Los Angeles County Sets a New Equity Path for 30×30 Plan as Board of Supervisors Unanimously Approves PNA+

Alhambra, Calif. – December 6, 2022 – The County of Los Angeles Department of Parks and Recreation (DPR) presented the 2022 Parks Needs Assessment Plus (PNA+) before the County Board of Supervisors for approval as the county’s 30 x 30 plan. The PNA+ builds on the groundbreaking 2016 Los Angeles Countywide Parks and Recreation Needs Assessment (PNA), advancing park equity and guiding funding allocation for parks and recreation across the County in high and very high need communities. PNA+ is a data-driven in-depth study that provide a new framework for environmental conservation of natural lands and restoration of degraded lands, as well as regional recreation, and rural recreation.

“Black and brown communities often have the highest environmental burdens and account for 84% of the residents living in areas prioritized for restoration. The traditional conservation framework has left these communities out of the policy and funding equation which makes the stakes higher for advancing climate resiliency in these communities,” said Norma Edith García-Gonzalez, Director of the County of Los Angeles Department of Parks and Recreation and the Los Angeles County Regional Parks and Open Space District. “DPR is committed to walking hand in hand with our community-based organizations and the Board of Supervisors to advance the PNA+ priorities. The PNA+ is a critical step towards environmental justice.”

Environment Conservation and Restoration

The PNA+ identifies priority areas for environmental conservation and restoration which forms the basis for a 30×30 strategy for Los Angeles County in connection with the statewide and national goal of conserving 30 percent of lands and coastal waters by 2030 to address climate change and protect biodiversity. This strategy reimagines conservation through an equity lens, to include the traditional efforts that involve the protection of natural lands and the restoration of degraded lands, such as brownfields, landfills, and oil fields, especially in lower-income communities of color where vulnerable populations and environmental burdens are concentrated.

“I want to thank the many residents, community-based organizations, and State Conservancies who provided input to help shape and inform this study, said Los Angeles County Supervisor Hilda L. Solis, First District. “The PNA+ serves as a national model for park equity and will have a transformative impact in the region. It will help us reimagine and redefine traditional conservation – including the restoration of degraded lands such as the Puente Hills Landfill in my district.”

Regional and Rural Recreation

The PNA+ also identifies priority areas for recreation based on population vulnerability, access, availability, and amenities they offer. Los Angeles County has about 1 million acres of recreation but there are challenges associated with access to these areas at a regional level and rural level, given their location, distribution, and other factors such as the lack of public transit. The rural areas have significant parkland but are lacking in certain amenities, especially water-based recreation facilities such as swimming pools and splash pads, as well as shaded seating, play areas, and walking trails.

“The completion of this report is a milestone for our County because it helps us advance our work to promote health, play, and a sense of community,” said Supervisor Kathryn Barger, who co-authored a motion for the Board of Supervisors to approve the PNA+ Final Report. “The report’s needs assessment also highlights that rural communities – like the ones I represent in the Antelope Valley – in particular need access to more waterparks, walking trails and play areas. I intend to use this report’s findings as another tool, as I advocate to bring more of those assets to my Fifth District residents. They deserve to have equal access and enjoy healthy living activities in their communities.”

“Decision makers had a moment back in the 60s to bring civil rights and the Wilderness Act together and they didn’t,” said Yvette Lopez Ledesma with The Wilderness Society, “We are here to witness how equity and conservation should be part of the same vision. We cannot conserve 30 percent of L.A. lands if we don’t center equity, restoration and equitable access to parks and open space in our collective decision making.”

For more information about the 2016 PNA and the 2022 PNA+, please visit: https://lacountyparkneeds.org