ASLA’s excellent blog The Dirt was also at the Greater & Greener (see our coverage here) conference in New York City last week, and has two wonderful posts up recapping some important sessions that took place. The sessions, while focusing on different topics, both spoke to an idea that we firmly believe in — that green spaces and urban nature can have a net positive change in communities, and in many areas that one may not expect.
In a post titled “Parks = Jobs”, The Dirt notes that:
There’s a new focus on justifying the money that goes into conservation and park projects by citing jobs numbers. Interior Secretary Ken Salazar said national park and recreation jobs now total 9 million in the U.S. Of those numbers, fishing, hunting, and boating take up 6.5 million. However, he noted that consulting firm McKinsey & Co has estimated 14 million jobs could come from the parks and recreation field; it remains an untapped opportunity. Salazar made the economic case for increasing investment in urban parks, too, arguing that the most economically vibrant cities are those with the greatest parks. As an example, he pointed to the $350 million river and park restoration projects in San Antonio that will expand the riverfront beyond downtown, creating many new jobs in the process.
And in their post Vacant Lots Can Catalyze Positive Change, The Dirt writes about the example set by Lawrence, Massachusetts, an economically depressed area that turned to greening vacant lots as one strategy to revive a town:
Lawrence has long been a gateway community. Most recently it has been a destination for immigrants from the Dominican Republic and Puerto Rico. Once a thriving mill town, de-industrialization has left Lawrence with significant vacant properties. McMann described how Groundwork Lawrence led to the development of the Spicket River Greenway Plan, “helping the community achieve the dual goals of riverfront restoration and neighborhood revitalization.†Several components of the greenway have been successfully built so far, including the redevelopment of an abandoned mill site as Dr. Nina Scarito Park. McMann explained the success of these projects depended on extensive collaboration with multiple community and governmental organizations.
For more on the economic benefits of greenspaces in cities, read our post, Do Greenspaces Equal Greenbacks? The Economic Case for Urban Parks.
