ActivEnviro

So many great minds at . Congratulations to Three Rivers Park District for winning the Organizational Summit Award!

Active Living + Outdoor Health Summit – Minneapolis/St. Paul, Minnesota, March 8 – 13, 2026

There is still time to join your allied health, recreation, and land management colleagues for this important joint Summit. Our local hosts as the University of Minnesota and other partners are welcoming us to the Twin Cities Region with a great program lined up. There is some room for a couple more late breaking posters if you have something to share. See https://www.activenviro.org/aloh2026 for more information.

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News for You from our Allied Colleagues Who Help Communities Thrive Happy Holidays, Winter Solstice, and joy for all that you celebrate! ActivEnviro is tidying up our 2025 year, and looking ahead to how we can help bring more great minds like you together.

It's Not too Late! Call for Presentation Proposals – Deadline Extended

You asked, we listened! We’ve heard from many of you requesting more time, and we’re happy to share that the deadline for presentation proposals for the 2026 Active Living + Outdoor Health (AL+OH) Summit has been extended.

New deadline: Friday, September 19, 2025 at 5:00 pm PT

We invite you to share your work advancing active living, outdoor engagement, conservation, preventive community, and planetary health. This year’s theme—Stronger Together: Transforming Lives, Communities, and Planetary Health—reflects the Summit’s collaborative spirit and multidisciplinary reach.

Proposals are welcome across research, practice, and policy, and from a wide range of fields including public health, planning, parks and recreation, transportation, tourism, community development, and environmental science.

2026 Active Living + Outdoor Health Summit https://www.activenviro.org/aloh2026

Proposal Guidelines: https://www.activenviro.org/2026aloh-presentation-proposals

Call for Presentation Proposals – Deadline Extended

You asked, we listened! We’ve heard from many of you requesting more time, and we’re happy to share that the deadline for presentation proposals for the 2026 Active Living + Outdoor Health (AL+OH) Summit has been extended.

New deadline: Friday, September 19, 2025 at 5:00 pm PT

We invite you to share your work advancing active living, outdoor engagement, conservation, preventive community, and planetary health. This year’s theme—Stronger Together: Transforming Lives, Communities, and Planetary Health—reflects the Summit’s collaborative spirit and multidisciplinary reach.

Proposals are welcome across research, practice, and policy, and from a wide range of fields including public health, planning, parks and recreation, transportation, tourism, community development, and environmental science.

2026 Active Living + Outdoor Health Summit https://www.activenviro.org/aloh2026

Proposal Guidelines: https://www.activenviro.org/2026aloh-presentation-proposals

Active Living + Outdoor Health Summit 2026 Call for Presentation Proposals

The deadline for submissions is 5:00 pm PT on Monday, September 8, 2025. ​

We invite you to contribute to the 2026 Active Living + Outdoor Health (AL+OH) Summit by submitting a presentation proposal that highlights your work advancing active living, outdoor engagement, and community and planetary health. This year’s theme—Stronger Together: Transforming Lives, Communities, and Planetary Health— reflects the Summit’s collaborative spirit and multidisciplinary reach, bringing together leaders from research, practice, and policy to share innovative ideas, effective programs, and evidence-based strategies from across sectors and geographies.

Proposals are welcome from all fields, including public health, planning, transportation, parks and recreation, tourism, community development, and environmental science—as well as anyone working to promote health, sustainability, and well-being through active living and outdoor engagement. International and cross-regional perspectives are also encouraged.

In keeping with our commitment to advancing health and environmental equity, we especially encourage submissions that address the needs of communities historically facing barriers to physical activity and access to nature-based experiences—including, but not limited to, racially and ethnically diverse populations, people with disabilities, and those in lower-income urban and rural areas. Proposals focused solely on behavior change at the individual level or those related to obesity treatment will not be accepted.

https://www.activenviro.org/2026aloh-presentation-proposals

Active Living + Outdoor Health Summit 2026 Call for Presentation Proposals
The deadline for submissions is 5:00 pm PT on Monday, September 8, 2025. ​

We invite you to contribute to the 2026 Active Living + Outdoor Health (AL+OH) Summit by submitting a presentation proposal that highlights your work advancing active living, outdoor engagement, and community and planetary health. This year’s theme—Stronger Together: Transforming Lives, Communities, and Planetary Health— reflects the Summit’s collaborative spirit and multidisciplinary reach, bringing together leaders from research, practice, and policy to share innovative ideas, effective programs, and evidence-based strategies from across sectors and geographies.



Proposals are welcome from all fields, including public health, planning, transportation, parks and recreation, tourism, community development, and environmental science—as well as anyone working to promote health, sustainability, and well-being through active living and outdoor engagement. International and cross-regional perspectives are also encouraged.



In keeping with our commitment to advancing health and environmental equity, we especially encourage submissions that address the needs of communities historically facing barriers to physical activity and access to nature-based experiences—including, but not limited to, racially and ethnically diverse populations, people with disabilities, and those in lower-income urban and rural areas. Proposals focused solely on behavior change at the individual level or those related to obesity treatment will not be accepted.
https://www.activenviro.org/2026aloh-presentation-proposals

When a disaster hits, parks & recreation teams often become first responders—ready or not.

Most professionals haven’t been trained for what comes next: shelter coordination, communication blackouts, trauma-informed care, and… climate crisis recovery.

That’s why ActivEnviro created Operation Resiliency Response (ORR)—a manual and training initiative now used across New England and beyond.

✅ Trainings include climate adaptation
✅ Designed by pros, for pros
✅ Already presented at 5+ major conferences

📚 Order the ORR manual on Amazon
🤝 Host a workshop for your team or association
💡 Learn more and connect: www.activenviro.org/orr

Because when FEMA can’t come… your community still needs you.

Join us for our free monthly interactive web convening series addressing important topics for our allied preventive health, parks, recreation, land management, and allied quality of life fields. Registrations are free, but donations to support the operations of the series of at least $20 per convening are encouraged through ActivEnviro’s Zeffy Donation Site.

Somebody Should... August 14 2025: Pu-leeze make it easier to know the value of complying with the Americans with Disabilities Act! with John McGovern, Principal, Accessibility Practice, JD, WTG Group
Description: This session will discuss how to make it easier to understand the value of complying with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). Topics covered will include an introduction to: What is the ADA? Who Benefits from the ADA? And cover some relevant details regarding the local government requirements, reasons, and application to parks, programs, projects, and policies.
Speaker bio: John leads the ADA compliance practice at WT Group and has worked in local government for 30+ years. He always knew the moral obligation governments had to serve people with disabilities, but wondered if there was a legal one too. He earned a law degree while working in public parks and recreation, and had been an active member of the National Recreation and Park Association, appointed to serve on three federal advisory committees that developed the 2010 Standards around accessibility. John is also an invited DOJ staff trainer on parks & recreation and the ADA. He also has a disability himself and thoroughly enjoys talking about access and inclusion.

Registration: https://us06web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZIvdeyrqTwuH9wLuKERuG8oleA_5tZxNmtL #/registration

Join us for our free monthly interactive web convening series addressing important topics for our allied preventive health, parks, recreation, land management, and allied quality of life fields. Registrations are free, but donations to support the operations of the series of at least $20 per convening are encouraged through ActivEnviro’s Zeffy Donation Site.

Jul 10, 2025, 3:30 PM – 5:00 PM EDT
Topic: Nurturing a culture of possibility: Big ideas for all-sized agencies

Featured Topic Leader: Chris Nunes, PhD, CPRE, Woodlands Township, TX

Registration: https://bit.ly/SomebodyShouldRSVP-Zoom

Agencies of all sizes can create meaningful, transformative projects by embracing a “culture of possibility.” This session invites parks and recreation and allied professionals to reimagine what's possible through big thinking and discuss what works and how to make challenging situations work, no matter the size of an agency.

Chris Nunes, CPRE is the Chief Operating Officer for The Woodlands Township, in The Woodlands, Texas. In that position, he oversees a $50+ million operational budget and is accountable for the management of 151 parks, 14 swimming pools and aquatic facilities, 220 miles of pathways, and 200 miles of streetscape. He speaks around the country (over 750+ times) on topics including business plans, contracting, innovation, relevant services, creative programming, marketing, external funding, communication, leadership, and succession planning.

The American Academy for Park and Recreation Administration (AAPRA), in partnership with the National Recreation and Park Association (NRPA), recently announced the finalists for the 2025 National Gold Medal Awards for Excellence in Park and Recreation Management. Musco Lighting, LLC continues as the proud sponsor of the National Gold Medal Awards program.

ActivEnviro happily supports NRPA, AAPRA, Musco, and especially our two ActivEnviro Operating Board Members (and others) who have achieved this honor.

Congratulations to Cory Styron, MBA, President of our Operating Board, Director of Community Services for Los Alamos County, NM, and Chris Nunes, PhD, CPRE, Operating Board Member, Chief Operating Officer, The Woodlands Township, TX. GOOD LUCK at NRPA in September 2025!

Read more about the Gold Medal Award Finalists here: https://aapra.org/National-Gold-Medal-Award/2025-National-Gold-Medal-Award-Finalists