Coronavirus makes it clearer than ever: We need our parks and green spaces | Opinion

It took an event that forced the nation to stay at home to remind us how much we need to be outside.

That’s a lesson public officials need to remember as they respond to the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) and lay the pathway for recovery.

The spread of COVID-19 has required Americans to limit our contact with other people — leading many of us to seek out connection with the natural world. Many national parks have been overwhelmed since Interior Secretary David Bernhardt waived visitor entrance fees last month. From state parks to local hiking trails, Americans have been pouring out of their homes to enjoy public, outdoor spaces.

While our collective “back to nature” response has shown the true value Americans have for parks and public lands, it has also caused overcrowding, making social distancing difficult. In parts of the country, local officials are forced to limit access to parks as a preventative measure.

A large body of evidence correlates time spent outdoors with improved physical and mental health. The benefits of that access are so clear that, even in this time of social distancing, the CDC is underscoring the importance of outdoor activity:

“Staying physically active is one of the best ways to keep your mind and body healthy. In many areas, people can visit parks, trails, and open spaces as a way to relieve stress, get some fresh air and vitamin D, stay active, and safely connect with others.”

Yet, many Americans simply don’t have ready access to parks or natural lands. Nearly one-third of all Americans — 100 million people, including 28 million children — do not have a park within 10 minutes’ walk of their home.

During a time of national stress such as the COVID-19 pandemic, or just in everyday life, lack of access to parks limits our ability to take a healthy walk, clear our heads, or simply enjoy the serenity of a forest, marsh or lake.

It doesn’t have to be that way.

Indeed, for more than 50 years, a federal program has helped to protect our most precious natural lands while expanding access to parks and recreation in our own neighborhoods. The Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF) provides financial support to local, state and federal agencies to protect natural areas and build and improve park facilities.

Funding for the program comes from offshore oil and gas royalties. In other words, it doesn’t cost taxpayers a dime. In Charleston the program has funded James Island County Park as well as Sunrise Park Pier and just about 15 others.

Unfortunately, over the years, Congress has diverted more than half of the funding from LWCF toward other non-conservation-related programs.

This year, a bipartisan coalition in Congress, with tremendous support from Rep. Joe Cunningham, was on the brink of fixing this — that is, before the pandemic hit. Lawmakers were on the cusp of fully, permanently funding the LWCF as well as providing several billion dollars to address maintenance problems at national parks and other public lands.

Americans have valued nature more during the coronavirus crisis than they have in generations. But nature won’t stop being valuable once the pandemic is over. We owe it to ourselves and to future generations to invest in our open spaces and to fully, permanently fund the LWCF.

Jamie Lockwood works with the national nonpartisan advocacy organization Environment America. Carol Jackson is a member of the Charleston City Council.