Our community is reaping the benefits of years of public and private support of our County, City, and Local Park Systems. We are blessed with nearly 15000 acres of County parkland alone and a healthy number of important City and Local Parks. These are amazing resources and are free and readily available to the people in this region
Now more than ever we need our Parks and Trails to be open and safe. Recent studies summarized by UW Professor Dr James Stein conclude that the risk of getting COVID is less when you are outdoors, in open spaces; and even less when one practices social distancing. The virus droplets when outside are more easily dispersed and more readily become harmless. So Parks and open space areas can be significant resources to provide relatively safe venues for people to exercise, with safe, limited socialization. It has been understood for many years that access to the outdoors is essential for good physical and mental health and this again demonstrates that fact. (It is a health prescription for which you don't have to pay money.)
This concept is practiced in Dane County as one only has to look at the crowded parking lots to know that people are taking advantage of these resources during this challenging time.
For Dane County Parks alone, with limited data collection there was an increase between 27% to 36% in park users in March/April over the same time last year and staff estimates peg the number above 40% in. County Parks like Indian Lake, Pheasant Branch and Lunney Lake Farm for example. Additionally, multi-use trails like the Capital City Trail and the Lower Yahara River Trail experienced even larger increase with estimates of users running between 40 and 45 percent increase. Similar increases occurred at many State Parks.
Spring is here, visit a park, and bask in nature while practicing social distancing. Remember a Park is not just a piece of land, it is a vibrant part of a community and it is a place for people to connect to the natural beauty around us.
Now more than ever we need our Parks and Trails to be open and safe. Recent studies summarized by UW Professor Dr James Stein conclude that the risk of getting COVID is less when you are outdoors, in open spaces; and even less when one practices social distancing. The virus droplets when outside are more easily dispersed and more readily become harmless. So Parks and open space areas can be significant resources to provide relatively safe venues for people to exercise, with safe, limited socialization. It has been understood for many years that access to the outdoors is essential for good physical and mental health and this again demonstrates that fact. (It is a health prescription for which you don't have to pay money.)
This concept is practiced in Dane County as one only has to look at the crowded parking lots to know that people are taking advantage of these resources during this challenging time.
For Dane County Parks alone, with limited data collection there was an increase between 27% to 36% in park users in March/April over the same time last year and staff estimates peg the number above 40% in. County Parks like Indian Lake, Pheasant Branch and Lunney Lake Farm for example. Additionally, multi-use trails like the Capital City Trail and the Lower Yahara River Trail experienced even larger increase with estimates of users running between 40 and 45 percent increase. Similar increases occurred at many State Parks.
Spring is here, visit a park, and bask in nature while practicing social distancing. Remember a Park is not just a piece of land, it is a vibrant part of a community and it is a place for people to connect to the natural beauty around us.
Lunney Lake Farm Park on a Misty Morning
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