Park System Analysis

The Center for City Park Excellence (CCPE) provides technical assistance to park agencies, planning departments, park advocacy organizations, and other entities seeking to better understand how parks can most effectively serve their communities.

Using site visits, interviews, demographic and geographic analysis—along with the nation’s most comprehensive database on city park systems—the center examines multiple aspects of an urban park system,  evaluating the current status, future potential, and providing recommendations for improvement. Many of these reports are available online. (Example: Hartford, CT, park system report.)

Park system analysis is part of our Conservation Vision services, which also provides state and local leaders with the information they need to prioritize land acquisition for parks, drinking water protection, wildlife habitat, and farmland conservation.

Park Operation

Will closing roads to cars attract more park users? Can a dog park coexist with a skate park? What kind of activities and programming best serve the community? How can signage help make parks safer and more accessible? These questions—the nuts and bolts of park operations—are examined in Trust for Public Land research and publications spanning a range of topics. Drawing on case studies from communities across the country, our experts explore innovative approaches for improving the urban park experience.

Contact the Center for City Park Excellence: