November 2014 - Parks & Recreation - 12

editor's Let ter
President and CEO

Making It

Barbara Tulipane, CAE

Fresh off the heels of NRPA's national convention, we are inspired by the keynote
speakers, motivated by the education sessions and impressed by the products and services found on the show floor. Awareness of NRPA's Three Pillars: Conservation,
Health and Wellness, and Social Equity, moved from conversation topics and plans in
2013 to execution and delivery this year. Progress was made and all signs point to continued improvement.

vice President of marketing,
communications and pUBLISHing,
and Editorial directoR

Gina Mullins-Cohen
gcohen@nrpa.org
executive Editor

Danielle Taylor

dtaylor@nrpa.org
Associate Editor

Samantha Bartram

Clearly, however, the job is not done, and with deeper examination of the multifaceted topic of social equity by this
year's keynote panelists, one can only see greater effort
ahead. Social equity is age, it is religion and race, physical
and mental disabilities, economic culture and opportunity,
and it is gender.
Resurrecting the topic of gender equity in the cover feature,
" It's (Still) a Man's World " (page 42), NRPA's Government Affairs Manager Sage Learn examines the often brutal treatment
of young women in sports today. Learn addresses this alarming
and controversial subject that can no longer be ignored.
" Learning by Design " by Kevan Williams (page 48) focuses on the creative design
achievements in planning and architecture emerging from universities to enrich and
support park systems allowing for healthier communities and environments. The Rural
Studio at Auburn University and the Howard S. Wright Neighborhood Design/Build
Studio at the University of Washington provide students with the very real opportunity
to design and build out park and recreation centers from scratch, as well as through
revitalization projects offering community enrichment and a growing expanse of opportunity to students seeking to work both for and with park systems.
This month's Conservation column (page 34) by David G. Davis, associate director
of landscaping services at Wake Forest University, discusses the importance of native
plants to our increasingly fragile ecosystem and how going native in park landscape
design preserves crucial habitats of insects such as bees and butterflies.
Every day, while providing crucial and often overlooked community services, park
and recreation agencies strive for improvement and to make " it " happen within their
communities. And so I ask you, are we making it? We are more aware of the need to
move forward and have the desire to evolve, but are we making it? Let us know. We
want to hear your stories.

GINA MULLINS-COHEN
Vice President of Marketing, Communications and Publishing
Editorial Director

10 Parks & Recreation

| N O V E M B E R 2 0 1 4 | w w w. N R PA . O R G

sbartram@nrpa.org
Editorial intern

Marissa Bracamonte
mbracamonte@nrpa.org
Publication Design

Creative By Design
www.creativebydesign.net
Senior Manager of
Advertising

Dana Storm

703.858.2174
dstorm@nrpa.org
(Issn 0031-2215) is published monthly
by the National Recreation and Park
Association, 22377 Belmont Ridge
Rd., Ashburn, VA 20148, a service
organization supported by membership
dues and voluntary contributions. Copyright ©2014 by the National Recreation
and Park Association.
Reproduction in whole or in part without permission is prohibited. Opinions
expressed in signed articles are those
of the writers and not necessarily
those of NRPA. Issued to members at
the annual subscription price of $30,
included in dues. Subscription: $36 a
year in the U.S.; $46 elsewhere. Single
copy price: $4.50. Library rate: $48 a
year in the U.S.; $58 elsewhere. Periodical postage paid at Ashburn, Virginia,
and at additional mailing offices. Editorial and advertising offices at 22377
Belmont Ridge Rd., Ashburn, VA 20148.
703.858.0784. Postmaster, send address changes to Parks & Recreation,
22377 Belmont Ridge Rd., Ashburn,
VA 20148.

November 2014 - Parks & Recreation

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of November 2014 - Parks & Recreation