Local parks mitigate climate, air and water pollution impacts on environmental resources and public health. They also promote and educate urban citizens about conservation and environmental stewardship. From protecting water resources to increasing air quality; local parks and green spaces can positively influence a community on several environmental levels.
Air Quality
- The green coverage that local parks offer helps reduce carbon dioxide (a dominant greenhouse gas) by directly removing and storing carbon dioxide and indirectly by reducing air temperature and building energy use in and near parks.
- Urban park trees in the United States remove 75,000 tons of air pollution annually, with a value of $500 million, thus, in addition to environmental benefits, urban park trees also have a positive economic impact on communities.
Water Quality
- In recent decades, parklands (and the urban natural systems they support) have been proven to provide a natural, cost-effective form of water quality protection.
- Water quality is positively correlated with forested land cover, thus, an increase in urban forests and parkland leads to improved water quality.
- Parks provide a needed source for groundwater infiltration as well as offer a buffer to the effects of floods, by building and maintaining parks, a community can strategically place parkland and other greenways around its city to significantly reduce storm water management costs. They often also protect sensitive wetlands.
Conservation of natural and cultural resources
- Local parks protect sensitive environmental resources for the enjoyment of current citizens and future generations.
- Local parks often protect and interpret important historical and cultural resources.
- Parks provide venues to teach young Texans about the natural environment and are often the first line of opportunity to expose urban youth to the importance of conservation.
- Local parks provide an opportunity for a community to engage in sustainable (green) construction techniques and demonstrate the value of these methods to its citizens while conserving natural resources.
