As Americans were put under stay-at-home orders and told to social distance this spring, many turned to parks for their mental and physical health. With travel and vacation limited in the coming months, they are increasingly looking to nearby parks to fill their recreational needs.

The Nicholas Institute was part of a stakeholder group that provided recommendations to manage the state's natural and working lands—forests, wetlands, agricultural lands, and coastal habitats—to enhance ecosystem and community resiliency and sequester carbon. A series of story maps created by the Nicholas Institute summarize data used in developing the plan and provide examples of how the information can be used at the local level.