Urban parks and protected areas: on the front lines of a pandemic

Urban parks and protected areas are vital to the health and well-being of millions of urban dwellers across the globe. The COVID-19 pandemic has put this connection into urgent focus in major cities where most of the world's population live. Managers of urban parks and protected areas (green spaces in or at the edge of larger urban population centres) have been at the forefront of this international public health crisis since its onset -facing its challenges and impacts, adopting and adapting park responses, and testing new approaches. To inform this article, the experiences of urban parks and protected areas in 11 major cities in 10 different countries were gathered in surveys. The findings show that urban parks were closed and then often overwhelmed on reopening, and that managers faced novel and sometimes unmanageable situations. However, most were responsive and nimble, engaged with public health officials, dealt with new levels of visitation and new visitors, implemented innovative management practices and garnered lessons for the future. Huge challenges remain but there are hopeful signs of renewed public awareness and support for the critical role that nature and the outdoors play in the liveability and health of cities.