The COVID-19 pandemic and increased recognition of structural inequality and systemic racism have profoundly affected U.S. society since March 2020, including through higher and changed recreational use of forests and parks and the need for managers to quickly adapt to ensure public safety and inclusion. These twinned crises revealed underlying inequities and vulnerabilities that cause people to experience risk and interact with public lands in different ways that affect their health and well-being.

Two teams of Northern Research Station scientists and partners used interviews, participant observation, journaling, and social media analysis to understand changes in green space use and experience, public land management, and civic stewardship during the two defining crises of 2020: the COVID-19 pandemic and the emergence of societal recognition of systemic racism.

One team studied urban and rural locales, comparing New York City’s network of civic stewards and NYC Parks Department to National Forests across the Eastern Region. This study found that communications, partnerships, and organizational culture affected managers’ ability to adapt. For NYC-based civic organizations, both Superstorm Sandy and experiences with systemic racism influenced learning that led to organizational transformation. By documenting the way in which land managers and civic stewards respond to crisis, this study builds understanding of how adaptation can strengthen social resilience to future disturbances.

A second team compared tweets in 2019 to 2020 from 663 urban counties, observing well-being decreased and nature mentions increased during the pandemic. They identified positive well-being–nature relationships, with stronger relationships in 2020, highlighting nature as a source of resilience. Overall, this research helps suggest how we might transform the public realm to adapt to a rapidly changing environment in ways that are equitable, safe, supportive, and welcoming for all.