There are several downsides to staff reductions. For example, current staff shortages and vacant positions make it nearly impossible to complete staff succession planning, meaning that RAP is frequently unable to look beyond the current year when thinking about staffing and training. This leads to a cycle of lost institutional knowledge. Staff reductions also often mean jobs either are not being done or someone who may not have been trained for a role is filling a role. Providing training opportunities for staff is key to help park staff meet the range of challenges they face in parks. For example, deescalation training is increasingly important for park staff, regardless of whether they are a ranger, program staff, or maintenance staff. Developing comprehensive strategies to address difficult issues at parks in a manner that is compassionate, trauma-informed, and balanced is key to ensure safe and equitable access for all park users, including children and families.
Overall RAP needs more staff to restore the level of services Angelenos asked for during the PNA.
In addition to reaching a more sustainable full-time staff size overall, several specific staffing needs were identified in the assessment through conversations with RAP, other City agencies, the Steering Committee, the Technical Advisory Committee, equity session attendees, and community members.
Increasing staffing will increase jobs in Los Angeles and can provide opportunities for workforce development. City of LA jobs provide great opportunities for learning and growth, and can provide opportunities for internships that turn into life-long careers. An investment in park staff is an investment in a robust city economy.
OVERALL RAP NEEDS MORE STAFF TO RESTORE THE LEVEL OF SERVICES ANGELENOS ASKED FOR DURING THE PNA.
Maintenance - Native Habitat Management + Ecologists
Maintaining thriving native habitats across LA’s park system will require dedicated staff and new methods for plant maintenance and procurement. Environmental supervisors, ecologists, and on-the-ground maintenance crews are needed for invasive species monitoring, protected species identification, plant replacement, and educational endeavors. RAP will also need to develop a pipeline for native plant materials through partnerships with native plant nurseries for contract growth of vegetation. Staff will be needed to manage all of these elements to meet the robust goals to plant significantly more native and climate ready species in parks.
One strategy for expanding native habitat management staffing could be to leverage existing civil service positions established by the City of Los Angeles Personnel Department. The Environmental Specialist, Environmental Supervisor, and Environmental Affairs Officer positions are closest to the responsibilities of a RAP ecologist. Additionally, the Park Ranger position also may have duties related to ecological study. Required manual labor would be conducted by Gardener-Caretakers.
RAP currently has one ecologist on staff for Griffith Park who was hired in 2022. Initial steps to expand staff could include assigning a natural resource expert to each of RAP’s management regions (West, Valley, Pacific, Metro, and Griffith). As each region varies in its total number of parks, total park acres, and specific local ecology maintenance needs, tailored maintenance strategies will need to be developed by these natural resource experts.
SINCE 2008, STAFF NUMBERS AT RAP HAVE BEEN REDUCED DUE TO BUDGET CONSTRAINTS.
Ideally a single, centrally-located supervisor would oversee the regionally-based staff. Staff from regions with fewer parks and natural ecosystems could help staff in districts with more and larger parks as needed.
Over the next two decades, staffing for the native habitat program should continue to grow, overseen by an Environmental Affairs Officer and supported by Environmental Supervisors that could manage multiple nearby regions. The specific number of staff needed for each region will depend on the management region’s existing and new parks. The Griffith and Valley regions would likely need two to three Environmental Specialists, the Pacific and West regions, two, and the Metro region, one. Overall, the program could grow from six staff members up to a supervisory team of approximately 15 staff members in addition to on-the-ground maintenance crews.
Accessibility
Accessible park infrastructure is a critical component to providing equitable access to parks. RAP is legally required to meet ADA and California standards for accessible design in any future park project, and to maintain compliance with these standards at existing parks. Having staff member dedicated to accessibility within RAP will help support the department’s ADA compliance and help meet the department’s aspiration for a more accessible park system across the City.
In addition to physical accessibility, dedicated program accessibility managers and communications accessibility experts are needed to address the accessibility of the department’s programs and web, mobile, and analog communications.
Rangers
Rangers perform a key role in City parks. They help community members navigate parks and keep parks safe. Approximately 30 of 70 ranger positions are empty today. In addition to filling empty positions, many more rangers are needed. Currently rangers are shared between large parks, and small parks rarely get ranger attention. Strategic, rotating patrols at smaller parks would be a welcome addition based on the feedback from Angelenos during the PNA.
Park Ambassadors
Community members raised the need for park ambassadors multiple times. These ambassadors were envisioned to be residents hired at key parks from the immediate neighborhood to support park users and help direct people to services. Their familiar presence would help ensure that community members feel welcome in parks. Ambassadors could also assist other RAP staff with park functions such as maintenance if necessary. Given the requirement that civil service positions be approved through City Council, creative solutions may be needed to hire ambassadors from immediate neighborhoods. Residents cited the Metro Ambassadors program as a successful prototype. Given strong support for this potential program, recommendations and best practices for a pilot park ambassador program are outlined in Chapter 9: Ongoing Engagement.
