Guardians of Greenspaces is a podcast focused on environmental resilience from a park and recreation maintenance lens that uplifts the voices of experts in the field.

Tune in to hear new episodes weekly for the next 10 weeks to learn about water conservation topics, such as smart irrigation, water audits, staff engagement and more. New episodes can be found below, on Spotify, and wherever you stream your podcasts!

As a thank you for listening, the first 150 listeners to answer our key question about a recent episode will receive a $50 gift card to the NRPA retail storeSee official rules.

The Guardians of Greenspaces podcast is produced by NRPA with support fromThe Scotts Miracle-Gro Foundation to support park and recreation staff implementing water conservation best practices and tools.

Have questions or feedback about the show? Email NRPA's Community and Environmental Resilience Team at resilience@nrpa.org.

Episode 1: Staff Engagement in San Antonio

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At the San Antonio River Authority, staff engagement is the driver behind successful low-impact green infrastructure development.

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Episode 2: Native Planting in Snohomish County

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In Snohomish County, Washington, native plants are having a big impact on water cost savings.

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Episode 3: Water Audits in Seattle

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Karen Galt and Tyler Flynn from the City of Seattle discuss three types of water audits and the water savings they offer.

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Episode 4: Smart Irrigation in Denver

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Lynn Fulton and Michael Sabin explore how smart irrigation supports maintenance staff in implementing water conservation in Denver.

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Episode 5: Community Engagement

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Shaundon Moore (Dekalb County, Georgia) and Dr. Viniece Jennings discuss how community engagement can be a solution to several park-based maintenance challenges.

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Episode 6: Grey Water Reuse in Purcell and Los Alamos County

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From water reclamation to effluent water, learn how grey water reuse could help your agency save big and conserve potable water.

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Episode 7: Sustainable Turf in Sioux Center

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Learn the strategies one agency is using to save water while maintaining athletic fields — including implementing feedback and ideas from maintenance staff.

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Episode 8: Green Stormwater Infrastructure in Raleigh and Tucson

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Listen in to hear how good cross departmental collaboration can be a solution to green stormwater infrastructure maintenance challenges!

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Episode 9: Trees and Riparian Zones: Green Infrastructure in Houston

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In this episode, Kelli Ondracek, natural resources manager at the City of Houston, discusses the impact of riparian restoration and tree-based green infrastructure on water conservation.

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Episode 10: Natural Water Maintenance in Boise and Columbus

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In this episode, water managers and park professionals share their insights on balancing recreation and water quality through the maintenance of natural water areas like ponds, reservoirs and rivers.

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