Читать книгу The Outdoor Citizen. Get Out, Give Back, Get Active онлайн

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Many cities have a major park or outdoor space, like the Common in Boston, Millennium Park in Chicago, Golden Gate Park in San Francisco, and Central Park in New York, as their centerpiece. These public outdoor spaces are green hubs, centers of outdoor activity, and new life can be infused into legacy cities if they build or rejuvenate their own. City parks improve the lives of local residents, and draw new residents and tourists alike. When investments are made around well-designed green spaces, people flock to them for outdoor recreation, learning and engagement programs, fresh air, bird-watching, community gatherings, and more. These spaces improve human wellness and quality of life.

Parks also improve cities through the tremendous environmental benefits they offer. They buoy cities’ ecosystems by absorbing groundwater runoff and sequestering carbon dioxide, foster resiliency as the first defense against sea level rise and extreme weather, and lower the urban heat island effect—the increased warming of cities as a result of human activity, especially during hot days.