Sid Stevenson, PhDKansas State University

and Recreation Resources Research Services

Society of Outdoor Recreation ProfessionalsMay, 2013

Recreation and Tourism

Public health

Biodiversity conservation

Energy siting

Flood and water management

Climate adaptation

Public Safety

Wildfire response

Land use planning

Mitigation strategies

and. . .

Currently there are literally thousands of different models, many designed specifically to reach agency or local objectives. These same objectives and many more can be reached if these data are standardized and comprehensive

Recreation and Tourism•

Rec/Park Finders (interactive searching and mapping)•

Mobile apps (e.g. Parks by Nature)•

Improved mapping and directions via national vendors: (e.g. Google, Bing, Nokia, Garmin, MapQuest)

•

Enhanced with user input -

Blend of events and locations•

Spatial comparison of places to people for SCORPSPublic Health•

Better planning (what is needed where) •

Proximity to healthy choices•

Identifying Play Deserts

In neighborhoods without a park or playground, the incidence of childhood obesity increases 29%. In fact, children with a park or playground within half-a-mile are almost five times more likely to be a healthy weight than children without playgrounds or parks nearby.

HHS research (KaBoom)

Number of states with GIS based inventories is increasing but with no consistent format

LWCF leadership sees relevance but does not want to dictate GIS based inventories. Pressure to change needs to come from states, who see the value in standardization.

States are eligible to initiate a GIS inventory via a planning grant, but this approach (while useful) is a step short in the bigger picture of a national model, where the benefits are exponentially greater.

Decent to excellent data at the state and federal level but minimal data, even by commercial vendors, at the city and county level.

In 2007, ESRI data set (ArcGIS) provided by (NavTeq) listed slightly over 800 parks in KS. In actuality, we have over 3,500 and another 1,600 schools we included as park-like properties.

Values and detail being requested is a bit overwhelming to non GIS agency staff.

• Trust for Public Land

• Top 40+ cities

• Park “score” for neighborhoods, cities

parkscore.tpl.org

CITYPop in SVCA walkable trail

CITY population 2010

Pop in PA SVCA

% in PA SVCA

% in Walkable SVCA City Class

Olathe 68385 125872 88403 70.2% 54.3% 8Topeka 24937 127473 89537 70.2% 19.6% 8Kansas City 11746 145786 71376 49.0% 8.1% 8Overland Park 100385 173372 123586 71.3% 57.9% 8Wichita 113057 382368 209062 54.7% 29.6% 8

63702 190974 116393 63.1% 33.9%

Physical Activity Deserts

• LA County Park AccessImage and analysis provided by Matt Baker, ESRI

PAD-US –

the national protected

spaces inventory

PROGRAGIS –

the NRPA model

TWO CURRENT APPROACHES

Protected Areas Database of the United States

GIS database

Huge national parks and wildlife preserves

Large swaths of forests, public lands

State and regional parks and open spaces

Some city and neighborhood parks

1 billion acres, 1000s of agencies

Established, existing framework and network of state data stewards

Focus is on comprehensive, statewide data by all suppliers

Global reporting

USGS umbrella (and state affiliates)

(e.g. Kansas ‘DASC , which publishes the KS RecFinder is the state archive of GIS data, and an affiliate of the KS Geological Survey)

Accountability

Research

Policy and program development

Show results

Maps a recognized service

Engage key publics

Collaboration across states, regions, agencies at all levels of government

National product

State stewards are key

Federal agencies, national NGOs

USGS GAP integrates all data and publishes

IntegrationFederals

,National NGOs

PAD-US already has 7+ million acres inside cities

Good data on open space resources in cities

Less complete for neighborhood parks and nothing on trails and facilities

The NRPA represents 3,000 agencies and over 20,000 professional members.

The NRPA welcomes the opportunity to collaborate with a corporate partner in compiling an accurate, nationwide park and recreation

amenity data set. Other potential partners that we envision as

possible contributors to such a worthwhile endeavor will be invited to an exploratory meeting to be scheduled at your convenience. (2012 letter)

These entities might include but are not limited to:

The US Dept of the Interior/National Park Service –

Office of State and Local Assistance Programs Division (Land and Water Conservation Fund)

US Dept of Health and Human Services –

Centers for Disease Control (grants)

NASORLO

–

Ntl. Assoc’

of State Outdoor Recreation Liaison Officers

Corporate host of National RecFinder (several have shown interest)

Current GIS partners (Green Info Network, and Applied Geographics)

Focus is truly on the local and county levelThe attributes reflect agency needs and is park and facility basedData is designed for benchmarking by agencies and communitiesGaps in non-agency data, thoughSeveral states and several hundred agencies already useGood set of existing partners (Fed, NGO, health focused, etc..)

Both PADUS and NRPA have distinct capabilities.

Both offer a network

NRPA’s focus is a bit more LWCF oriented with community level data on facilities and trails for planning and rec user interest.

PADUS appears to have an advantage in general GIS hosting and its network of data stewards, and its conservation focus.

Both have online GIS editors to simplify the process for non GIS fluent data providers

Show overall value

Show state and agency support

Assemble key stakeholders

USGS/PADUS, NRPA, NPS/LWCF, CDC, and other potential private and NGO sponsors

Establish completion target: e.g. 3 years

$1.5-5 million initial project cost

Annual updating cost of $15-80K per state

Data has $$$ (if unable to sell directly at least sell advertising for Ntl. RecFinder. ..to make this sustainable.

Share revenue with state affiliates.

Larry Orman

-Green Info

Network

Applied Geographics

–

NRPA vendor

Bill Beckner, PRORAGIS

Dee Merriam –

CDC

Barbara Tulipane, NRPA

Trust for Public Land