What More Appropriate Place Is There to Activate
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What more appropriate This presents an enormous opportunity for somewhat strained, place is there to the NPS. In a city that is intimately Morrison focused on activate the Urban connected to the past and future like D.C., Southeast D.C., specifically on Agenda than in the public land management organizations can connecting community members of nation’s capital? People of play a major role in the health and quality Wards 7 and 8, which house a large color are the majority of residents of life by ensuring equitable access to key proportion of underserved in Washington D.C. (52.3% resources. In a conversation with Missy communities, to NPS units nearby. according to the Census Morrison, the D.C. Urban Fellow, she These units included the Civil War Bureau), and the large highlighted the capacity of D.C. as a Defenses of Washington, Frederick metropolitan area has a model, and spoke to her main goal to Douglass National Historic Site, Belmont- population of over 6 connect the existing Park Service Paul Women’s Equality National million. Washington infrastructure with underserved Monument, among others and Morison’s D.C. is the center for communities in Southeast Districts of D.C. main focus: Shepherd Parkway. political action and change-making in the U.S. and features a comprehensive set of As the pilot began Morrison helped Shepherd Parkway, is a neighborhood park cultural and historical resources, many of convene what became the Urban Steering that features a small pocket park that is which are free to the public, including the Committee—a group of D.C. park physically connected to a portion of the Smithsonian, D.C. area national parks, and superintendents and Associate Regional NPS Civil War Defenses of Washington--a the Library of Congress. These and other Directors that gathered to help identify and system of forts that surround the city and sites illustrate an ongoing commitment in support projects and partnerships related are linked by green corridors once the city to ensure these sites and stories to the Urban Agenda. “The Steering envisioned as a parkway, the Fort Circle are accessible to all visitors and residents. Committee was an example of One NPS in Drive. Interpretive signs were added to action,” Morrison remarked. Through identify the area as a National Park and What makes Washington, D.C. unique is regular interplay among leadership at the better connect the park with its place in the that nearly 90% of all parkland in the parks and in the region, parks were more history of the Civil War and within the District - more than 20% of the city land aware of the efforts of one another, and historic formation of the District’s green area, is under National Park Service’s were able to better support Morrison’s, and space (The L'enfant Plan and the early jurisdiction. NPS parklands are scattered each other’s work beyond park boundaries. 20th century Macmillan Plan). Interpretive throughout the city with hundreds of local signage was a quick and effective win that neighborhood parks and green space, as Morrison took a handful of proposals to the helped demonstrate NPS’s commitment to well as several of the Nation's most iconic steering committee featuring projects in the communities surrounding the park. sites including the National Mall, the District wards where NPS had a physical Many of the successes at Shepherd Lincoln Memorial, Rock Creek Park, and presence (parkland or historic site for Parkway were similarly small but impactful the White House. Many of D.C.’s cultural example) and where there was opportunity applications of NPS resources. resources can be found in the city’s public to build and/or strengthen relationships lands, making it one of the premier with the community. Through this lens of Additionally NPS convened partners to organizations in the capital responsible for enhancing NPS presence in places where help conduct an ethnographic study of the preserving and telling the nation’s history. relationships are non-existent or perhaps Shepherd Parkway community. RECOMMENDATIONS FOR NPS “The Park Service must continue to listen without an agenda, to better understand and help Morrison’s primary recommendation called align community goals with the overall mission of NPS.” for the need for consistent advocates within NPS for underrepresented urban Designed to develop greater insight into many of D.C.’s residents are physically communities, to ensure the investment of the community and assist NPS with future close to a national park or NPS co- time and resources remains equitable planning and management of the park, this managed site, a lack of identity and across the urban landscape. “If I wasn’t ongoing Rapid Ethnographic Assessment consistency in some areas further advocating for Southeast [D.C.], it felt like adds to the multi-disciplinary approach to complicates partnering with NPS parks and very few others were,” Morrison noted. She urban community engagement. This programs. Activating One NPS is crucial in expanded on this by charging NPS to approach spurred additional NPS park D.C. and similar areas where NPS “mitigate the idea that the squeaky wheel units in the District to do the same. presence is woven through several small gets the grease.” D.C. is full of powerful park units. and influential voices, but the The Urban Agenda’s Model City pilot demographics that need parks most, presented a unique opportunity to share NPS community presence pays off— whether it pertains to health, economic and amplify examples of how the NPS in volunteer in local events and initiatives. growth, or stewardship, often have their the National Capital Region has been voices eclipsed. With the capacity and operating to meet unique urban The Park Service frequently and creativity among NPS staff, Morrison challenges. This is one aspect of the successfully relies on its arrowhead and asserts that it is possible, and paramount program Morrison hopes can continue; flat hat to draw in new partners. Morrison for NPS to focus on the equitable allocation “Our staff in DC has been engaged in expressed that regardless of the success of funds, time, and resources across the many innovative efforts, long before the of this strategy in the past, NPS must seek region. Urban Agenda initiative was launched in out new community partners through 2015, as have many of our urban parks grassroots community engagement. across the country, and it was constructive Attending local community meetings, to be able to share these ideas with parks participating in local initiatives as and programs across the service.” volunteers, setting up listening sessions apart from a NPS project or LESSONS LEARNED plan are valuable components of building stronger relationships with The structure of NPS operational communities. “The Park Service boundaries can impede collaboration. must continue to listen without an agenda, to better understand and help “In DC there’s a park in everybody’s back align community goals with the overall yard, but the NPS management system is mission of NPS.” complicated and not easily understood by our residents” Morrison explained. Though .