The Productive Parks 5-Minute Podcast

One type of playground gaining more popularity may be surprising. Some parks and municipalities go more “natural” with their playground features.
After all, there are so many benefits of being in nature. As parks agencies, we have the opportunity and obligation to encourage those of all ages to reconnect with nature. 
Natural playgrounds provide unique, stimulating play places for children to explore and interact with nature. Careful planning and design can create a space that suits the needs of the community's youngest members. 
Like any playground, natural playgrounds require maintenance and inspections to ensure they are safe and functional. The planning process should take into account the maintenance team’s resources to inspect and maintain the park.
This episode of the Productive Parks 5-Minute Podcast will give you a primer on natural playgrounds, nature-based playgrounds, and their maintenance requirements. 
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The Productive Parks 5-Minute Podcast is for busy professionals working to change the game in the Parks and Recreation field. If you liked this episode, please check out more of our park and recreation maintenance podcasts or view some articles on our blog (https://productiveparks.com/blog).
What’s Next?
SUBSCRIBE to Stay Updated About Future Productive Parks Podcasts -  https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCm3w8OBmlidtNLntib1-6cw?sub_confirmation=1
 
SEE A QUICK VIDEO of Productive Parks in Action - https://productiveparks.com/features/overview
 
LEARN MORE and Schedule a Demo of Productive Parks - https://productiveparks.com/demo

When you notice something strange happening to your turf, there’s a good chance that fungus is to blame. Fungal lawn diseases are common lawn issues--Some fungal more severe than others.
Luckily there are ways to prevent and help your turf bounce back from fungal lawn diseases. It starts with understanding the often subtle differences among the diseases to help you know the most appropriate way to care for the affected area.
This episode of the Productive Parks 5-Minute Podcast highlights some of the most common fungal lawn diseases, what they look like, and how to treat them. 
You will also get some tips to make your turf more resilient to lawn disease and these microscopic menaces. 
___________________________________________________________________________
The Productive Parks 5-Minute Podcast is for busy professionals working to change the game in the Parks and Recreation field. If you liked this episode, please check out more of our park and recreation maintenance podcasts or view some articles on our blog (https://productiveparks.com/blog).
What’s Next?
SUBSCRIBE to Stay Updated About Future Productive Parks Podcasts -  https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCm3w8OBmlidtNLntib1-6cw?sub_confirmation=1
 
SEE A QUICK VIDEO of Productive Parks in Action - https://productiveparks.com/features/overview
 
LEARN MORE and Schedule a Demo of Productive Parks - https://productiveparks.com/demo

It may be just 10 or 15 minutes of your morning, but it could significantly impact how your team handles the rest of the day. Yes, team huddles can be effective--essential even.
Leaders who take advantage of team huddles can align the team, focus on the day, and help build rapport with each other. 
Are you ready to lead your maintenance team into the busy growing season? Then maybe it’s time to learn one effective strategy to get your team up to speed while setting the tone for the day. 
In today’s episode of the Productive Parks 5-Minute Podcast, we discuss team huddles, how to focus these short meetings, and tips to make the most out of them.
___________________________________________________________________________
The Productive Parks 5-Minute Podcast is for busy professionals working to change the game in the Parks and Recreation field. If you liked this episode, please check out more of our park and recreation maintenance podcasts or view some articles on our blog (https://productiveparks.com/blog).
What’s Next?
SUBSCRIBE to Stay Updated About Future Productive Parks Podcasts -  https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCm3w8OBmlidtNLntib1-6cw?sub_confirmation=1
SEE A QUICK VIDEO of Productive Parks in Action - https://productiveparks.com/features/overview
LEARN MORE and Schedule a Demo of Productive Parks - https://productiveparks.com/demo

It’s that time of year again. Baseball and softball leagues are squaring off on your baseball diamonds. Maintaining ballfields helps keep the players safe and the fields looking great.
Your fields will probably take a beating throughout the summer. The best way to keep your fields maintained: scheduling ballfield preventative maintenance early…and often.
Routine inspections and maintenance can help ensure the smaller issues don’t become expensive and hazardous problems to fix. Not to mention it keeps those in risk management from banging on your office door.
In today's episode of the Productive Parks 5-Minute Podcast, we talk about some tasks to consider and schedule to help your ballfields during the season.
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The Productive Parks 5-Minute Podcast is for busy professionals working to change the game in the Parks and Recreation field. If you liked this episode, please check out more of our park and recreation maintenance podcasts or view some articles on our blog (https://productiveparks.com/blog).
What’s Next?
SUBSCRIBE to Stay Updated About Future Productive Parks Podcasts -  https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCm3w8OBmlidtNLntib1-6cw?sub_confirmation=1
SEE A QUICK VIDEO of Productive Parks in Action - https://productiveparks.com/features/overview
LEARN MORE and Schedule a Demo of Productive Parks - https://productiveparks.com/demo

We’re doing fine with paper work orders. Why bother with digital work orders? 
As a maintenance manager, you’ll probably deal with this comment at some point. Everything is going more digital, paper records are becoming a thing of the past. So is it time to switch to a digital work order system?
Every agency is different. The personnel, procedures, and data needed are more complicated than a one-size-fits-all approach. Finding what’s best for your team while easily capturing the data you need can be more challenging than it seems.  
In this episode of the Productive Parks 5-Minute Podcast, we take a closer look at paper and digital work orders. Then we’ll go over the pros and cons of each. 
By the end of this episode, you may have a better understanding of which type of work order system best suits your agency’s needs.
Let’s get started!
___________________________________________________________________________
The Productive Parks 5-Minute Podcast is for busy professionals working to change the game in the Parks and Recreation field. If you liked this episode, please check out more of our park and recreation maintenance podcasts or view some articles on our blog (https://productiveparks.com/blog).
What’s Next?
SUBSCRIBE to Stay Updated About Future Productive Parks Podcasts -  https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCm3w8OBmlidtNLntib1-6cw?sub_confirmation=1
SEE A QUICK VIDEO of Productive Parks in Action - https://productiveparks.com/features/overview
LEARN MORE and Schedule a Demo of Productive Parks - https://productiveparks.com/demo

Increasing concerns about food sources have a lot of people considering growing their own food. Growing food in a garden provides fresh organic produce for a healthier lifestyle. There’s also a sense of satisfaction after harvesting your own fruits and vegetables. 
Community gardens offer an excellent opportunity for both gardening enthusiasts and novice green thumbs to have a space to grow their food and hone their skills. These gardens also encourage those in your community to get outdoors, be active, and socialize with their neighbors.
In today’s episode of the Productive Parks 5-Minute Podcast, we discuss what is a community garden, how it benefits the community, and some things to think about before creating one.  
___________________________________________________________________________
The Productive Parks 5-Minute Podcast is for busy professionals working to change the game in the Parks and Recreation field. If you liked this episode, please check out more of our park and recreation maintenance podcasts or view some articles on our blog (https://productiveparks.com/blog).
What’s Next?
SUBSCRIBE to Stay Updated About Future Productive Parks Podcasts -  https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCm3w8OBmlidtNLntib1-6cw?sub_confirmation=1
 
SEE A QUICK VIDEO of Productive Parks in Action - https://productiveparks.com/features/overview
 
LEARN MORE and Schedule a Demo of Productive Parks - https://productiveparks.com/demo

Linear parks are growing in popularity in many urban areas. They offer a unique opportunity to transform old, unused infrastructure into spaces for recreation.
These parks do more than breathe new life into unused land. Linear parks also offer the community several social, economic, and environmental benefits.
In this episode of the Productive Parks 5-Minute Podcast, we take a closer look at what is a linear park. Then we discuss how linear parks impact an agency, the community, and the environment.
Finally, we will touch on some maintenance considerations for this unique type of park. 
Developing a linear park in your area offers an exciting opportunity that may provide benefits for generations to come.
___________________________________________________________________________
The Productive Parks 5-Minute Podcast is for busy professionals working to change the game in the Parks and Recreation field. If you liked this episode, please check out more of our park and recreation maintenance podcasts or view some articles on our blog (https://productiveparks.com/blog).
What’s Next?
SUBSCRIBE to Stay Updated About Future Productive Parks Podcasts -  https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCm3w8OBmlidtNLntib1-6cw?sub_confirmation=1
 
SEE A QUICK VIDEO of Productive Parks in Action - https://productiveparks.com/features/overview
 
LEARN MORE and Schedule a Demo of Productive Parks - https://productiveparks.com/demo

Making the best use of your time when planting new trees or shrubs for your outdoor assets. 
Investing a little extra time in the planning and preparation of a planting site helps to ensure your trees or shrubs establish and flourish for many years to come.
In today’s episode of the Productive Parks 5-Minute Podcast, we discuss the best practices for ensuring your trees and shrubs get planted in an appropriate spot. 
Next, we’ll give you a guide about what to do with your new trees and shrubs after planting and as they are getting established.
In time, you may have beautiful natural landscape features that may be enjoyed for generations. 
Happy planting!  
___________________________________________________________________________
The Productive Parks 5-Minute Podcast is for busy professionals working to change the game in the Parks and Recreation field. If you liked this episode, please check out more of our park and recreation maintenance podcasts or view some articles on our blog (https://productiveparks.com/blog).
What’s Next?
SUBSCRIBE to Stay Updated About Future Productive Parks Podcasts -  https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCm3w8OBmlidtNLntib1-6cw?sub_confirmation=1
SEE A QUICK VIDEO of Productive Parks in Action - https://productiveparks.com/features/overview
LEARN MORE and Schedule a Demo of Productive Parks - https://productiveparks.com/demo