Parks and Technology: A Match Made in California

By Jon Christensen / kcet.org

For too long a myth has persisted that nature and technology don’t mix well. It’s easy to understand why. Nature is the place we go to escape technology. Today, we’re plagued by “nature deficit disorder” and technology is blamed for commanding too much of our attention.

We all need to get out in nature more, especially kids. All kinds of studies show that getting outdoors is good for us on many different levels. It makes us healthier, less stressed out, and smarter.

But we shouldn’t jump to the conclusion that technology is part of the problem. This idea risks keeping innovation out of parks and open spaces, on the misguided grounds that technology somehow interferes with our enjoyment of nature, so we shouldn’t need or want it outdoors. For a lot of people—particularly the young, diverse generation that will be the future of parks and conservation in California—technology is the primary way they connect with the world, even if it’s in the service of getting out into nature to connect with friends and family or to disconnect.

Fortunately, these old-fashioned ideas about the incompatibility of nature and technology are changing fast. Integrating new technology at every level is high on the list of tasks for a “transformation team” created by the Department of Parks and Recreation that is implementing recommendations from the Parks Forward Commission, set up by Governor Jerry Brown to bring our parks into the 21st century.

Technology is a crucial ingredient of two other goals high on the list for securing a sustainable future for parks in California: access and equity.

Photo Credit: Della Huff