The Power of Parks to Promote Health

Parks and natural spaces promote mental, physical, and environmental wellbeing, and many parks departments are leveraging parks and recreational resources to improve health outcomes. This report outlines the benefits of preserving access to parks and green spaces and provides policy recommendations for localities which include ensuring all residents live within a 10-minute walk of a park, prioritizing capital investments in historically underserved communities, expanding access to existing recreational facilities, and promoting parks as community health investments.