{"id":1161,"date":"2025-07-31T11:58:19","date_gmt":"2025-07-31T17:58:19","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/agrilife.org\/urbanparks\/?p=1161"},"modified":"2025-07-31T11:58:20","modified_gmt":"2025-07-31T17:58:20","slug":"come-see-us-at-nrpa","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/agrilife.org\/urbanparks\/2025\/07\/31\/come-see-us-at-nrpa\/","title":{"rendered":"Come see us at NRPA"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

We’re excited to present presentations and posters at this year’s National Recreation and Park Administration (NRPA) 2025 annual conference in Orlando, Florida. Come see us!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Click for presentation handouts<\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n
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Tuesday September 16, 2025 1:00 – 2:30PM – NRPA Research Posters<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Room: W310<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Why a Walk to the Park is not a Walk in the Park for All<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Speaker: Dr. Jamie Rae Walker<\/p>\n\n\n\n

For more than 55 years, park and recreation researchers have studied patron access to parks. Much of this historic research has focused on park location and park distance. A set of studies in the late 1990s and in the 2000s focused on perceived challenges to park access. This case study reviews teen perceptions of their communities and the implications for a systems (i.e., co-production) approach to designing communities with access to parks on foot. The case study is based on secondary data analysis of engagement data collected from approximately 500 students in grades 6 through 12 in a rural, southern Texas community. While parks were one the place the youth did report walking to, the data indicate many community design and support efforts need some attention to enhance walkability. Participants in this case also indicated safety was an element impacting decisions to walk. Advocates interested in improving walkability to parks should consider design elements such as sidewalks, crosswalks and shade. They should also plan parks with elements within them that attract users. To better impact park use and walkability to parks, we need to continue to research the elements that impact walkability and work in multi-sector teams to create healthy and supportive environments.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Case Studies of Two Approaches for Promoting Healthy Concessions in Rural Communities<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Speaker: Dr. Jenna Anding<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This session will highlight two different strategies utilized by rural communities to add healthy food and beverage options in concession stands at public park and recreation facilities. One community utilized a business approach and surveyed individuals to identify acceptability and willingness to pay for healthy foods and beverages. Another community worked toward preparing a healthy vending and concession policy for city park and recreation facilities. Session attendees will learn the steps taken in each approach, survey results and the challenges incurred with each method.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Wednesday, September 17 – 30 Minute Research Talks<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Room: W101<\/strong> (all of the following presentations are in this room)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Why a Walk to the Park is not a Walk in the Park for All<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

2:45 PM – 3:15 PM EST <\/strong>(Education Block 4 – NRS 1)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Speakers: Dr. Jamie Rae Walker & Abigail Hess<\/p>\n\n\n\n

For more than 55 years, park and recreation researchers have studied patron access to parks. Much of this historic research has focused on park location and park distance. A set of studies in the late 1990s and in the 2000s focused on perceived challenges to park access. This case study reviews teen perceptions of their communities and the implications for a systems (i.e., co-production) approach to designing communities with access to parks on foot. The case study is based on secondary data analysis of engagement data collected from approximately 500 students in grades 6 through 12 in a rural, southern Texas community. While parks were one the place the youth did report walking to, the data indicate many community design and support efforts need some attention to enhance walkability. Participants in this case also indicated safety was an element impacting decisions to walk. Advocates interested in improving walkability to parks should consider design elements such as sidewalks, crosswalks and shade. They should also plan parks with elements within them that attract users. To better impact park use and walkability to parks, we need to continue to research the elements that impact walkability and work in multi-sector teams to create healthy and supportive environments.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Demonstrations to Visualize Change in Rural Communities<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

3:15 PM – 3:45 PM EST <\/strong>(Education Block 4 – NRS 2)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Speakers: Victorino Cantu & Dr. Jamie Rae Walker<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Communities are in a constant search of safe and sustainable ways to make improvements to their infrastructure. This session is based on the observations and findings from the implementation of three rural community demonstrations. The goal is to inform other professionals in the park and recreation field how demonstrations are meeting those needs. Other outcomes of this session include learning how partners are getting involved and how feedback and data collected from these demonstrations is helping communities make real, tangible changes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Find Your Park: A Case Study of Using Social and Behavioral Marketing to Address Lack of Knowledge<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

4:15 PM – 4:45 PM EST <\/strong>(Education Block 5 – NRS 1)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Speakers: Kelsey Coats & Valeria Jauregui<\/p>\n\n\n\n

While there are many barriers associated with nonuse, lack of knowledge may be one of the only reasons that can be addressed through communication. By effectively sharing, tailoring and promoting communication materials, lack of knowledge can be addressed. Park and recreation professionals may turn to health communication and social and behavioral marketing concepts to address lack of knowledge of parks. Texas A&M\u2019s Working on Wellness Environments (WOW-E) program, a Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) High Obesity Program recipient, collaborated with CDC’s Active People Healthy Nation (APHN) campaign to pilot test an APHN communication campaign using social and behavioral marketing and health communication concepts in three rural South Texas communities.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Let\u2019s Take a StoryWalk: Exploring the Impact of Activating a Neighborhood Park<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

4:45 PM – 5:15 PM EST <\/strong>(Education Block 5 – NRS 2)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Speakers: Anna Stehling & Dr. Jamie Rae Walker<\/p>\n\n\n\n

StoryWalks create environments where families can read together while they walk, promoting literacy and encouraging regular physical activity. StoryWalk user behavior, park knowledge and experience data was gathered via surveys as well as after-action listening sessions with the local program leaders. A total of 42 individuals followed the QR code and completed the form. Of those responding to demographic questions (n=24), 14 were female and 10 were male. Spending time with family and obtaining physical activity were the top reasons individuals reported participating in the program. Additionally, results suggested that participating in StoryWalk changed user behavior in the community park, encouraging people to either walk more than they do already or walk when they typically do not. That is, 88 percent of users stated that they walked more that day because of the StoryWalk. Almost half the users (n=16; 48%) stated they walked more than 10 minutes more that day because of the StoryWalk. Attendees will: Understand why people participate in StoryWalks, recognize the impact of the StoryWalk on targeted behaviors and physical activity, and consider how activating environments with tools such as StoryWalk can also increase knowledge of and visitation to local parks.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/div>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

We’re excited to present presentations and posters at this year’s National Recreation and Park Administration (NRPA) 2025 annual conference in Orlando, Florida. Come see us! Tuesday September 16, 2025 1:00 – 2:30PM – NRPA Research Posters Room: W310 Why a Walk to the Park is not a Walk in the Park for All Speaker: Dr. Jamie Rae Walker For more than 55 years, park and recreation researchers have studied patron access to parks. Much of this historic research has focused on park location and park distance. A set… Read More →<\/a><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1767,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-1161","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-uncategorized"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\nCome see us at NRPA - Urban and Municipal Parks<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"noindex, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Come see us at NRPA - Urban and Municipal Parks\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"We’re excited to present presentations and posters at this year’s National Recreation and Park Administration (NRPA) 2025 annual conference in Orlando, Florida. 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