"Benefits of Parks and Recreation to the Environment" City of Fairfield website

Benefits of Parks and Recreation to the Environment

Providing and preserving parks and open spaces enhance the desirability of Fairfield as a place to live and work as well as contribute to the safety and health of its inhabitants.

Our care of our parks, natural habitats and open spaces:

* Provides clean air and water
* Protects the environment
* Fosters a sense of community pride
* Encourages appropriate uses of outdoor areas for activities
* Increases physical health and well-being
* Reduces stress

Just the Facts:

Six in ten Americans participate in outdoor recreation at least monthly. Their motivations for participation vary, but the top objectives are fun, relaxation, stress relief, experiencing nature and exercise. Americans who recreate frequently are notably happier with their lives than are other Americans: among active recreationists, the one in five Americans who recreate at least twice weekly, 45% report "complete satisfaction" with their overall quality of life and 49% report being "fairly well" satisfied.

Sixty-four percent of Americans consider it very important to conserve and protect wetlands, and 46 percent say they believe there are too few wetlands in North America according to a study conducted by Responsive Management. However, 63 percent could not name a single non-governmental organization that helps conserve wildlife and natural resources, and 57 percent could not identify a non-governmental group that protects the environment. Responsive Management, Spring 2002.

"The Nation that destroys its soil destroys itself." Franklin D. Roosevelt