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kids on playground

youth playing soccer

Investigating Places for Active Recreation in Communities (IPARC) is a research initiative sponsored by the Department of Parks, Recreation and Tourism Management in the College of Natural Resources at North Carolina State University.

Mission:

IPARC's mission is to advance the science of how park, recreation, and sport environments promote active living. We also seek to facilitate the application of evidence-based policies and practices to enhance opportunities for physical activity in these environments to enhance quality of life.

Objectives:

  • To conduct research about opportunities for physical activity for all community residents through parks, recreation, schools, and other community settings.
  • To facilitate collaborative research opportunities among NC State University faculty and other colleagues throughout the state and across the nation regarding active recreation in communities.
  • To advance the state of evidence-based knowledge about active recreation in communities through projects, publications, training workshops, and seminars.
  • To support graduate education and research training focused on understanding the role of recreation systems in contributing to physical activity.