Should Urbanists Care Which Airline They Fly? These Two Programs Say Yes

On first thought, it might not seem that airlines and parks have much of a connection.

However, Jet Blue Airways and Southwest Airlines beg to differ. The companies recently launched campaigns to plant trees in the parks of communities they serve, writes Los Angeles County planner Clement Lau.

The public-private partnerships aid local governments meet their needs at a time when budgets are tight, Lau said.

“With limited public funding for parks and recreation programs, cross-sector collaboration has emerged as an effective way to provide much needed green spaces and recreational services, especially in underserved communities.”

Lau goes on to detail the Jet Blue Airways and Southwest Airlines programs.