ESP Associates, Inc.’s Post

Want to learn more and give more? Join your local Texas Master Naturalist chapter! #ConservationTakeover tip from @Texasmasternaturalist: aid local communities and organizations by volunteering to educate Texans about the natural world! Texas Master Naturalists not only learn while getting their feet wet and their hands dirty, but also serve their communities as dedicated volunteers in natural settings. Many communities and organizations rely on these citizen volunteers for implementing youth education programs, operating parks, nature centers, and natural areas; providing leadership in local natural resource conservation efforts! In fact, the shortage of dedicated and well-informed volunteers is often a limiting factor for community-based conservation efforts.

Passed in 2020, the Great American Outdoors Act serves as a legal and funding tool to assist with initiatives to provide more green space for residents in rural and urban communities. The Outdoors for All Act, currently awaiting Senate approval, would expand on this progress by increasing access to parks and green spaces in low-income communities and communities of color. Read our latest Insight article, 𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘎𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘵 𝘈𝘮𝘦𝘳𝘪𝘤𝘢𝘯 𝘖𝘶𝘵𝘥𝘰𝘰𝘳𝘴 𝘈𝘤𝘵: 𝘈 𝘛𝘰𝘰𝘭 𝘵𝘰 𝘈𝘥𝘷𝘢𝘯𝘤𝘦 𝘗𝘶𝘣𝘭𝘪𝘤 𝘏𝘦𝘢𝘭𝘵𝘩, by the Network's Leah Terry, below. 🔗: https://lnkd.in/eM4pKmWM

🌍💬 Participation in Environmental Justice (#EJ) meetings is vital, and engaging in discussions like our upcoming Land Subcommittee Meeting isn't just crucial—it's a chance to shape the future of our communities and environment! At these gatherings, like the one happening on Friday, December 1, 2023, from 1:00 to 3:00 PM EST, CEEJAC explores community improvement initiatives such as the Urban Green and Community Gardens Grant Program (UGCG). These programs provide additional support to EJ communities by funding green spaces for public enjoyment and education. Your participation isn't just about attendance; it's an opportunity to have your voice heard on topics like land conservation, urban revitalization, and equitable access to green spaces beyond traditional parks. 🏙️🌿 🌟Environmental justice meetings foster collaboration and innovation. They're spaces where ideas flourish, barriers are identified, and community needs are highlighted. Your input can shape policies and programs, ensuring they truly serve our communities. Join us and the #CEEJAC and be a part of this incredible journey towards greener, healthier, and more vibrant CT! Your insights matter while we work towards a more sustainable and equitable future! 💚💡 #EnvironmentalJustice #CommunityEngagement #Sustainability #EquityInAction #LandConservation #UrbanRevitalization

What if you had land and then shared access to ranch and/farm land with a community who had these values? Service, Hospitality, Excellence, Humility, Community, Family, Friendship, Formation, Growth, Restoration, Renewal, and Conservation.

Our collective conservation work demands an equity lens. HECHO is proud to share the insights of a new report, “Changing the Landscape: Honoring Hispanic Heritage on Public Lands,” which amplifies Hispanic perspectives and advocates for equitable access to and representation within public lands. “We were never told that our stories mattered, and the stories of Hispanic and Latino connection to the landscape have been missing. They exist, and they need to be shared,” said Teresa Martinez, Executive Director of the Continental Divide Trail Coalition. This report, which models a community-led and community-derived model for land and water conservation, can serve as a roadmap for future conservation decisions–whether those be which public lands to preserve or how to manage public lands. Read the full report here. https://ow.ly/UHk250R1Mr6 #ConservationCultura #PublicLands #StoriesOnTheLand

Throughout 2022-23 we achieved significant milestones across various initiatives, contributing to environmental education, community engagement, and sustainable living 💚 https://lnkd.in/eif_QmVS

Trust for Public Land works to connect everyone to the benefits and joys of the outdoors. They were founded in 1972 on the conviction that all people need access to nature and the outdoors, close to home, in their cities and communities. Trust for Public Land works with communities to create parks and protect public land where they’re needed most, as a matter of health, equity, and justice. Since 1972, they have created thousands of parks and protected millions of acres of public land ⬇️ 🌳 4 million acres protected 🌳 5,364 outdoor spaces created 🌳 9.3 million people connected to the outdoors 🌳 $93 billion secured in public funding Join our committed environmental partners and us in addressing some of the most critical challenges facing our planet: https://lnkd.in/eAQbevp2

For more than 50 years, Earth Day has signified a time for people to come together to invest in the health of the environment both locally and globally.🌎 As one of the largest groups of land managers and community service providers, park and recreation professionals and their agencies are essential to these environmental efforts. Several agencies shared their Earth Day and Month initiatives with us in the April issue of Parks & Recreation magazine. Read the full article to... 🌎Learn how Mecklenburg County Parks and Recreation in North Carolina is promoting nature and agriculture as one of their main missions year-round. 🌎Explore what parks and recreation in Wichita, Kansas is doing to remind folks how important it is to take care of our environment. 🌎Discover the 2024 Annual Bike to Earth Day event held by the City of Bloomington Parks and Recreation in Indiana. 🌎Hear from Douglasville, Georgia Parks and Recreation on replenishing the tree canopy in a recently renovated park, which suffered a loss of trees during construction. 🌎Get a taste of the fun events and volunteer efforts put on by the Forest Preserves in Cook County, Illinois that allow people to give back to the natural world. 🌎Find out how the Parks, Recreation and Cultural Resources Department in Cary, North Carolina is getting community members involved in climate actions and stewardship strategies through dozens of programs. Read the full article: https://bit.ly/4cI0dRV #PowerOfParks #NRPAEarthMonth #EarthDay #EarthMonth #Conservation #WhereYouBelong #ClimateHero #Parks #Recreation #Environment #Sustainability #Nature

Grant opportunity: Landcare Grants Open now; Closes 30/04/24; up to $20,000; Vic These grants support landcare and environmental volunteer groups and networks with on-ground works, education and capacity building projects that protect and restore our land and natural environment. There are two streams: -Project Grants of up to $20,000 for on-ground works, capability building activities, community education and engagement that protects or improves our natural environment such as native vegetation, native fauna, waterways, wetlands, and soils. -Support Grants of up to $500 to assist with costs such as insurance, incorporation and operational needs, or meetings and events or newsletters, websites and other communication. Eligibility: Grants are open to all Victorian Landcare and environmental volunteer groups and networks that are community-based and have a focus on on-ground land and natural environment improvement work. This includes Landcare groups and networks, Friends groups, Conservation Management Networks, Committees of Management, Coastcare groups and Aboriginal groups and organisations working on Country. #pruesgold #grants #grantwriting

From promoting smart growth to enhancing community vitality, discover the principles that are guiding us towards a sustainable future. Want to dive deeper into the art and science of creating cohesive, thriving communities? Check out our latest blog to explore the transformative power of land planning. https://bit.ly/3TBeuIS #landplanning #landdevelopment #burrell #blog #sustainablefuture