Parks and open spaces are most commonly appreciated for their aesthetic and recreational qualities. However, well-planned parks–whether focused on leisure, nature conservation, or both–provide a number of benefits from the economic to the environmental to the social. Inevitably as the region grows, development will continue to encroach on our pristine natural areas and our urban centers will see greater densities–a pair of conditions that make dedicated park planning and conservation efforts more critical than ever.

Review the following strategy report from the Chicago Metropolitan Agency for Planning (CMAP), which outlines the impacts of well-planned parks and open lands, and contextualizes them to the Chicago region.

About the Chicago Metropolitan Agency for Planning

Created in 2005, the Chicago Metropolitan Agency for Planning is the award-winning regional planning organization for the northeastern Illinois counties of Cook, DuPage, Kane, Kendall, Lake, McHenry, and Will. CMAP operates under authorizing legislation known as Public Act 095-0677 and by-laws.