In Chicago ERs, Extreme Heat's Toll Goes Far Beyond the Obvious
Courtesy of Inside Climate News
By Keerti Gopal
ILLINOIS - Extreme heat is filling up emergency rooms, and not just with heat stroke victims.
The researchers found that heat was associated with increases in visits for conditions like kidney failure, edema, varicose veins, cannabis-related mental and behavioral issues and a dangerous lack of salt and fluids known as volume depletion. They also saw spikes in some kinds of accidents, including leg injuries and accidental firearm discharge.
Read more:
https://insideclimatenews.org/news/26082026/chicago-extreme-heat-medical-emergencies/
Primary Effort ‘Changed the Conversation’ Around Wyoming’s Public Lands
Courtesy of Inside Climate News
By Jake Bolster
Moderate Republicans won office up and down the ballot in Wyoming—by some measures, the most conservative state in the U.S.—and a few defeated lawmakers from the Freedom Caucus, a far-right faction of Wyoming’s Republican Party. The results, according to Lentsch, who runs a climbing and outdoor guiding business, send a clear message: You can’t win elections at the state level in Wyoming without convincing voters you support public lands and science-based wildlife management.
Polls consistently show public lands are popular across the political spectrum, and in Wyoming close to 91 percent of respondents to a recent poll indicated they supported keeping public lands under federal management.
Read more:
https://insideclimatenews.org/news/22082026/public-lands-win-in-wyoming-primary/
KABOOM! Report Ties Youth Mental Health Crisis to Lack of Play Spaces
Courtesy of Recreation Management
KABOOM! has released its “2026 State of Our Kids Report: Addressing the Youth Mental Health Crisis,” a data-driven call to action urging park directors, recreation managers and civic leaders to treat safe, accessible playspaces as a public health necessity rather than an amenity.
The report finds that one in seven youth are currently navigating severe mental health challenges, with the impact falling disproportionately on under-resourced communities. It draws a direct line between the shortage of safe, high-quality green playspaces and the accelerating youth mental health emergency, arguing that community playground builds and public park investment are protective interventions, not just “nice-to-haves.”
Read more:
https://recmanagement.com/articles/156069/kaboom-report-ties-youth-mental-health-crisis-lack-safe-play-spaces
Parents are Bought in on Youth Sports, but Program Leaders Can't Coast on that Support
Courtesy of Recreation Management
Two new national surveys are giving youth sports leaders a fresh case for their programs—and a checklist of what to fix. The NFHS’s National Parent Benchmark Study found that 93% of parents rate their child’s experience as good or excellent, while a new AP-Ipsos poll found 89% of sports parents say the benefits of organized sports outweigh the drawbacks. But both surveys also flag real pressure points, from cost and scheduling to burnout, that directors and managers can’t afford to ignore.
Read more:
https://recmanagement.com/articles/156054/two-national-surveys-confirm-it-parents-are-bought-youth-sports-program-leaders
Explore Coastal Flood Risk
Courtesy of Climate Central
Climate Central’s Coastal Risk Finder is an interactive mapping tool that helps communities better understand the potential impacts of sea level rise and coastal flooding. Users can explore local flood projections, identify people, infrastructure, and places at risk, and better visualize how changing water levels could affect their communities.
The website provides detailed maps and data that can support planning, public education, resilience efforts, and decision-making. By making complex climate and flood-risk information easy to explore and understand, the Coastal Risk Finder offers a valuable resource for local governments, planners, park and recreation agencies, and anyone interested in preparing coastal communities for future change.
Read more:
https://coastal.climatecentral.org
As Seas Rise, Scientists Race to Save Coastal Marshes From Drowning
Courtesy of Inside Climate News
By Madeline Shaw
Coastal marshes across the United States are struggling to survive as sea levels rise faster than these ecosystems can naturally build elevation. A recent study found that 84 percent of U.S. coastal wetlands could eventually move inland or disappear without intervention.
Scientists are testing innovative restoration strategies, including adding dredged sediment to raise vulnerable marshes above rising water levels. At a restoration project in southern New Jersey, researchers are already seeing encouraging signs of recovery.
Protecting coastal marshes is critical. These ecosystems provide habitat for wildlife, support fisheries, store carbon, improve water quality and help protect communities from flooding and storm damage. As sea levels continue to rise, conservation and restoration efforts may be essential to preserving these valuable natural resources for future generations.
Read more:
https://insideclimatenews.org/news/19082026/sea-level-rise-drowns-coastal-marshes/
Grant Funding for Youth Sports Coalitions Available Through MOVE Fund
Courtesy of Recreation Management
The MOVE Fund is a five-year initiative designed to support innovative, regional approaches to systems-level change in youth sports. Rather than funding individual programs, the initiative centers community expertise and local leadership, investing in coalitions and collectives working to build a more connected, resilient youth sport ecosystem across schools, recreation departments, community networks and other organizations.
The MOVE Fund backs coalitions and collectives that:
- Advocate for public and private investment in sport and play.
- Build the capacity of sport-based youth development organizations.
- Work to create local sports systems that are equitable, positive and inclusive.
Grant Details:
- Award range: $40,000 to $150,000 per grant, over a two-year term.
- Eligibility: Coalitions or collectives that include local leaders, community members and other stakeholders.
- Applications must be submitted through one lead organization with 501(c)(3) nonprofit status; only one application per collaborative will be accepted.
- Coalitions funded in 2025 are not eligible this cycle.
- Deadline: Sept. 16, 2026.
Read more:
https://assets.ctfassets.net/se0gsgx1wk3e/15ppm7cyY5mRxZGq0BbdlD/85db1b9acf162931f3a794f273066274/MOVE_Fund_RFP_2026__August_2026.pdf
Electric Bike Laws and Resources
Courtesy of PBIC Messenger
Provides information on the three-class electric bicycle system and electric bicycle laws in each State, along with resources on Federal policies, research, and where electric bicycles can be used. Includes one-page State guides to help explain how electric bicycles are classified and regulated.
Read more:
https://www.peopleforbikes.org/topics/electric-bikes
Evaluating Pedestrian Route Choice and Delay at Pedestrian Hybrid Beacons (PHBs) on an Arterial Corridor
Courtesy of PBIC Messenger
Examines how pedestrian hybrid beacon placement influences whether people alter their route to use a designated crossing on a multilane arterial. Finds that relatively few pedestrians were willing to walk farther to reach a beacon, suggesting that PHBs may be most effective when located close to existing pedestrian travel paths and desired crossing locations.
Read more:
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S2214367X26001341
IMBA Opens Its Playbook After Decades of Helping Create Trail Communities
Courtesy of Recreation Management
Demand for community trails has never been higher, so today IMBA announces its Trail Champion Certificate Program, the comprehensive training built around the organization's Trail Development Process. Beginning in August, 2026, trail champions can access this new training at IMBA.com.
Communities want trails, but many aren’t sure how to get from idea to ribbon cutting. The Trail Champion Certificate Program creates a practical step-by-step process for community leaders. At its core is IMBA's eight-step Trail Development Process, a framework developed while helping communities plan, fund, build, maintain, and grow sustainable trail systems.
Read more:
https://recmanagement.com/articles/155983/imba-opens-its-playbook-after-decades-helping-create-trail-communities
Call for Speakers: 2027 River Management Symposium
Courtesy of the River Management Society
April 13-15, 2027 | Fayetteville, Arkansas
RMS is now accepting proposals for the 2027 River Management Symposium: Balancing Ecology, Experience, and Access. Join river professionals, watershed leaders, recreation managers, and conservation practitioners from across the country to explore innovative approaches to stewardship, restoration, recreation, and equitable river access across diverse river systems.
Proposals for presentations, panels, roundtables, and posters are due October 1, 2026.
Read more:
https://www.river-management.org/2027-symposium
