A Walk in the Park

As a child, I unraveled nature’s beauty and existence. Each new experience brought me feelings of excitement and joy, sparkling my imagination and igniting my curiosity. It all seemed so large back then. Oceans appeared endless as they reached towards the horizon. Treetops seemed to make friends with the puffy-looking clouds as they soared to the sky. Over the years however, as I have grown older and life has become more complex, I am beginning to think less and less about the natural world around me. I glimpse sunset stuck in rush-hour traffic trying to return school after debate practices and only listen to the pitter-patter of the rain when there’s a storm outside. Forests and oceans seemed less appealing as they became intertwined with the urban development. In a way, I was becoming more and more distanced from the so-called nature. So, with an overwhelming desire for adventure and to escape the masses, my family and I drove to Big Bend National Park in Southwest Texas last summer.

What has become of parks in the United States has taken creativity and minimized its possibilities. A child’s advocate and architect, Lady Marjory Allen, commented her thoughts on what parks are like today. “Allen was disappointed by what she described in a documentary as “asphalt square” playgrounds with “a few pieces of mechanical equipment”(Rosin 4). When you describe parks as this it doesn’t sound fun at all, and certainly not to kids. Parks have been made to be all the same, the same swings, slides, etc.

As Albert Einstein once said “Look deep into nature, and then you will understand everything better.” Most of us walk outside everyday but do you really stop and look around to see how beautiful and impacting the nature is around us? Life gets crazy sometimes so we don’t really take the time to travel and explore places such as our first national park, but that’s okay because I’m here to tell you all about Yellowstone National Park. Yellowstone National Parks history dates back to 11,000 years ago.

This park isn’t just for the animals either, It's a good way to bring the community together and to enjoy nature (and not look at your phone all day). I have well over 100 hours of volunteer work at the park, helping with charity events, the construction of structures, and caring for some of the animals. I live in a town that has various problems (like every town), and if you live here, you know what I mean. I would like New Richmond to be known more for positive things like the new aviary & wildlife center than for its drug problem. So I go and work down there almost everyday.

Numerous films have set Central Park as the backdrop of their stories not because of glitz and glamor, but because of the coordination of all things so ordinary they don't distract from the story and the presentation of something so extraordinary the audience feels an air of joy and importance without realizing the genius of Central Park's simplicity. Plenty of iconic pieces of Americana like farming, mainstream jazz, and the white picket fence have come and gone but the sustainability of Central Park's display of equality, care in environmentally based effects on ambiance, and protection of parkgoers' emotional wellbeing will surely stand the test of time for many years to

With the limited funds that the NPS receives from the government, it does not allow for many improvements in infrastructure among all the parks and monuments. According to The Conservation, “NPS has a backlog of overdue maintenance projects that stands at $12 billion and rising... this includes infrastructure” (Bilmes and Loomis). Keeping park infrastructures up to date is important because it brings in more tourism. If the parks are equipped with newer roads, bridges, trails, and utilities it will spark interest among tourists especially younger kids. The parks offer programs that kids can take part in where they are taught about nature. The importance of these programs is that it, “makes sure that the next generation of Americans feel connected to the parks and to nature” (Bilmes and Loomis). If kids grow up to have a connection with nature and its history, then they will want to help preserve and take care of the parks and monuments in

Although running may not seem like a big sport like football, basketball or soccer, it takes a lot of courage, heart and strength to be able to run. In the article called “Cool like me” by Donnell Alexander he says, “cool is finding the essential soul, while being essentially lost”. When we feel stressed and feel like we want time for ourselves away from society, running is a solution. Running is not just considered a sport, running is a lifestyle that people choose to live. It makes them feel good, look good and it makes them happy.

Times Square in New York City, Pennsylvania Avenue in Washington D.C., and Denali National Park in George Parks, Alaska. The moments I spent in these places are characterized by my ability to roam for hours and just explore. Whether it be meeting street artists who are creating caricatures of tourists, running into John Kerry, finding grizzly bears in their natural habitat, these moments weren’t just mundane hours; they ushered in the notion of mindfulness. Every instant during these trips, I thought of living in the moment and not dwell on the past or the future. The unknown experiences that awaited me as the day progressed in these places correlate my ability to finally embrace one idea:

In turn, this allows the visitors to experience the natural beauty, charm, and spiritual significance of the “true world” in almost the exact same light as even the earliest of environmental philosophers, such as Henry David Thoreau. Being exposed and actually walking through these lands allows people to go beyond their desktop screensaver aesthetic admiration for the natural world and really connect to and feel in their own individual way the majestic powers of the wild. One example, among many, of these powers would be the opportunity for extreme solitude, time for personal reflection, and an outlet for escape. The benefits of such introspection could entail an increased sense of vitality, self reliance, confidence and moral strength. “New Englander Joseph Knowles proposed setting aside ‘wild lands’ and establishing outdoor communities where Americans could retreat from the ‘commercialism and the mad desire to make money that have blotted out everything else leaving us not living, but merely existing.”’ There are no advertisements trying to persuade one to buy this, or upgrade to this new form of “must have” technology in the wilderness. There is no boss or professor demanding work or assignments, there is just pure bliss. When people get out and really smell the pollutant free fresh

There are a lot of stores around the area. Many transportations including buses, cars, and trains. As well as plants such as trees, grass, weeds. This shows that there are a lot of plant life available. There are humans such as myself walking, running etc. Some schools are also around so that shows there are a lot of children and teens. The interactions here will have a big impact in building a park because there are so much available. Since there are a lot of stores, parents can go get some shopping done then afterwards take their child to the park to enjoy themselves and play with other children. The children have a huge impact on this because they will have a place to play instead of being bored at home or even risking playing on the streets. As for teens they can relax with their friends after school or before school depending on what time they begin. Since there are a lot of transportation around, people can come and go to this site easier. They can take a bus, train, or car. Another great impact is that there are open sidewalks in which people can also walk if they live

I believe that we as a state should we deside if that's a good idea or not. I think this way becuase there are many perspectives that you have to take in. You have to know how many people are in you town. You also have to know if you have enough space for a dog park.

Don't you think its only right for your k9 companions to get as much freedom as possible? Just think, if you have dog, you know they get a lil messy and sometimes they may tend to get upset out of nowhere. Building a new dog park would make both your dogs life happier, but as well as easier for you. If it is built there is a whole acre of land that these dogs can roam freely and do as they please, they get a better experience in nature.

Statistics show that 37% of Americans who own dogs often look for a dog park when choosing a place to live. On the other hand, some people believe that a dog park would not be a good idea for the city, and that it would just be a burden for taxpayers and a lawsuit waiting to happen. Some cities require a owner to obtain and display permits to have a dog off-leash at the dog park, but most people do not do so. Most cities rely on the people respecting the parks' rules. Which means if a dog attacks another dog or person, the victim can legally sue the owner and the city for not enforcing the law. That's why I think everyone should obey the parks' rules or the community should better plan a park so everything goes smooth for everyone. Some people also believe it would be a burden by increasing the traffic and the noise in the area. But think about it for your dog, he or she would be much happier to have a fun day at the dog park. With all that said, I think it's a great idea to bring a dog park to Muscatine, IA. Let's do it for the dogs so we can all be a happy family at the end of the

I found a rest area with a bench and by it was a fountain. The ripple of water and the singing that the birds formed made it peaceful to sit there and study the fountain. Just appreciating the little things in life and realizing what all I have and have overcome is what the park helps me

Urban parks are defined in their comparative and contrastive relationships to the urban environments surrounding them. Although frequently conceptualized as natural landscapes, the physical and social uses of parks give