Benefits of Parks White Paper

As the nation's leading conservation group creating parks in and around cities, The Trust for Public Land has launched its Parks for People initiative in the belief that every American child should enjoy convenient access to a nearby park or playground. This white paper outlines how desperate the need is for city parks—especially in inner-city neighborhoods—and describes the social, environmental, economic, and health benefits parks bring to a city and its people. We hope this paper will generate discussion about the need for parks, prompt new research on the benefits of parks to cities, and serve as a reference for government leaders and volunteers as they make the case that parks are essential to the health and well-being of all Americans.