Guest Blog: Why We Should Promote Greater Access to the Outdoors Within Urban Areas

By Councilmember David Luna, City of Mesa, Arizona

As a native Arizonan raised in Douglas, I have always admired the desert. While many might think of a desert landscape as arid, and perhaps even uninhabitable, I find the desert to be one of the most life-sustaining biomes, teeming with species who have adapted and thrive in our dry climate.  

Growing up and living near the Sonoran Desert, I spent my free time hiking. My neighborhood friends, brothers, and I would enjoy our time on the trails, leaving the noise of the urban sprawl behind. The air was always cooler than it was in the valley, and we never took the breeze for granted.  

I come from a family of deep-rooted Arizonans. My father was a heavy equipment operator for Cochise County and my mother was a homemaker. My father and brothers were hunters, bringing back deer for the family to enjoy. We’d eat chorizo, tamales, and carne adobada with the game my family would bring home. Some of my fondest memories are the times I’d go to a pond where my brothers and I would fish. It was a bonding experience for all of us. These traditions are embedded in my history and continue to compel me to act for the preservation of open spaces in urban areas in the district where I serve.  

Today, time spent outdoors is still a priority for my family. Though my children are now grown, whenever they return to Arizona, one of our first family activities is a hike. My grandchildren have grown to become quite fond of the desert, and I hope they’ll develop the same admiration I have for such a life-sustaining landscape. 

As the first Latino elected to serve on the Mesa City Council, I plan to work with my community to promote public outdoor spaces and highlight the importance of parks. As a city, we are committed to providing spaces with enough room for soccer fields. In my time as an elected official, I’ve learned about how much these fields mean to my constituents. The fields we have are constantly being used, and in the next 2-3 years, I’m hoping we’ll have more. Ensuring that our community has accessible places to spend time outdoors, especially in an urban setting, is critical for both mental and physical health.  

Within our own Latino community, diabetes is major health risk. By having open spaces nearby, exercise can be easily accessible and good health promoted. Discussions and dialogue on the social determinants of health and the relationship between access to clean air, clean water, and open spaces to recreate in and health outcomes are important to me as a leader.   

Open spaces also mean that future generations can continue to enjoy our natural landscapes, and build connection through nature-based activities. For all of these reasons and more, I support the Land and Water Conservation Fund that in addition to protecting land in our national parks, also supports local parks and playgrounds that make recreation more accessible to our communities. 

I love living in the desert. Because it rarely gets cold, spending time outside is easily enjoyable in any season. Going for walks and listening for owls, admiring the ocotillo that reminds me of my Mexican heritage, and witnessing the desert bloom move me and drive me to be a better steward of our landscape.  

As adults, it’s our job to teach children to protect the desert, and help them to cultivate an appreciation for desert life. Additionally, we need to make sure we’re leaving a legacy of stewardship by teaching our youth to take care of our planet.  

On a visit to Arizona, my 5-year-old granddaughter and I went on a ranger-led night hike. We paused a few steps in, and the ranger asked the kids if they were familiar with a pack rat. The ranger asked the kids if they knew why their nests were often built around or in cactus. My granddaughter raised her hand and shared with the group that pack rats live in cactus to protect themselves from predators, building its nest with cactus spines. Teaching the generations that follow us about the life that exists within the desert, is our prerogative.  

A legacy of preservation and conservation to future generations is absolutely imperative.