Urban Park Roundtable

The Urban Park Roundtable, held every spring, fall, and winter, convenes park professionals from around the country to collectively develop “next practices” in urban park management.

Reframing Resilience: Planning for the Unknown | April 12–13, 2023

In April 2023, the Institute for Urban Parks will collaborate with City Park Conservancy to bring together local and national park practitioners. Together, we will explore the role of urban parks in cultivating ecological, infrastructural, social, and economic resilience in their cities and communities.

Over the course of two days, attendees will hear from urban park practitioners, policymakers, and community leaders from New Orleans, tour urban parks and public spaces, and participate in intensive peer-to-peer workshops. We will examine the politics of “resilience” and develop strategies for utilizing parks to prepare for an uncertain social, environmental, and economic future.

Register Here

The Roundtable will take place on April 12 and 13 in New Orleans, LA.

Topics covered:

  • Disaster recovery and planning
  • Adaptive infrastructure for social and ecological challenges
  • Engaging communities in planning for the unknown
  • Examining the implications of “resilience” on communities

What to expect

  • Behind-the-scenes park tours with park managers
  • Panel discussions with local leaders and community members
  • Presentations and case studies
  • Custom workshops for park practitioners
  • Peer-to-peer dialogue
  • Networking opportunities and hospitality
  • Actionable ideas and implementation resources

Questions? Please contact National Programs Coordinator Sophie Neuhaus at [email protected].

About the Urban Park Roundtables

Since 2017, the Institute has hosted the Urban Park Roundtable, in partnership with urban park organizations in cities around the US. In 2020, the series expanded to include virtual events.

Past partners include Los Angeles, CA (Grand Park); St. Louis, MO (Gateway Arch Park Foundation, Forest Park Forever, Tower Grove Park, and Great Rivers Greenway); Bronx, NY (Van Cortlandt Park Alliance); Chicago, IL (NeighborSpace); Detroit, MI (City of Detroit Parks & Recreation, Public Space Planning Unit); Austin, TX (The Trail Foundation); San Francisco, CA (Golden Gate National Parks Conservancy and The Presidio Trust); Buffalo, NY (Buffalo Olmsted Parks Conservancy), and Pittsburgh, PA (Pittsburgh Parks Conservancy).

Topics focus on the role of park partnerships in the care and management of urban parks, such as corporate philanthropy, strategic adaptations in response to COVID-19, and key performance indicators for urban parks.

Learn more about the Urban Park Roundtable, featured in the March 2020 issue of the National Recreation and Park Association’s Parks & Recreation magazine, and download the Institute’s Urban Park Roundtable Report, Strategic Adaptations in Urban Park Management: Responding to COVID-19.