts of Nature-Blindness
By Michele White

M

ore than ever, open spaces, trails and parks have been an
outlet for our communities to exercise, connect with nature
and reduce stress during uncertain times; they have become
an essential element of daily life. But with people spending more time at home, there have been several reports that nature is reemerging in our communities during the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. While it's easy to assume that our new lifestyle is allowing wildlife
to find new places to live, some researchers beg to differ - their behavior
isn't changing drastically, ours is!
Our communities are reconnecting with nature; maybe this is
one of the momentarily positive
situations arising from the current
crisis. But how can we seize this
moment to ensure they continue
to engage with open spaces while
also learning the importance of our
conservation efforts? We can create
or revamp outdoor programming
- by either implementing physical distancing measures or going
virtual - to keep our communi-

26

Parks & Recreation

ties coming back to parks. We also
can refresh our key conservationrelated messages and provide easy
ways for others to learn on their
own.

P&R Professionals
Get Innovative
Park and recreation professionals
with Chicago Park District are prioritizing natural play spaces to engage people in the joys and comfort
of nature at an early age. For these

| AU G U S T 2 02 0 | PA R K S A N D R E C R E AT I O N .O R G

professionals, providing the space
isn't quite enough; they also train
their park staff to feel comfortable
providing nature play experiences.
Ensuring all park staff can provide
this experience broadens the environmental engagement in their
communities.
Forest Preserves of Cook County
in Illinois has a concentrated effort
to engage diverse groups through
their education and volunteer programming to ensure everyone feels
comfortable and knows they belong
in the outdoors. They hold events
like " The Nature of Black Wellness
- The Outdoors and Black Health,
Past and Present, " an interactive
presentation that explores the pivotal role of nature in the lives of
African Americans, past through
present (tinyurl.com/y9v85xrg).
These types of programs could be



August 2020 - Parks & Recreation

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of August 2020 - Parks & Recreation

August 2020 - Parks & Recreation - 1
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https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/december-2011
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/november-2011
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/october-2011
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/september-2011
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https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/july-2011
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https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/november-2010
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/october-2010
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/september-2010
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/august-2010
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