This series explores how parks serve as engines of exploration, education, play, and equity. It was started by Oakland County Parks and Recreation, Wayne County Parks and Recreation, Huron-Clinton Metroparks, City of Detroit, and Detroit Riverfront Conservancy and is currently funded by Huron-Clinton Metroparks and the City of Detroit.
The Huron-Clinton Metroparks are celebrating this Earth Day by rolling out several new pilot initiatives that are the first steps in an ambitious plan to combat the impacts of climate change.
From school science programming to park revitalization efforts, we talked to local residents about how equity-related efforts in parks have impacted their lives and communities.
Parks systems are making internal changes to bake equity into how they operate as organizations.
Southeast Michigan's parks are working to connect students in underserved communities to nature and science programming.
Southeast Michigan's parks are working to address climate equity by mitigating climate change's disproportionate effects on already underserved populations.
Detroit Outdoors is a collaborative network of institutions focused on expanding access to outdoor recreation.
Private individuals and nonprofits have established parks across the city to help advance equity, build community, provide services, and catalyze investment in underserved neighborhoods.
The Huron-Clinton Metroparks' robust parks system has never included a Detroit location, but that will change next year with the opening of a Metroparks-branded attraction at Ralph C. Wilson, Jr. Centennial Park.
Alongside health clinics, food pantries, and community centers, southeast Michigan's parks are increasingly becoming important hubs for advancing health equity in their communities.
The Healthy Communities plan will bring five existing city parks into the county parks system, leading to improved infrastructure and maintenance, and support improvements at several other parks in the county.
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