First Name | Rico |
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Last Name | Mastrodonato |
Email Address | rico.mastrodonato@tpl.org |
Affiliation | Trust For Public Land |
Subject | Comment - Draft Investment Plan |
Comment | Dear ARB Staff, The Trust FOr Public Land was pleased to see a range of natural resource investments reflected in the 'Draft Investment Plan' uncluding 'urban forests' and 'urban greening'. We would like to emphasize we think it's important that local parks are included in the term 'urban greening' and that when we discuss any Sustainable Community Strategy', that urban forestry, and local parks are included in that calculous. The built environment plays a powerful role in human behavior and by extension our transportation choices. Local parks provide walking trails and bike paths that connect people to their destinations and reduce vehicle miles traveled. Urban green spaces also reduce our energy consumption by cooling our cities and re-charging our ground water. Obviously trees, shrubs and grasses, sequester carbon. Parks demonstrateGHG benefits by providing transportation choices like bike paths and walking trails, water resource benefits from permeable surfaces and bioswales and are helping to reduce the temperature of the city neighborhood by replacing blacktop and concrete with lawns, trees and gardens. Parks also demonstrate impressive cobenefits. The Center for Disease Control says if you put a park within walking distance of people, people use it for exercise. Parks can often also feature outdoor fitness machines, a multi-purpose basketball court and a playground. In addition many parks now are designed with space for the community to garden, families to picnic and barbeque. Thank you again for recognizing the importance of investing in natural resources. Sincerely, Rico Mastrodonato Senior Government Relations Manager |
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Date and Time Comment Was Submitted | 2013-04-24 11:50:20 |
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