About | Greater & Greener

The Premiere International Urban Parks Conference

Greater & Greener, presented by City Parks Alliance, is the only conference dedicated to exploring the full potential of parks as city-building tools. It’s a conference for doers from government, nonprofits, and communities who are utilizing the power of parks to create more sustainable, vibrant, and equitable cities. It’s the premier event for innovators and decision-makers from across the global urban parks community.

Greater & Greener 2026 in Austin, TX is an exciting mix of indoor learning sessions and outdoor experiences. The highly curated agenda sets the table for honest, cross-sector dialogue with others doing hands-on work. You’ll take home strategies and tools for using parks to build more sustainable, vibrant, and equitable cities.

About City Parks Alliance

City Parks Alliance is the only independent, nationwide membership organization dedicated solely to urban parks. Our mission is to engage, educate and nurture a broad-based constituency to support the creation, revitalization, and sustainability of parks and green spaces.

Greater & Greener is a biennial conference, presented by City Parks Alliance, that celebrates and explores the many ways urban parks help cities meet the unique challenges of the 21st century.

City parks help ensure healthy communities that are equitable, economically competitive, and resilient. Join City Parks Alliance today to enjoy discounted rates for Greater & Greener, year-round membership benefits, and unparalleled networking opportunities.

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2026 Conference Tracks

Addressing the Emerging Issues of Today’s Park and City-Building Professionals

Greater & Greener conference tracks have been carefully curated to foster an honest dialogue around social equity, cross-agency and cross-sector partnerships, funding models, and repeatable solutions for parks. Sessions are developed with input from all sectors of the park community: City Parks Alliance members, parks and recreation agency leaders, other government agencies, designers, researchers, advocates, and other leaders in the park and city-building fields.

Parks as Resilient Infrastructure

Cities and communities are using parks and recreation spaces as vital physical and civic infrastructure for addressing climate change, ensuring resilience, and responding to civic and climate crises.

Sustaining Park Funding in Turbulent Times

Shifting federal funding, disruptive macroeconomic trends, and waning philanthropic support are challenging traditional urban park funding models but also offer a chance to reimagine cross-sector roles and partnerships for more sustainable and equitable investment.

Inclusive Parks and Public Spaces

As cities invest in parks to support community development and boost local economies, a key focus is on how agencies and partners are ensuring these improvements promote inclusive growth and benefit existing residents without driving displacement.

Parks’ Roles in Healthy & Inclusive Communities

The COVID pandemic underscored the vital role of parks in supporting physical and mental health, social connection, and childhood development, yet parks remain underrecognized and underfunded as essential components of community health systems.

Our Host City: Austin, TX

As a city that values sustainability and inclusivity, Austin’s parks are a testament to its commitment to a healthier, happier community and respect for protecting and fostering the natural and native environment. Hosting Greater & Greener 2026 provides an opportunity for Austin to showcase its innovative approaches to urban greenery and to engage with global partners in a collaborative effort to keep cities green and communities thriving.