The Premier Event for Urban Park Professionals
Greater & Greener 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.
Greater & Greener is an exciting blend of indoor sessions and outdoor experiences that bring the power of parks to life. The highly curated agenda sets tables for honest, cross-sector dialogue with others doing hands-on work. Attendees will take home strategies and tools for using parks to build more sustainable, vibrant, and equitable cities.
With dozens of sessions and over 1,000 attendees including urban park leaders, planning and design professionals, public officials, nonprofits, community-based organizations, advocates, and funders, Greater & Greener is a value-packed learning opportunity.
Reason #1
Address the Major Issues Facing Parks and Cities
Greater & Greener is the only conference solely dedicated to exploring the role of parks, recreation, and green space in building better cities. Conference tracks will explore:
• Parks as Resilient Infrastructure
• Sustaining Park Funding in Turbulent Times
• Parks & Equitable Community Development
• Parks’ Roles in Healthy & Inclusive Communities
By attending, you will take home actionable strategies and tools related to the biggest challenges facing park professionals today.
Reason #2
Invest in Your Career and Earn Continuing Education Credits
Greater & Greener 2026 offers invaluable opportunities for professional development and continuing education, allowing you to grow your knowledge base and maintain career-advancing certifications.
Reason #3
Hands-on Learning & Networking Opportunities
Through a unique blend of weekend tours, mobile workshops, panels, peer conversations, and general sessions, Greater & Greener explores the connections to nature in your own cities. The conference also provides valuable networking opportunities with park leaders from different sectors across the country and around the world.
Reason #4
Experience Austin’s Parks & Recreation System Firsthand
At Greater & Greener 2026, you will experience the unique Austin Parks and Recreation system and the vibrant and diverse city in which it resides. Enjoy expert-led tours and workshops highlighting our conference tracks. You’ll learn about local projects and initiatives and meet the partners and innovators behind these creative approaches.
- Greater & Greener is one of my most anticipated conferences. Beyond a celebration of parks, the sessions, presenters, and experiencing park life and innovation in the host cities via tours and visits are creatively crafted, well done, and always a delight. I learn more at this meeting from colleagues from all walks of ‘park’ life than any other place. The network I foster become trusted colleagues and a great resource who elevate my work in parks in every way imaginable!
Frederick R. Bonci LBA Landscape Architecture - We came back from Greater & Greener inspired, energized, and full of innovative ideas for Los Angeles.Carolyn Ramsay Los Angeles Parks Foundation
- The best thing about Greater & Greener is the diversity of professionals from all disciplines within city, state, and national government. You meet people that you don’t typically and you see people that are doing amazing work across the country on all different levels.Al Bangoura Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board
- We’re really pleased to be a sponsor. I can just see the energy that people have toward improving their own park systems and their communities.Rick Olson The Toro Company
- The Greater & Greener conference is one of the most unique conferences we have in the parks world. This is something you have to go to every other year. You walk away with knowledge and also the experience of being in some of the great park systems in this country.Mitchell Silver McAdams
- This experience was life-changing. I was able to network with people who felt similarly to me about the communities we serve and the environment we live in.Melissa Eakright Groundwork NRG
