Public Perceptions of Local Parks and Recreation as an Essential Community Service During the COVID-19 Pandemic

Local residents are the primary stakeholder for municipal parks and recreation who have the potential to influence funding and policy through their participation, voting, and advocacy. Research has suggested that individuals are more likely to support parks and recreation and view them as essential when they perceive they provide benefits that address their own as well as broader community needs. This panel study investigated Pennsylvania residents and the extent they considered parks and recreation an essential community service during the COVID-19 pandemic. It further assessed the rationale for why parks and recreation were considered either essential or non-essential during this time period. A majority of respondents (54%) felt local parks and recreation were an essential service in their community during the pandemic based primarily on their perceived contributions to physical health, mental health and wellbeing, and the safe provision of recreation opportunities. Conversely, parks and recreation were considered non-essential when they had been closed, when individuals were unsure of what services were actually provided during the pandemic, or they were perceived as unsafe or unsanitary given the presence of COVID-19. Findings provide evidence of the contributions provided by local parks and recreation during the COVID-19 pandemic and suggest influenceable factors associated with perceptions of whether parks and recreation are an essential community service.

The Global Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Individuals' and Couples' Sexuality

The COVID-19 pandemic and its related restrictions significantly impacted individuals' health, wellbeing, and security. Isolation, limitation of movement, social distancing, and forced cohabiting have had a strong influence on all areas of people's lives as well as on their sexuality. Investigating how the COVID-19 outbreak and its consequences impacted people's sexuality was the primary aim of this review. Particularly, we focused on: (1) the variables associated with the improvement or the deterioration of individuals' and couples' lives during the pandemic; (2) the use of sex as a coping strategy; (3) the impact of COVID-19 outbreak on LGBT people. Results have shown that the worsening of sexual life seems to be related to couples' conflict, emotions and psychological difficulties, being female, being single or away from the partner, being a health care worker, and having children. Moreover, a detrimental effect on sexuality was associated with stress, forced cohabitation, routine, anxiety and worry about the job and the pandemic, feeling partner distance, being unhappy with their partner, and lack of privacy. On the other hand, improvements in sexuality were associated with living happily with a partner, being happy and satisfied with a partner, feeling less stressed and more bored, having more free time, having fewer recreation opportunities, and having minor workload. During the pandemic, there was an increase in using sex toys, pornography consumption, masturbating, and trying sexual experimentations. Among LGBT people, an increase was found in the number of casual sexual partners potentially due to the perceived lower likelihood of transmission through sex. Moreover, the increase in sexual activity may have represented a coping strategy to quarantine-related distress.

Evaluating Spaces for Older Adults Experiencing Homelessness: Findings From an Environmental Audit

Homeless populations require spaces and services that take into account their life trajectories. The Aging in the Right Place - Environmental Checklist (AIRP-ENV) is an environmental audit tool developed by our team to evaluate the accessibility and overall design features of housing targeted for aging individuals experiencing homelessness. Researchers in Vancouver, Calgary and Montreal employed this tool in 2021 to evaluate environmental features in selected promising practices to identify built environment factors that promote aging in the right place. Preliminary findings reveal the following themes across sites: access to communal and recreational spaces encourage social inclusion and meaningful recreation opportunities; barrier-free built environment features foster independence and safety; and access to services and amenities encourage community mobility. Findings demonstrate a need to employ a broader evaluative lens that incorporates psycho-social factors to gain a nuanced understanding of aging in the right place for older adults who have experienced homelessness.

Enhancing marsh elevation using sediment augmentation: A case study from southern California, USA

Tidal marshes are an important component of estuaries that provide habitat for fish and wildlife, protection from flooding, recreation opportunities, and can improve water quality. Critical to maintaining these functions is vertical accretion, a key mechanism by which tidal marshes build elevation relative to local sea level. The beneficial use of dredged material to build marsh elevations in response to accelerating sea level rise has gained attention as a management action to prevent habitat loss over the coming decades. In January 2016, a sediment augmentation project using local dredged material was undertaken at Seal Beach National Wildlife Refuge in Anaheim Bay, California, USA, to benefit tidal marsh habitat and the listed species it supports. The application process added 12,900 cubic meters of sediment with an initial, average 22-cm gain in elevation over a 3.2-hectare site. Due to sediment characteristics and higher than anticipated elevations in some areas, vegetation colonization did not occur at the expected rate; therefore, adaptive management measures were undertaken to improve hydrology of the site and facilitate vegetation colonization. More case studies that test and monitor sea level adaptation actions are needed to assist in the planning and implementation of climate-resilient projects to prevent coastal habitat loss over the coming century.

Outdoor Campus Recreation, Well-Being, and the Intersectionality of Constraints

The experiences university students have during outdoor recreation opportunities have holistic benefits, yet there is a sizeable discrepancy in the representation of marginalized students in outdoor campus recreation. The structural, interpersonal, and intrapersonal constraints that marginalized students experience are often cited as a reason for this reduced participation. It is possible that viewing these constraints individually is an oversimplification. In the same way that a student has an intersection of identities, so too can constraints intersect to compound and multiply barriers to participation. If we wish to have a more just university community, in which all students can experience the benefits of outdoor recreation, we must think critically about the intersectionality of constraints that hinder these students from fully participating and take action to address them. Subscribe to JOREL

Nature as an Ecological Asset for Positive Youth Development: Empirical Evidence From Rural Communities

Despite increasing emphasis on youth contact with nature and associated benefits, research has not examined the direct relationship between adolescents' nature-based experiences and holistic measures of positive youth development (PYD). This gap may stem from the lack of interdisciplinary work on nature and PYD. Our study integrates multiple disciplinary perspectives to explore direct associations between time in nature, connection to nature, and the five Cs of PYD (competence, connection, confidence, character, and caring) as well as the “sixth” C of contribution. From 2015 to 2016, we collected data from 587 diverse South Carolina middle school students (57% female, 40% BIPOC) between the ages of 11 and 14 (Mage = 12.9) and living in predominantly low-income communities. OLS regression analyses indicated that across all youth, self-reported connection to nature was a consistent positive correlate of overall PYD and each of the individual Cs. Time in nature was associated with overall PYD and competence. Findings demonstrate significant associations between nature-based experiences and PYD and underscore the importance of ensuring that diverse youth can access and enjoy the developmental benefits of nature and nature-based recreation opportunities.

Adopting a cross-scale approach for the deployment of a green infrastructure

The implementation of a Green Infrastructure (GI) involves several actors and governance scales that need adequate knowledge support. The multifunctionality of GI entails the implementation of a cross-scale approach, which combines assessments conducted at different levels and active stakeholder engagement. This paper provides a methodology to implement a cross-scale approach to support the deployment of a Regional GI. The methodology was tested in Lombardy Region (north-west of Italy), considering three relevant territorial scales and relative strategic and planning policies. The continental level representing the overall policy-context; the regional level, with its key role for guaranteeing landscape coherence and connectivity and the local level where planning actions are effectively designed and implemented. The EU Biodiversity Strategy for 2030 and the EU GI strategy were used as references for the continental level; at the regional level, a proposal of Regional GI was evaluated focusing on two Provinces (Varese and Lecco), three regional parks (Ticino, Adda Nord and Campo dei Fiori). At the local scale, the new development plan of the Municipality of Cassano d'Adda (Milan metropolitan area) was evaluated considering different possible scenarios. The regional GI was evaluated with respect to the capacity to provide Cultural Ecosystem Services (CES). CES were mapped using the ESTIMAP-recreation model. The model was adapted to the regional and local level with the active engagement of local stakeholders. Additionally, census data were analysed to obtain an overview of the equitable distribution of the CES amongst inhabitants. Results show that, in 78% of the census blocks of the study area, inhabitants have a high-value recreation resource within 4 km (31% within 4 km and 47% within 300 m). Unmet demand characterises 22% of the census blocks in the study area, clustered in zones with a high population density. The regional GI covers almost completely the two Provinces and the regional parks. In Varese Province: 68% of the territory is included in the regional GI, 82% of the census blocks local demand for recreation opportunities is met, but the population density is higher where the demand is unmet. The Province is characterised by a relatively old population (share of people older than 65 years 23.4%). In Lecco Province, 80% of the territory is included in the regional GI, in 96% of the blocks the local demand is met and the local population is relatively old (share of elderly population 22.12%). The three regional parks present significant differences, strongly influenced by the territorial context. The Campo dei Fiori Park is almost completely included in the regional GI. The entire local population has nature-based recreation opportunities in their close vicinity. Nevertheless, the population density is very low and citizens are relatively old. The majority of the Parco Adda Nord is included in the regional GI providing recreation opportunities to 90% of the census blocks within the Park boundaries. A total of 70% of Ticino Park is included in the regional GI, where local residents are relatively old (share of elderly population 23.78%) and 90% of local census blocks are close to nature-based opportunities. At local scale, we explored how the approach can be used to estimate changes in the CES potential provision and how this can be integrated into a site management plan. This paper demonstrated that the combination of studies in a cross-scale perspective enhances the understanding of GI multifunctionality. It provides a framework to adapt CES mapping models to the local setting with active stakeholders engagement. Moreover, it demonstrates that also highly urbanised areas, such as the Lombardy Region in Italy, can play a role in the deployment of a continental GI and can support biodiversity and nature protection.

Social Prescribing and Therapeutic Recreation: Making the Connection

An increasing number of people are experiencing social isolation and loneliness and this trend is becoming cause for concern around the world. Considering that isolation and loneliness give rise to a number of health problems, it is essential to find innovative ways to address this issue. One such approach is to enhance experiences of belonging within communities. Social prescribing (SP) is a method that can promote belonging by connecting people to the social support they need. The purpose of this paper is to explore the potential relationship that can exist between therapeutic recreation (TR) and SP. As we explain, TR can complement SP efforts by ensuring people have access to inclusive, social leisure and recreation opportunities. In this sense, TR professionals are well positioned to be key players in SP processes. We contend that TR practice is best positioned to work in tangent with SP to nurture socially connected communities when it focuses on building community capacity, facilitates welcoming and inclusive leisure and recreation experiences that foster regular social interaction, and adopts principles of community development as part of a social justice model of practice.

The effects of the COVID-19 pandemic in National Parks – diagnosis and forecast of sustainable tourism

Tourist attractiveness of many areas in Poland is based on exceptional natural values, especially those protected by national parks. Recreation opportunities offered by national parks proved to be important during the COVID-19 pandemic, when the conditions for tourism changed. Many tourists gave up previously planned trips abroad in favour of staying in Poland. This raises the question whether tourists visiting national parks during the pandemic rested in compliance with the principles of sustainable tourism. The article is an attempt to diagnose changes caused by the influence of the COVID-19 pandemic on sustainable tourism by analysing the case of national parks in Poland. The article presents: a) a diagnosis of changes triggered at different stages of restrictions introduced by the government to prevent the spread of the pandemic; b) a forecast of how the pandemic may affect the development of tourism in terms of supply (tourist companies, hotels, catering, attractions) and demand (tourists). The summary provides recommendations for national parks, which can be helpful in achieving sustainable tourism objectives.

Mental Health and Recreation Opportunities

The environment has direct and indirect effects on mental health. Previous studies acknowledge that the poor design of communities and social environments leads to increased psychological distress, but methodological issues make it difficult to draw clear conclusions. Recent public health, leisure and recreation studies have tried to determine the relationship between recreation opportunities and mental health. However, previous studies have heavily focused on individual contexts rather than national or regional levels; this is a major limitation. It is difficult to reflect the characteristics of community environments effectively with such limited studies, because social environments and infrastructure should be analyzed using a spatial perspective that goes beyond an individual’s behavioral patterns. Other limitations include lack of socioeconomic context and appropriate data to represent the characteristics of a local community and its environment. To date, very few studies have tested the spatial relationships between mental health and recreation opportunities on a national level, while controlling for a variety of competing explanations (e.g., the social determinants of mental health). To address these gaps, this study used multi-level spatial data combined with various sources to: (1) identify variables that contribute to spatial disparities of mental health; (2) examine how selected variables influence spatial mental health disparities using a generalized linear model (GLM); (3) specify the spatial variation of the relationships between recreation opportunities and mental health in the continental U.S. using geographically weighted regression (GWR). The findings suggest that multiple factors associated with poor mental health days, particularly walkable access to local parks, showed the strongest explanatory power in both the GLM and GWR models. In addition, negative relationships were found with educational attainment, racial/ethnic dynamics, and lower levels of urbanization, while positive relationships were found with poverty rate and unemployment in the GLM. Finally, the GWR model detected differences in the strength and direction of associations for 3109 counties. These results may address the gaps in previous studies that focused on individual-level scales and did not include a spatial context.