EQUITABLE ACCESS TO PARKS AND GREENSPACES

Parks and greenspaces provide places where people can move, play, relax, connect with nature, and connect with other community members. Preservation of greenspaces also protects environmental features such as wetlands and water bodies, reduces runoff which can lead to flooding, reduces the urban heat island effect, and preserves forests and prairies.  However, not everyone has easy and affordable access to parks and greenspaces, which means not everyone can enjoy the physical, social, and health benefits that these places can provide. Limited access to parks and greenspaces has a direct impact on individual and collective health outcomes. The Public Health Law Center, in partnership with the Minnesota Department of Health’s Statewide Health Improvement Partnership (SHIP), created these resources for planners, public health staff, and community advocates working to improve equitable access to parks and greenspaces in service of community health.