Divided by ocean, unified by parks: an exchange program has Australians turning in their boomerangs for Boston ballfields.

Imagine you've met a representative of a native Aboriginal tribe in Australia and are taught a provoking philosophy, "A river starts with a drop of water." Or, what about standing in the center of Melbourne Cricket Grounds (MCG) on a tour with 1968 Silver Medal Olympian Peter Norman. You are aware that the MCG is a revered Australian sports icon, home to the 1956 Olympics and also the US Marines during World War II.

Four professionals from New England don't have to imagine this--they experienced it in the group's three-week exchange program in February of this year and in 2000.

Group Study Exchange

The Group Study Exchange Program (GSE) was created to help NRPA accomplish its goal to promote international understanding, peace and goodwill between countries. Former NRPA Board of Trustee David I. Clifton, director of Sharon Recreation in Massachussetts, developed the concept for GSE based on his experience with the International Rotary GSE Program.

The New England Regional Council was given the endorsement of the Board of Trustees from NRPA's International Affairs Committee to create a pilot program. Since 1999, three successful exchanges have been held. The first exchange was held with New Brunswick, Canada, and the Canadian Recreation and Park Association. The second two exchanges were held with Victoria, Australia, and Parks and Leisure Australia.

Kathryn Garcia, the current chairperson of the International Committee, a subcommittee of NRPA's National Forum says, "The purpose of the International Committee is 'to initiate, promulgate and foster the mission of NRPA in the global community, where the exchange of knowledge and culture will advance the enrichment of all people everywhere.' Considering this, the committee members hold the New England Exchange Program in high regard as one of the best examples of how we accomplish our mission."

Group Study Exchange furthers international understanding by providing an opportunity for park and recreation leaders to study another country's people, culture, leisure services and facilities, as well as its institutions through personal contacts with recreation, parks and leisure professionals, their families and others.

The hosting country is responsible for creating a schedule for the visiting team that displays parks, recreation and leisure in their region of the country; provides meals and lodging; pays for conference or meeting fees; and provides internal transportation throughout the tour. The visiting team members, with one serving as the team leader, are responsible for paying for or raising funds for the transportation to the country, clothing, photography and personal expenses. Most importantly, the returning team members will share their thoughts and impressions of the experience through a written report to the International Affairs Committee, and articles, reports and presentations to all interested groups.

The Schedule

When putting together a schedule, each country tends to include opportunities to learn about:

* Facilities: aquatic complexes, beaches, playgrounds, skateparks, athletic fields, sport complexes, bike paths, trails, gardens and community centers.

* Policies and Concepts: governmental structure, partnership opportunities, volunteerism, park and site amenities development, park management, people with disabilities, long-term planning, benefits and wellness.

New England Hosts

The New England region consists of the six states of Maine, Vermont, New Hampshire, Massachusetts, Connecticut and Rhode Island. Each has its own unique flavor, and weeks could be spent in each state learning about the park and recreation field. So, how does a visiting team learn about six states in a two- or three-week period?

Each state chooses a state coordinator to work with the Regional Council's Group Study Exchange Coordinator. Between the seven individuals, a calendar is created that delineates two to three days per state, and provides time for acclimation for the incoming team. Each coordinator puts together a schedule that highlights parks and recreation particular to that state.

The 2004 Australian team, "The Leisureroos," sent information to the state coordinators on what they hoped to view and learn while on the Group Study Exchange. They were prepared for their trip by members of "2000 Team OZ" that included Peter Fitchett, Mike Hoy, Sharon Sykes, Lesley Humphries and Alan Kemp.

The Leisureroos flew into Logan Airport in Boston and were welcomed to New England at an informal cook-out by NRPA Trustee John Whalen. During their visit to Maine, they were also greeted by NRPA Trustee Tom Farrell, who presented them with copies of the book Management of Park and Recreation Agencies as a gift from NRPA.

Participants named a few highlights of the trip: Lynda Counsell (team leader), Jayson Moran, Linda Smith and Janice Lane had the opportunity to serve as official parade marshals at the Yarmouth (Maine) Clam Festival; they participated in the Colchester (Vt.) Triathlon; flew in a small plane over sections of New Hampshire, Maine and Massachusetts; threw out the first pitch at a New Britain (Conn.) Rock Cats minor league baseball game; presented Massachusetts' Make Way for Ducklings and books by native author Dr. Seuss; and participated in educational sessions on the ADA and playground safety in Rhode Island.

Other field trips of the exchange in New England included a swim in the Atlantic Ocean, visits to Frederick Law Olmsted's parks (including Boston Common, the oldest public park in the United States and Shelburne Farms in Vermont) and lighthouses (including Portland Head Light, the oldest lighthouse in the United States). They toured college and professional level athletic complexes, including Yale University and Newport's Tennis Hall of Fame; national and state park sites, including the Massachusetts birthplace of John F. Kennedy, Fort Adams in Rhode Island, the National Seashore on Cape Cod, Burlington, Vt.'s Farrell and Red Rocks parks, and Halibut Point State Park, Mass.

The Aussies also enjoyed some of New England's famous foods including clam chowder, lobsters, Ben & Jerry's ice cream, and even shared a picnic dinner at a Mozart festival.

The Leisureroos

Having stayed in the homes of park and recreation professionals and advocates throughout each state, Moran felt that this aspect of GSE was one of the most important for learning about New England professionally and culturally. Though he learned a tremendous amount in the more formal presentations, he believed that the informal times were also important.

Lane was surprised at the level of involvement by members of the communities, which in many cases was impressive, but in some situations the size seemed to have delayed progress. Overall, it was seen by all the team members that the New England communities seemed to have stronger connections with their residents in comparison to the much larger communities in Victoria, Australia.

Funding is an important issue in both Victoria and New England. Counsell was impressed to observe philanthropic gifts, donations, trusts, memorials and monuments, all helping to financially support facilities or programs. Public art in parks that was designed to be interactive intrigued all the team members.

Many issues are similar in both countries, as Smith noted. Examples included litter, graffiti, encroaching development and dog groups wanting to have use of the best parks. But, there was more regionalization in Australia as compared to New England, which is managed by each community.

Time to Visit

In February of this year, it was time for a group of four from New England to represent the New England Regional Council in Victoria, Australia. The friendship between the two regions is particularly relevant as Melbourne and Boston are "sister cities." Flying into Melbourne were Maggie Leugers, the team leader and recreation superintendent in Burlington, Vt.; Assistant Director of Manchester, Conn., Parks and Recreation Chris Silver; Dan Landesman, the program coordinator for Southborough, Mass., Recreation Department; and Nancy Bove, the special events coordinator for the Burlington Parks and Recreation Department in Vermont. As they prepared for their trip, "Team New England" was guided by the members of "2000 Team USA"--Patty Carey, Marcia Noyes, Dyana Martin, Mark Hyson and Guy Lefebvre.

While in Australia, Team New England visited many sites, including the University of Melbourne; the famous "Twelve Apostles" and surfing location Bells Beach along the Great Ocean Road; Surfworld Museum; Brambuk National Park and Cultural Centre; the mountainous Grampians; the Royal Botanical Gardens; the Bayside Arts Trail; and Torquay Skate Park.

The team learned about the three levels of government as well as the three types of parks--Crown (federal) State and Council (municipal). Participants also learned about the governing of parks, and visited Sports and Recreation Victoria--a department of state government that assists with the funding of master plans and facilities. They also talked about the role of volunteerism and its role in providing services, development versus preservation of resources, rediscovering the foreshore (water's edge) as a community asset, strategic planning and the health issues related to recreation and leisure, such as controlling high rates of skin cancer.

Team New England sent back journals of the trip entitled "Shark Tales from the Land Down Under." The diaries contained photos taken by the team, highlights of their days and observations of similarities and differences. The following excerpt is from the Feb. 7 edition:

"It seems some public land for recreation use, whether its purpose be for passive or active recreation, is owned by the state. Again, in some cases, not all, the Council then becomes custodian of the land and is given the responsibility to develop, manage and maintain that land. Given this arrangement, the state is extremely active in providing funding through grants for leisure park and facility development ... What fascinates Team New England is that the common role of leisure professionals is not that of programmers rather, their primary role seems to be that of facility planning and development, and 'landlords' to local clubs and committees who now become the lessee of recreation sports complexes and facilities."

As Team New England held their final dinner with their new friends from Parks and Leisure Australia, it was clear that many new friendships and collegial partnerships had been formed, as has been the case with the previous NRPA Group Study Exchanges. As Team New England member Bove says, "From the moment we touched down on the Australian soil, we were honored guests. We met with dignitaries and got a look at facilities in a way that even the Australians don't normally see. We were guests at meetings and dinners, and for excursions through their diverse park systems. We saw footy fields, cricket fields, bike paths, skateparks, swimming pools, parks, gardens, playgrounds and buildings for programs. We learned about their government, their programs, their successes and their failures. They showed us their country and opened their hearts. What more could you ask?"

To learn more about the NRPA's Group Study Exchange Program in New England, contact Coordinator Patty Carey at [e-mail] or at [phone].

OPPORTUNITIES ABROAD

Today's U.S. public park and recreation systems, services and policies reflect broad international origins. Some early parks, like New York's Central Park and others of the mid- to late 19th century, were modeled largely after parks of European cities. Their creation often stemmed from the belief of European businessmen that the city worthy of international trade had to have great parks. Further, the national park idea, widely held to be an American creation, is an import based on centuries-old European conservation practices.

NRPA, and some of its merging organizations, has historically engaged in activities that directly and indirectly involve recreation and park interests in an international context. In some instances, this has involved formal institutional relationships or activities (congresses, special magazines or reports), but special individual member and staff contact far outnumber organization efforts. NRPA, which has long been active internationally, continues to foster international programs and relationships. Here is just a sampling of the abroad opportunities:

International Protocols: The idea of formal exchange agreements among and between NRPA and similar national nonprofit groups originated with a New Zealand association representative to the world commission of the International Federation of Park and Recreation Administration meeting in 1989 held in Greensboro, N.C. Educators travel a great deal, it was observed. But there were only limited opportunities for other professionals, and even fewer opportunities for citizen policy makers. NRPA crafted the text for exchange protocols and today has bilateral agreements with groups in Canada, Japan, Great Britain, Australia, New Zealand and Columbia.

Livable Committees Award: Now in its 10th year, the International Award for Livable Communities competition and new Environmentally Sustainable Project Awards is the world's only competition for local communities whose plans, policies, investments and practices emphasize the creation of more livable places. Local governments worldwide are judged on five criteria: enhancement of the landscape, local heritage and its conservation, environmentally sound practices, community sustainability and citizen empowerment. (The 2005 competition is in La Coruna, Spain, in November).

Membership in International Bodies and Technical Inquiries: NRPA maintains corporate membership with the World Leisure and Recreation Association (World Leisure), in Iowa and The International Federation of Park and Recreation Administration (IFPRA) in Reading, England. NRPA encourages individuals to explore membership with one or both organizations to open an array of possibilities for research, contact with individuals that have similar interests, professional and technical publications and international events. NRPA accesses the group with some regularity to help answer inquiries from NRPA members. In one instance, contact with IFPRA enabled the association to answer a U.S. National Park Service Capitol Region question--"What type of pea gravel is used in Parisian parks?" Human connections and technology can today advance worldwide understanding and knowledge in highly important ways.

NRPA international functions and connections can open stimulating, career-enriching opportunities. For further information about the activities cited above, contact Barry Tindall, NRPA policy director and international liaison, at (202) 8870290 or [e-mail].