STATEMENT BY THE TRUST FOR PUBLIC LAND ON THE BIDEN-HARRIS BUDGET

“Budgets are true reflections of priorities,” said Bill Lee, Senior Vice President for Policy, Advocacy and Government Relations at The Trust for Public Land. “President Biden and Vice-President Harris’ budget demonstrates that they are serious about responding to this moment in America with equity and opportunity.  In this budget, they have committed to investing in equitable access to parks and nature for everyone, regardless of zip code.  The Trust for Public Land shares that commitment and thanks the Biden-Harris administration for dedicating the resources — including a sustained commitment to the Outdoor Recreation Legacy Partnership program — to start to close the park equity divide.”

Yesterday, The Trust for Public Land released a groundbreaking new report, Parks and an Equitable Recovery, that reveals significant inequities in park space and distribution. Across the 100 most populous U.S. cities, residents of neighborhoods where most people identify as Black, Hispanic and Latinx, Indigenous and Native American, or Asian American and Pacific Islander have access to an average of 44 percent less park space per capita than residents of neighborhoods that are predominantly white. Residents of low-income neighborhoods have access to 42 percent less park space than residents of high-income neighborhoods.

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About the Trust for Public Land 

The Trust for Public Land creates parks and protects land for people, ensuring healthy, livable communities for generations to come. Millions of people live within a 10-minute walk of a Trust for Public Land park, garden, or natural area, and millions more visit these sites every year. To support The Trust for Public Land and share why nature matters to you, visit www.tpl.org.