Specialists vs. Generalists

Teton Boulder Park, photo by David Swift

In ecology, the species that are generalists—that can adapt to diverse environments, diets, and neighbors—almost always win out over the specialists who survive in a narrow niche. This fact is not lost on me as career advice either, bearing in mind that I came to NRPA from a small scientific society focused on fisheries and now operate much more as a generalist in the broader environment of parks and recreation. Indeed, the recommendation I keep hearing over and over from agency directors, such as when I worked on our best practices article in February, is that agency staff must get out of their specialized silos and interact more with other disciplines—this includes working with other government departments and even local citizen groups, non-profits, and businesses.

That being said, another ecological axiom is that environments with a diversity of species are more resilient than those with fewer species. In fact, one distressing trend in fisheries is the “homogenization” of fish fauna, where the spread of invasive or purposely transplanted species means that stream after stream across the landscape will often contain the exact same mix of species. And one can see the same homogenization in the American landscape itself, with city after city having the same mix of subdivisions and strip malls, often with a similar lineup of stores and restaurants in each one.

That’s why I found Jackson’s Teton Boulder Park and the Scioto Audubon Park in Columbus, as covered in April’s climbing wall article, so refreshing. Here are two unique parks—specialists if you will—that are designed to meet the specific needs of their particular community ecosystem. Jackson has a long, rich climbing heritage and this new park brings that legacy down from the mountain peaks and celebrates it right in town, within reach of everyone. Columbus wants to draw young professionals to its downtown and hence has incorporated park features that specifically appeal that demographic, such as a climbing wall, dog park, and environmental education center.

Without getting into a debate on the theory of evolution, such as the one that recently derailed a park educational sign project in McAllen, Texas, what do you think about generalists vs. specialists when it comes to parks? Parks are an obvious opportunity for communities to distinguish themselves from all others. Do you have an unusual feature at one of your parks that helps make your town unique? Please feel free to share it here or at NRPA Connect.

Elizabeth Beard

Managing Editor

Parks & Recreation