The U.S. House of Representatives has passed the Outdoors for All Act, which seeks to address the lack of adequate recreation space in underserved communities. The bill, which is yet to pass the U.S. Senate, would establish a dedicated source of funding for the existing Outdoor Recreation Legacy Partnership Program.

Overseen by the National Park Service, this program funds the delivery of new parks, the renovation of existing recreation facilities, and the development of infrastructure to support outdoor education and public land volunteering. The program gives priority to projects in underserved communities.

“Research confirms what our bodies and nature already understand — more time in outdoor spaces increases well-being,” said Torey Carter-Conneen, CEO of the American Society of Landscape Architects, which has advocated for the bill’s passage. “Communities across the country need investment in welcoming, dynamic, and safe outdoor spaces. Landscape architects have deep experience in bringing people and nature closer together. ASLA urges the Senate to pass this bipartisan bill.”

News of the bill comes in the same week that the ASLA’s New York chapter honored the best landscape architecture in the state at its 2024 Design Awards. Earlier this month, meanwhile, the new Biodiversity Net Gain legal requirement was introduced in the United Kingdom where developers must compensate for a loss of nature.