What We Do

Parks are gateways to health.

NPS Photo

The National Park Service is committed to engaging in sustainable operational practices and encouraging Americans from all walks of life— to enjoy the health benefits of parks, and to bring about lasting change in American’s lifestyles and their relationship to nature and the great outdoors.

The National Park Service, Office of Public Health – Health Promotion Branch serves as the agency lead for Healthy Parks Healthy People with an aim to improve health outcomes for individuals, communities, and parks by providing overarching direction for health promotion across the National Park Service, and inspiring increased internal and external participation, collaboration, and innovation.

The Role of NPS Healthy Parks Healthy People

• Leads in the development, management, and oversight of Servicewide strategies, plans, policies, tools, research, and evaluation, to advance the role of parks and public lands as a health resource.

• Engages with interdisciplinary teams, working groups, and subject matter experts, in the development of research, policy, and practices to optimize parks and protected areas as places to promote human health and ecosystem health for co-benefits.

• Serves as a convener, and an information clearinghouse, identifying opportunities for collaboration, and providing assistance in obtaining resources and support for health promotion efforts across the National Park Service.

• Tracks and reports on the progress of NPS Healthy Parks Healthy People strategic plan, sharing best practices and further inspiring continued and increased participation in the pursuit of Healthy Parks Healthy People goals.

• Strategically builds internal and external relationships that will advance the goals and priorities of the Healthy Parks Healthy People program and the NPS.

• Recognizes the contributions and achievements of NPS staff, volunteers, and partners for their efforts to promote parks as health resources.