Arizona State Parks - Press Release

ARIZONA STATE PARKS
For Immediate Release
Managing and conserving Arizona's natural, cultural and recreational resources for the benefit of the people, both in our Parks and through our Partnerships.
FOR MORE INFORMATION CONTACT: Ellen Bilbrey at (602) 542-1996 or (602) 228-8518, or Monica Enriquez at (602) 542-6997… both at pio at azstateparks.gov

"Quality of Life Amidst Hypergrowth. It is Possible!" 2008 APRA Conference on Open Space

(Phoenix, Arizona - April 29, 2008) - On Thursday, May 22 from 7:30 a.m to 5 p.m., the Arizona Parks and Recreation Association (APRA), with the generous support of Arizona State Parks, will present the eighth annual Conference on Open Space at the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) National Training Center, near Metro Center Mall in Phoenix, with a focus on the theme: "Quality of Life Amidst Hypergrowth. It is Possible!"

Building on the successes of previous events, this year's conference promises to be a valuable meeting on practical, hands-on open space issues. Open space continues to be an important economic, social, and environmental issue for citizens of the Southwest. Explore what can be done to protect and manage what exists and see how you can be part of future solutions.

The conference will tackle head-on the issue that remains the most serious for open space, even with the current slowdown of real-estate development. Do we need to slow down growth? Change our development model? Go vertical? Emulate Europe? Will our children be the last generation to have nearby woods (or desert)? What about the effect of growth and unbridled use of automobiles on global warming? We expect to have many outstanding speakers to discuss all this and more! Consider this conference a call to action to change the way we live on the land.

This is a critical training and networking event for all parks and recreation professionals as well as land foundation staff, city managers, environmental groups, planners, developers and conservation enthusiasts. It is also important for professionals seeking support for preserving natural areas and acquiring and managing the state's open spaces.

The Bureau of Land Management's National Training Center is a state-of-the-art facility. This will allow for the transmit of the entire conference by satellite to distant learning centers in far-off parts of Arizona and to neighboring states, thus expanding the audience to include members of state associations who might otherwise not attend.

For more information or to register, call (800) 335-PARK or visit www.azpra.org. Registration is $100.

For information about Arizona State Parks call (602) 542-4174 (outside of the Phoenix metro area call toll-free (800) 285-3703) or visit the website at www.azstateparks.com.

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