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38. The Park that Pays for Itself: Inside the Presidio's Transformation with Michael Boland
What if a park wasn’t just a green space, but a catalyst for equity, biodiversity, and long-term resilience?
In this episode of PodParks, host Maria Burnett sits down with Michael Boland, renowned landscape architect, strategic advisor, and former Chief Park Officer of the Presidio Trust in San Francisco. With over three decades of experience transforming one of the most innovative urban national parks in the world, Michael shares how clear vision, community leadership, and ecological values can shape the future of our cities.
From childhood wonder to global advocacy, this episode explores the philosophy and strategy behind enduring parks, and how large urban parks are uniquely positioned to address the climate crisis, biodiversity loss, and social equity.
✨ Highlights include:
- Why access to nature in cities is essential, not a luxury
- A behind-the-scenes look at transforming the Presidio from army base to national park
- Lessons from parks around the world, from Alcatraz to Paris to Sydney
- The triple bottom line: people, planet, and financial sustainability
- World Urban Parks’ next chapter — and what it means for the global parks community
👤 Featured Guest
Michael Boland – Strategic Advisor, Landscape Architect, and Co-Chair of the Large Urban Parks Committee at World Urban Parks
🔗 Michael on LinkedIn
Referenced in this episode:
- Presidio of San Francisco – A former military post turned urban national park
- World Urban Parks – Large Urban Parks Committee
- Centennial Parklands, Governor’s Island, Western Sydney Parklands, and more
About PodParks
PodParks is the official podcast of World Urban Parks. Hosted by Maria Burnett, each episode shares real stories and bold ideas from the people making parks, public space, and urban nature more inclusive, innovative, and essential.
🎙️ Meet the PodParks Team
Maria Burnett | Luis Romahn | Vitoria Martín Delgado | Vladimir Yañez Huehpa| Cynthia Hernández Martínez| Boris Solis
World Urban Parks
🌐 worldurbanparks.org
📱 Instagram | Facebook | LinkedIn | Twitter/X
View all episodes
By World Urban ParksWhat if a park wasn’t just a green space, but a catalyst for equity, biodiversity, and long-term resilience?
In this episode of PodParks, host Maria Burnett sits down with Michael Boland, renowned landscape architect, strategic advisor, and former Chief Park Officer of the Presidio Trust in San Francisco. With over three decades of experience transforming one of the most innovative urban national parks in the world, Michael shares how clear vision, community leadership, and ecological values can shape the future of our cities.
From childhood wonder to global advocacy, this episode explores the philosophy and strategy behind enduring parks, and how large urban parks are uniquely positioned to address the climate crisis, biodiversity loss, and social equity.
✨ Highlights include:
- Why access to nature in cities is essential, not a luxury
- A behind-the-scenes look at transforming the Presidio from army base to national park
- Lessons from parks around the world, from Alcatraz to Paris to Sydney
- The triple bottom line: people, planet, and financial sustainability
- World Urban Parks’ next chapter — and what it means for the global parks community
👤 Featured Guest
Michael Boland – Strategic Advisor, Landscape Architect, and Co-Chair of the Large Urban Parks Committee at World Urban Parks
🔗 Michael on LinkedIn
Referenced in this episode:
- Presidio of San Francisco – A former military post turned urban national park
- World Urban Parks – Large Urban Parks Committee
- Centennial Parklands, Governor’s Island, Western Sydney Parklands, and more
About PodParks
PodParks is the official podcast of World Urban Parks. Hosted by Maria Burnett, each episode shares real stories and bold ideas from the people making parks, public space, and urban nature more inclusive, innovative, and essential.
🎙️ Meet the PodParks Team
Maria Burnett | Luis Romahn | Vitoria Martín Delgado | Vladimir Yañez Huehpa| Cynthia Hernández Martínez| Boris Solis
World Urban Parks
🌐 worldurbanparks.org
📱 Instagram | Facebook | LinkedIn | Twitter/X