Washington, D.C. ranks as the best parks in the US

Belief for Public Land launched the annual park system scores and the best-rated system within the U.S. lands lands within the District of Washington, D.C. St. Paul, MN got here in second, barely above Arlington, VA and Cincinnati, OH. 

The ParkScore Index measures parks within the nation’s most populous areas and charges them inside 5 standards. Park fairness is the most recent class, added starting in 2020.

Belief for Public Land declares state ParkScore scores (2021)

Based on a press launch: “Park fairness compares per capita park house in neighborhoods of coloration vs. white neighborhoods and in low-income neighborhoods vs. high-income neighborhoods, and 10-minute-walk park entry for folks of coloration and lower-income residents. Park methods rating increased if disparities are low or non-existent.”

Park entry is the second measurement. It identifies the share of residents who dwell inside a 10-minute stroll of a park. The third standards, park acreage, calculates the median park dimension for every metropolis whereas figuring out the share of town devoted to park land. The Belief additionally appears on the sum of money spent by every resident as park funding. Lastly, the facilities reminiscent of basketball courts, canine parks, playgrounds, water play areas and restrooms are thought-about.

Based on the report, 85% of huge U.S. park methods took steps towards addressing the local weather disaster. Primarily, which means eradicating asphalt or concrete that will increase temperatures and flooding. One other widespread answer is planting timber to carry a number of advantages. These embrace: floor stability, shade, pure temperature management and filtering out carbon dioxide and offering oxygen. 

Some parks have embraced renewable power by putting in photo voltaic panels on park buildings and implementing different energy-efficient changes. Belief for Public Land feels public parks are essential within the struggle in opposition to local weather change and rejoice cities taking motion.

Whereas parks are a part of the answer in direction of a more healthy surroundings, they’re additionally a contributing issue to improved psychological well being. In addition they present house to collect with pals, take part in bodily actions and breathe in recent air. 

With the surroundings and the residents in thoughts, park administration is being infused with artistic methods to successfully handle assets, reminiscent of harvesting and filtering rainwater, and leveraging coastal parks to withstand rising sea ranges. 

This was the second yr in a row Washington, D.C. took the highest spot, setting an instance for different cities to comply with. In that space, nearly all of residents that determine as Black, Latinx, Native American or Asian People and Pacific Islanders are equally more likely to dwell inside a 10-minute stroll of a park.

That is notable since, throughout the park system, folks of coloration common a 43% lower in park entry. In low-income neighborhoods, they see a mean of 42% much less entry. This inequality is being addressed primarily by opening college parks throughout non-school hours as a solution to enhance entry for all populations. The measure of that enhance is seen within the common 2.8 playgrounds now accessible per 10,000 residents, which is a hanging 37% enhance over 10 years in the past. 

Whereas Washington, D.C. stood agency, different cities made dynamic strikes alongside the ranking system. For instance, Cincinnati climbed considerably, rising from eighth place final yr to 4th in 2022. Different large strikes went to Atlanta (+22 spots to twenty seventh), Honolulu (+14 to forty third), Baton Rouge (+11 to 67th), Des Moines (+10 to twenty fifth) and San Jose (+10 to twenty sixth).

Some park methods stand out for his or her successes in sure classes. For instance, Boise, Idaho ranked as the most effective park system for canines for the second yr in a row. In the meantime, Irvine, California acquired prime marks for basketball hoops. And Las Vegas scored finest for playgrounds, whereas Boston earned prime marks for its water options.  

Throughout the key cities, park funding is properly supported by the residents. Nonetheless, the pandemic and associated financial points resulted in an enormous backlog of park infrastructure repairs, upkeep and updates. 

The whole checklist of the highest 10 ranked (out of 100 attainable factors) Belief for Public Land park methods within the U.S. are: 

1. Washington, D.C., 84.9 

2. St. Paul, MN, 79.7 

3. Arlington, VA, 79.1 

4. Cincinnati, OH, 78.9 

5. Minneapolis, MN, 78.6  

6. Chicago, IL, 76.8 

7.  San Francisco, CA, 76.7 

8. Irvine, CA, 76.6 

9. Seattle, WA,  76.2 

10. New York, NY, 75.5

+ Belief for Public Land

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