Washington

During the coronavirus pandemic, nature has taken on a whole new meaning for many of us, becoming a vital respite from anxiety, grief, and cabin fever. But not everyone has safe, equal access to the outdoors: parks may be too few and far between, sidewalks too narrow or nonexistent, and open space restricted by locked gates and “No Trespassing” signs (even before officials started to make difficult decisions to close parks to protect public health).

The forested slopes of Cougar Mountain are a comforting backdrop to daily life in the Seattle suburb of Issaquah. Hitting the trail for an hour after work or a long weekend ramble through the 3,000-acre Cougar Mountain Regional Wildland Park is part of the routine here, a given, a fact of life.

In rural Washington and bustling Los Angeles, park advocates are tapping into the power of a common goal.