August 5, 2014
CAP scientist Chris Boone recently gave a presentation in Los Angeles at the Park Equity Symposium. His presentation, "It’s about process, not just outcomes," was videotaped and is now available on YouTube. It details research Boone and colleagues at the Baltimore Ecosystem Study have done on park equity in the Baltimore Metropolitan Area. In his presentation, Boone states that just distribution of and access to parks is laudable but is insufficient to meet standards of justice. Any analysis of park equity must include an assessment of process, including the fairness of institutions, decision-making, and representation. Park equity assessment should include present and past processes since historical decisions can have lasting effects.
Boone and colleagues have also researched park equity in Phoenix, which will be published in an upcoming volume on CAP LTER science, edited by Charles Redman, the co-founder of the CAP research program with current CAP director, Nancy Grimm.