Outdoor Spaces and Buildings Tactic Profiles
Healthy communities have plenty of indoor and outdoor spaces to gather, work, and play. This domain addresses the availability, accessibility, and welcoming aspects of green spaces and public buildings.
Aging Our Way, PA Tactic 56:
Increase the availability of adaptive facilities and equipment in parks and community spaces, including adult changing tables and park benches.
Overview:
Accessible and adaptive facilities and equipment in parks and community spaces are crucial to ensuring that people of all ages and abilities have access to the benefits of the outdoors. Access to the outdoors promotes a myriad of health benefits as we age, including reducing risk of heart disease and diabetes, improving mental wellbeing, and sustaining memory. The Department of Conservation and Natural Resources (DCNR) has included this initiative in its Statewide Comprehensive Outdoor Recreation Plan (SCORP). DCNR works with state park offices, regional stakeholders, and “Friends of” Park groups to secure funding for such projects.
The PA Parks and Forests Foundation (PPFF) is one of DCNR’s most important partners in this work. They fund and promote adaptive and accessible facilities in Pennsylvania’s state forests and parks so that all visitors can enjoy their time outside. Local municipalities can help to identify recreation and outdoor environments, utilize community members in planning, and ensure that they are safe spaces in their communities.
Recommended Localized Tactics:
- Connect Park administrators with staff from nursing facilities, independent living centers, Village to Village Network communities, Centers for Independent Living, etc. to ensure that they are making the best investments when it comes to adaptative and accessibility upgrades.
- Work with parks, “friends of” groups, and statewide resources such as PA Parks and Forests Foundation and DCNR to survey local parks and assess existing resources, survey promising opportunities, and identify positive interventions to improve accessibility. Be sure to involve older adults and people with disabilities in your planning decisions.
- Reference demonstrably successful examples of accessibility infrastructure, including the accessible trails at R.B. Winter, accessible fishing areas at Buchanon State Forest, the ADA picnic area at Nockamixon State Park, and the Camping Beach at Gifford Pinchot State Park.
- Identify and involve older adults and people with disabilities in outdoor recreation planning and projects, and work with professionals who have experience serving these populations, including engineers, landscape architects, educators, and others.
Key Players and Partners:
- DCNR: Provides funding for state, local, and municipal outdoor recreation infrastructure projects through the Community Conservation Partnerships Program (C2P2) grant. Provides staff support, resource connection, and technical assistance. Provides accessible information on state parks and forests, including accessibility amenities.
- PPFF: Non-profit that coordinates “Friends of” Park” groups statewide, drives private and philanthropic donations for outdoor recreation, and supports outdoor recreation accessibility projects through their “Outdoors for Everyone” program.
- Area Agencies on Aging: Support older Pennsylvanians at the local level through core home- and community-based services, including many Senior Community Centers (SCCs).
- Centers for Independent Living: Support Pennsylvanians living with disabilities at the local level and act as a community resource for accessibility.
- Libraries: Act as a hub of information, resources, social interaction, and learning for communities.
Resources:
- Statewide Comprehensive Outdoor Recreation Plan (SCORP) – comprehensive Outdoor Recreation Plan for Pennsylvania by DCNR.
- Guide to Keeping Older Adults Connected to Nature - toolkit designed to help older adults find meaningful connections with nature, created in partnership by DCNR, DOH, and PDA.
Examples:
- PPFF Works with various volunteer organizations around the Commonwealth on projects to increase accessibility for older Pennsylvanians in State Parks and Forrest such as:
- Accessible hiking trails (benches, paving, etc.) at R.B. Winter State Park
- Accessible Fishing Areas in Buchanon State Forrest
- ADA/Aging access picnic areas at Nockamixon State Park
- Accessible camping/easy access beach areas at Gifford Pinchot State Park
- Outdoor Photography Program of Parks than then moves “inside” at local libraries (i.e. Waynesboro, Pa library and local park system
PA Council on Aging Contact:
Rob Wonderling, rob@arenastrategic.ai
Aging Our Way, PA Tactic 70:
Use state grant programs to fund community-based programs that advance health and wellness and connect Pennsylvanians with outdoor recreation programming for older adults.
Overview:
Pennsylvania has a strong foundation of state-administered grant programs that support health promotion, aging services, parks, conservation, and community development. Agencies such as the Pennsylvania Department of Aging (PDA), Department of Conservation and Natural Resources (DCNR), Department of Health, and Department of Human Services currently fund initiatives that touch on physical activity, social connection, prevention, and community engagement, though funding streams are often siloed.
This tactic provides an opportunity for local governments to strategically utilize state grant programs while allowing communities to build sustainable, inclusive initiatives that support aging in place while strengthening local infrastructure.
Recommended Localized Tactics:
- Implement flexible, scalable, inclusive outdoor recreation programs, including walking and hiking programs in local parks and trails; outdoor fitness and movement classes adapted for varying mobility levels; community gardening programs promoting nutrition, activity, and social engagement; and nature-based social prescribing models in partnership with healthcare providers.
- Establish partnerships with Senior Community Centers, libraries, Long-Term Care facilities, transportation resources and other organizations to create outdoor-recreation-based programming linkages and low-cost indoor alternatives when weather limits outdoor participation.
- Address potential barriers to building inclusive outdoor recreation activities through resource-sharing to assist with limited local grant-writing capacity, transportation challenges, seasonal weather constraints and liability and accessibility concerns.
- Create intergenerational connections by recruiting and training younger volunteers to act as guides to meet the accessibility needs of outdoor recreation program participants.
- Advocate for increased grantmaking coordination between state agencies at the intersection of aging, recreation, and public health.
Key Players and Partners:
- Area Agencies on Aging (AAAs) and Senior Centers
- Community organizations, for example, YMCAs
- Local Fitness Centers
- Public Indoor Spaces for weather-related accommodations (e.g. malls)
- State agencies: DCNR, PDA, DOH, DHS
Resources:
- DCNR’s Statewide Comprehensive Outdoor Recreation Plan
- “Keeping Older Adults Connected to Nature” – Partnership between DCNR, DOH, and PDA
- Health, Wellness, and Fitness Programs offered at Area Agencies on Aging
- Calendar of Current Aging Programs and Events
- PBS Clip of Aging Together in Pennsylvania on the importance of wellness as we age
Examples:
- Get Out For Wellness is a monthly “Rx for Nature” program for older adults that provides fresh air, friendships, and healthy hikes and walks in beautiful, natural destinations throughout Lehigh, Northampton, Carbon, and Monroe Counties. Programming is carried out in partnership between Lehigh Valley Health Network and the PA Wildlands Conservancy.
- Outdoor & Active Older Adults is an offering of programs for older adults (60+) focused on keeping both the body and the mind active and engaged. OAOA programs are available all year long, both in-person and online – offered free of charge to Lackawanna County PA residents age 60 and over. The program is sponsored by Lackawanna County Area Agency on Aging.
PA Council on Aging Contact:
Catharine (C.J.) Rambler, crambler@honorhealthnetwork.com
Aging Our Way, PA Tactic 58:
Fund tree plantings and urban tree cover to ensure additional shading in local parks and improve healthful access to the outdoors.
Overview:
Planting trees is a simple and purposeful way to impact communities. Trees offer a myriad of public health benefits – strengthening public health by improving air quality, filtering pollutants and producing oxygen, and by helping reduce stormwater runoff during heavy rain. Expanding access to outdoor spaces benefits everyone, and tree planting is a practical community action that residents can see and feel right away.
By partnering with local organizations, municipalities, and volunteers, communities can fund and plant trees that deliver long-term environmental, economic, and health benefits for residents of all ages.
Recommended Localized Tactics:
- Connect with DCNR’s Urban and Community Forestry staff for technical assistance in maximizing the health, longevity, and community benefit of your community’s tree canopy.
- Apply for funding to support tree planting and care through the programs listed under the “Resources” section of this profile, and conduct research to identify additional funding sources such as land conservancies in your region.
- Involve a diverse group of community participants in your tree canopy planning, including older adults, people with disabilities, and people with specific health needs.
- Reach out to the Urban & Community Forestry Program, Pennsylvania Horticultural Society, or Penn State Extension to schedule a tree tending training for volunteers, civic leaders, students, and others interested in learning to keep your community’s trees healthy throughout their lifespan.
Key Players and Partners:
- Urban and Community Forestry Program - Department of Conservation and Natural Resources
The Urban and Community Forestry program through the Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources (DCNR) helps towns, cities, nonprofits, schools, and local organizations plant, protect, and manage trees in public spaces across Pennsylvania. Contact: Orsolya Lazar, c-olazar@pa.gov - Property owners and land managers; volunteer force of neighbors, civic groups, scouts and other student organizations, along with community organizers and non-profits.
Resources:
- Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources: DCNR's Community Conservation Partnership Program (C2P2) offers grants greater than $50,000 for tree planning and planting. Grant applications open in January and are due in the beginning of April each year.
- Western PA Conservancy: WPC has worked with communities, cities and towns across our region to plant trees and reforest areas. They work with hundreds of volunteers, community residents and organizations to accomplish our work. Since 2008, 42,000 trees have been planted. Contact: Alicia Wehrle, Community Forestry Project Coordinator, 412-586-2386, awehrle@paconserve.org
- Arbor Day Foundation: Works to nurture the ecosystem of people, organizations, and municipalities who plan, plant, advocate, and care for trees.
- Ten Million Trees: The Keystone 10 Million Trees Partnership, commonly referred to as K10, is a collaborative effort of national, regional, state, and local agencies, conservation organizations, outdoors enthusiasts, businesses, and citizens committed to improving Pennsylvania’s communities, economy, and ecology by planting 10 million trees in priority areas across the Commonwealth. Current tree-planting grants are available from many counties across the commonwealth, giving you a unique opportunity for a positive return on investment.
- PA Horticultural Society (PHA): PHA hosts the Tree Tending Program, a twice-a-year (virtual or hybrid) program to learn the basics of proper tree care.
- TreePennsylvania: TreePennsylvania’s Bare Root Tree Program provides communities across Pennsylvania with large, healthy bare root trees for planting on public lands.
Examples:
- Belleview Borough – This community included a few older adults in a walk through the business “main street” area asking how they could improve the outdoor space to make it more accessible for older adults. Two items surfaced including tree shade cover and more welcoming approach as well as benches for resting along the way. Belleview Boro has created a Shade Tree Commission, a voluntary advisory board as part of the Municipal planning efforts, Belleview Boro has created a Shade Tree Commission, a voluntary advisory board as part of the Municipal planning efforts. Contact: shadetree@bellevueboro.com
- Shillington Borough – The Mission of the Shillington Tree Advisory Committee[viii] (STAC) is to work in cooperation with Borough Administration and residents to enhance the attractiveness and ecological health of our community. STAC reaches out to property owners offering to provide a new tree to be planted in the public right-of-way of their property. Contact: Shillingtontrees@gmail.com
PA Council on Aging Contact:
Jen Martchek, Jmartchek@gmail.com