Photo by Josephine Baran on Unsplash
As the population continues to expand and environmental concerns move increasingly to the forefront of public knowledge, more and more people are looking to create outdoor spaces that are more sustainable, but still are beautiful. This is one of the main reasons why sustainable parks are becoming such a big trend in countries around the world.
A sustainable park is a park that is built to promote quality of life and preserve natural resources for the people around it. Sustainable parks are built using the existing plants and geographical features of the area. Keep reading below to find out more.
What is Sustainability?
Sustainability is a commitment to social, environmental and economic factors that promote long-term survival. In particular, it means to think about the impact of our actions on the world around us.
What are the Qualities of a Sustainable Park?
Using long lasting premium site amenities can make a park more sustainable. Long lasting premium site amenities from companies like Ultra Site have been designed to last a lifetime and withstand any type of weather condition with very little maintenance required. Ultra Site produce some brilliant, long-lasting site amenities that are durable but also maintain their aesthetic appeal.
Here are some of the other things that can help to make a park sustainable:
- Energy efficient buildings
- Restored or conserved natural areas
- Storm water capturing
- Easy to maintain plants and landscapes
- Recycling bins provided for users
- On-site composting available, and much more!
Why is Sustainability Important?
Here are some of the main reasons why sustainability is more important than ever before:
- We can't afford to lose our planet – natural resources are quickly running out.
- Protect future generations – with the future of the planet hanging in the balance, the future of our children is at stake.
- We don’t want animals to become extinct – animals are affected by the changes in the environment too.
- It can help end hunger and poverty – this may not happen in our lifetime, but it can help future generations.
The Best Sustainable Parks in the U.S.
These are some of the best sustainable parks you can visit in the U.S.:
- Bryant Park (New York City) – Bryant park is a stunning sustainable park. This multipurpose setting is part storage facility and part beautiful outdoor space. Some of the sustainable features of this park include salvaged stone statues and paving, recycled and durable materials used throughout the design, planters with evergreens and perennials and preserved historic pieces.
- Sustainability Park (Denver, Colorado) – this park is an education, community and green industry resource. It was specially designed to showcase eco-friendly strategies and technologies, from agriculture and renewable energy to green building and sustainable site development.
- The Knoch Knolls Nature Center (Naperville, Illinois) – this park is still currently under construction, but it has already been cited as being a brilliant example of sustainability. It received a sustainability development award in 2014. Some of the features included in this park include solar panels, green roof, natural habitat restoration, designed to LEED Platinum standards and a cistern to recycle rainwater for indoor plumbing.
Parks do far more than enhance and beautify a community; they’re also essential for protecting and preserving natural areas and supporting a healthy eco-system. However, not all green spaces are as beneficial as we would like to believe. Although most green spaces are better than developed areas, they’re often not as sustainable as they could (or need) to be.
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