Quick Action Environmental Data Assessment Checklist

This sustainability assessment checklist provides the basic data that a local park and recreation agency should take into consideration when performing a sustainability assessment. It is intended to help your park and recreation department or agency assess its existing sustainability actions, identify challenges to implementing sustainability and advance opportunities for improving sustainability. Using the checklist to assess the status of sustainability within the agency/department is crucial to develop and implement additional effective sustainability initiatives. In doing so, your park and recreation agency or department can benefit community residents, build up resilient infrastructure, reduce emissions and ensure it has sufficient resources to carry out its operations.

 

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Sustainability Assessment Guidelines:

The sustainability assessment should help answer the following questions:

  • What are our agency’s greatest sources of emissions?
  • What are the major sources of pollution in areas under our authority?
  • What is the capacity, age and state of repair of our major infrastructure systems?
  • How healthy are our natural resources?
  • How sustainable are our land use and development patterns?
  • How are we at risk over the long-term from the impacts of a changing climate?
  • What are the major public health issues in our community and what is causing them?
  • How affordable is it to access our parks?
  • What opportunities do we provide for community engagement in our sustainability efforts?
  • How have the demographics of our community changed or how will they change over time? How might that impact how we think about sustainability in a parks context?

This tool was adapted from ​ ICLEI - Local Governments for Sustainability USA (ICLEI USA)​ resources through a partnership between ICLEI ​USA ​and NRPA —​ specifically for parks.

 

Video Resource to Learn More About the Quick Action Environmental Data Assessment Checklist:

In this video, ICLEI USA Program Officer and Nature-Based Pathway lead Jadon Basilevac introduces the Quick Action Environmental Data Assessment Checklist. He explains how this tool can help you navigate the early stages of the research process to inform future sustainability action, build out a sustainability plan and ultimately advance your park and recreation agency’s sustainability efforts.

 

 

 

 

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