Come one, come y'all! Austin Parks Foundation (APF) and Austin Parks and Recreation (APR) would like to invite you to the Parks Summit! This a free event is for Park Adopters, Stewards, greenspace advocates and volunteers providing the opportunity to learn from each other and leaders from around Austin.
Childcare will be provided on site by Creative Action, please indicate your need for this in registration. Check-in will take place from 9 - 9:30 AM with breakfast snacks and coffee and end with an optional lunch and networking on site from 12:30 - 1:30 PM. Attendance all day is not required so please feel free to come for any portion that works for you.
Si desea una versión en español del horario, por favor haga clic aquí.
9:00 - 9:30 a.m.
Check-in and Networking with breakfast & coffee.
9:30 - 10:00 a.m.
Opening Session - APR Long Range Plan: An overview of the plan with deliverables, accomplishments, what has been learned and how community input has shaped progress.
Jesús Aguirre - Director, APR & Colin Wallis - CEO, APF
10:00 - 10:50 a.m.
Session 1a: Community Led Stewardship - Veteran leaders will share stories from Pastor Craig (Franklin) Park and Springwoods Park on successes, challenges and how relationships and consistency create lasting impact.
Chuck Foster & Felicia Craig - Park Adopters & Community Leaders
11:00 - 11:50 a.m.
Session 2a: Bringing Parks to Life - How joyful activation and celebration can strengthen neighborhood connection, invite new people into stewardship, deepen community involvement and build lasting engagement.
Jacob Summer - Programs Manager, APF. Cecilia Hogan & Angie Holliday - Community Leaders & Fruitful Commons staff
10:00 - 10:50 a.m.
Session 1b: Shared Spaces, Shared Humanity - This panel will discuss homelessness in park spaces, exploring coordination, funding context and how care, safety, and stewardship intersect in complex situations with a focus on collaboration, compassion, and shared responsibility.
Moderator: Monica Lopez Magee - Children and Nature Network
Panelists: Raven Rojas - Austin Homeless Strategies and Operations, Cameron Hines - Parks Grounds Assistant, Chase Wright - Hungry Hill Foundation
11:00 - 11:50 a.m.
Session 2b: The Scientific and Collaborative Nature of Land Management - Learn about current land management priorities, including wildfire mitigation, ecological stewardship, and safety, and gain a clearer understanding of how volunteers can support these efforts through science and collaboration.
APR Land Management team
12:00 - 12:30 p.m.
Closing Session - Investing in Our Parks - Connect the day’s conversations to how parks are funded and supported over time with an overview of capital investments, land acquisition and the annual budget in clear, community-centered language.
Jesús Aguirre - Director, APR & Joy Casnovsky - Chief Missions Officer, APF
12:30 - 1:30 p.m.
Optional lunch, tabling and networking.