Dr Carrie Besnette Hauser and Molly Morgan of the Trust for Public Land: Ensuring that every person in the United States can live within a short walk of a park, trail, or green space
- Admin
- Nov 4
- 2 min read
In this episode, they share how their organization is working to ensure that every person in the United States can live within a short walk of a park, trail, or green space. The conversation explores the strategies and partnerships that are transforming communities and connecting people to nature.
Topics include:
Turning schoolyards into safe, vibrant community spaces
Returning land to Indigenous tribes and protecting cultural heritage sites
Expanding access through the national “10-Minute Walk” initiative
How the ParkScore Index drives improvement and accountability among U.S. cities
The social, mental health, and economic benefits of nearby green spaces
Examples from Dallas, New York, and Atlanta showing how access changes lives
A thoughtful look at how data, design, and community engagement are reshaping the urban landscape — and why access to the outdoors is essential for everyone.
About Dr Carrie Besnette Hauser
Dr Carrie Besnette Hauser is the President and CEO of the Trust for Public Land; a US-based nonprofit focused on ensuring access to the outdoors and paving the way to making the mental, physical, environmental, and community health benefits they provide available to everyone.
She previously served twelve years as president and CEO of Colorado Mountain College. Her extensive board service includes the American Council on Education, Vail Valley Foundation, Colorado Parks and Wildlife Commission, Great Outdoors Colorado, and American Rivers.
In her role at TPL she regularly builds partnerships with stakeholders passionate about improving the environmental development of communities through the preservation and creation of green spaces. She has worked with leaders across sectors to build on this momentum to deliver scalable, equity-centered solutions for climate, conservation, and outdoor access.
It’s Dr Hauser’s job to bridge the gap between both private and public sector stakeholders and the need to invest in healthy, climate-resilient communities by way of greenspaces.
About Molly Morgan
As Texas State Director of the Trust for Public Land, Molly Morgan leads the Texas team in ensuring every Texan can experience the health, equity, and community benefits of close-to-home access to the outdoors. In her role, she champions closing the park equity gap by working closely with communities to realize their green space visions. Her expertise has been pivotal in visioning and executing projects such as the Five Mile Creek Urban Greenbelt Plan, South Oak Cliff Renaissance Park, and the Dallas Greening Initiative.
She first joined TPL in 2017 as the Texas Schoolyards Program Director - where she helped secured significant federal funding to expand trails and create equitable public spaces - and has overseen TPL’s park and schoolyard work in North Texas. Morgan holds a bachelor’s degree from the University of Colorado and a Masters of Landscape Architecture from the University of Texas. Her perspective as an architectural professional, mother, and civic leader gives Morgan a unique understanding of the importance of parks and green spaces in the context of equity, community, and health.