93-576: Brotherton Park and Dibbinsdale Local Nature Reserve informally known as Dibbinsdale is a combined park and local nature reserve managed by the Metropolitan Borough of Wirral and located in Bromborough , Merseyside , England. Dibbinsdale takes its name from the River Dibbin which flows through the area. It is thought to have formed part of the boundary in the 10th and 11th centuries between
186-574: A greenbelt . In some countries, especially the United Kingdom, country parks are areas designated for recreation, and managed by local authorities . They are often located near urban populations, but they provide recreational facilities typical of the countryside rather than the town. In 2021, following the 2020 Nagorno-Karabakh war , a Military Trophy Park was opened in Azerbaijan 's capital Baku , showcasing seized military equipment, as well as
279-513: A mixed-use path that is dominated by fast-moving cyclists or horses. Different landscaping and infrastructure may even affect children's rates of park usage according to gender. Redesigns of two parks in Vienna suggested that the creation of multiple semi-enclosed play areas in a park could encourage equal use by boys and girls. Parks are part of the urban infrastructure: for physical activity, for families and communities to gather and socialize, or for
372-500: A park ranger . Large parks may have areas for canoeing and hiking in the warmer months and, in some northern hemisphere countries, cross-country skiing and snowshoeing in colder months. There are also amusement parks that have live shows, fairground rides, refreshments, and games of chance or skill. English deer parks were used by the aristocracy in medieval times for game hunting. They had walls or thick hedges around them to keep game animals (e.g., stags) in and people out. It
465-427: A wax or texture on the ski bottom under the foot for traction on the snow to allow the skier to slide the other ski forward in virgin or tracked snow. With the skate skiing technique a skier slides on alternating skis on a firm snow surface at an angle from each other in a manner similar to ice skating. Both techniques employ poles with baskets that allow the arms to participate in the propulsion. Specialized equipment
558-502: A "clear manifestation of fascism", saying that it is a "proof of Azerbaijani genocidal policy and state supported Armenophobia ". Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Azerbaijan stated that such museums are a widely accepted international practice, and the country has a right to commemorate its victory through parades, parks, museums and other means. Azerbaijani authorities claimed that the helmets were left behind by retreating Armenian soldiers. When Azerbaijani historian Altay Goyushov, one of
651-586: A beach or boat dock area. Urban parks often have benches for sitting and may contain picnic tables and barbecue grills. The largest parks can be vast natural areas of hundreds of thousands of square kilometers (or square miles), with abundant wildlife and natural features such as mountains and rivers. In many large parks, camping in tents is allowed with a permit. Many natural parks are protected by law, and users may have to follow restrictions (e.g. rules against open fires or bringing in glass bottles). Large national and sub-national parks are typically overseen by
744-410: A coordinated use of poles and the upper body to add impetus. Three common techniques are "V1", "V2" and "V2 alternate". In "V1" the skier pushes with a double pole plant each time the ski is extended on a temporarily "dominant" side, this technique is optimal for climbing. In "V2 alternate" the skier performs the double pole plant before the "dominant" ski is extended, this technique allows for maintaining
837-509: A difference. Regular park maintenance, as well as programming and community involvement, can also contribute to a feeling of safety. While Crime prevention through environmental design (CPTED) has been widely used in facility design, the use of CPTED in parks has not been. Iqbal and Ceccato performed a study in Stockholm, Sweden to determine if it would be useful to apply to parks. Their study indicated that while CPTED could be useful, due to
930-452: A foot (called a basket) near the end of the shaft that provides a pushing platform, as it makes contact with the snow. Baskets vary in size, according to the expected softness/firmness of the snow. Racing poles feature smaller, lighter baskets than recreational poles. Poles designed for skating are longer than those designed for classic skiing. Traditional skiing in the 1800s used a single pole for both cross-country and downhill. The single pole
1023-415: A gliding surface and, for classic skis, a traction zone under foot. The base of the gliding surface is a plastic material that is designed both to minimize friction and, in many cases, to accept waxes. Glide wax may be used on the tails and tips of classic skis and across the length of skate skis. Each type of ski is sized and designed differently. Length affects maneuverability; camber affects pressure on
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#17328587057981116-465: A half-mile of a park indicated that in addition to safety park facilities also played a significant role in park use and that increasing facilities instead of creating an image of a safe park would increase use of the park. There are a number of features that contribute to whether a park feels safe. Elements in the physical design of a park, such as an open and welcoming entry, good visibility (sight lines), and appropriate lighting and signage can all make
1209-425: A higher speed and is often used on slightly downhill terrsin. In "V2" the skier performs the double pole plant each time the ski is extended on either side, on flat ground and in slight inclines this technique is often the fastest and most efficient of the 3. Skiers climb hills with these techniques by widening the angle of the "V" and by making more frequent, shorter strides and more forceful use of poles. A variant of
1302-583: A natural fur traction surface , the andor , and one long for gliding, the langski —one being up to 100 cm (39 in) longer than the other—allowing skiers to propel themselves with a scooter motion. This combination has a long history among the Sami people . Skis up to 280 cm have been produced in Finland, and the longest recorded ski in Norway is 373 cm. Ski warfare , the use of ski-equipped troops in war ,
1395-446: A portion of the park's area eliminates or reduces the burden of managing active recreation facilities and developed infrastructure. Passive recreation amenities require routine upkeep and maintenance to prevent degradation of the environment. The general principle of how parks and greenspaces assist in the conservation of biodiversity is by creating natural environments for animals in urban areas. Biological diversity, or biodiversity ,
1488-468: A public ski competition occurred in Tromsø , 1843. In Norwegian, langrenn refers to "competitive skiing where the goal is to complete a specific distance in groomed tracks in the shortest possible time". In Norway, ski touring competitions ( Norwegian : turrenn ) are long-distance cross-country competitions open to the public, competition is usually within age intervals. A new technique, skate skiing ,
1581-404: A range of terrain which spans unimproved, sometimes mountainous terrain to groomed courses that are specifically designed for the sport. Modern cross-country skiing is similar to the original form of skiing, from which all skiing disciplines evolved, including alpine skiing , ski jumping and Telemark skiing . Skiers propel themselves either by striding forward (classic style) or side-to-side in
1674-482: A simple respite. Research reveals that people who exercise outdoors in green-space derive greater mental health benefits. Providing activities for all ages, abilities and income levels is important for the physical and mental well-being of the public. Parks can also benefit pollinators , and some parks (such as Saltdean Oval in East Sussex ) have been redesigned to accommodate them better. Some organizations, such as
1767-518: A skating motion (skate skiing), aided by arms pushing on ski poles against the snow. It is practised in regions with snow-covered landscapes, including Europe , Canada , Russia , the United States , Australia and New Zealand . Competitive cross-country skiing is one of the Nordic skiing sports. Cross-country skiing and rifle marksmanship are the two components of biathlon . Ski orienteering
1860-678: A stickier substance, called klister . Ski boots are attached to the ski only at the toe, leaving the heel free. Depending on application, boots may be lightweight (performance skiing) or heavier and more supportive (back-country skiing). Bindings connect the boot to the ski. There are three primary groups of binding systems used in cross-country skiing (in descending order of importance): Ski poles are used for balance and propulsion. Modern cross-country ski poles are made from aluminium , fibreglass-reinforced plastic , or carbon fibre , depending on weight, cost and performance parameters. Formerly they were made of wood or bamboo . They feature
1953-452: A traction zone, called the "grip zone" or "kick zone", underfoot. This comes either from a) texture , such as " fish scales " or mohair skins, designed to slide forward but not backwards, that is built into the grip zone of waxless skis, or from applied devices, e.g. climbing skins , or b) from grip waxes . Grip waxes are classified according to their hardness: harder waxes are for colder and newer snow. An incorrect choice of grip wax for
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#17328587057982046-415: A utilitarian means of transportation to being a worldwide recreational activity and sport, which branched out into other forms of skiing starting in the mid-1800s. Early skiers used one long pole or spear in addition to the skis. The first depiction of a skier with two ski poles dates to 1741. Traditional skis, used for snow travel in Norway and elsewhere into the 1800s, often comprised one short ski with
2139-546: A variety of formats for races over courses of varying lengths according to rules sanctioned by the International Ski Federation (FIS) and by national organizations, such as the U.S. Ski and Snowboard Association and Cross Country Ski Canada. It also encompasses cross-country ski marathon events, sanctioned by the Worldloppet Ski Federation , cross-country ski orienteering events, sanctioned by
2232-402: A wedding present for his daughter. The estate comprised Woodslee, servants cottages, a lake, stables, coach house , a walled garden and formal gardens with a rockery . At some stage it was sold William Johnston of Liverpool who is listed as living there in the 1901 Census. In 1919 the estate was bought by Lord Brotherton , an industrialist and member of parliament who donated the estate to
2325-418: Is a form of cross-country skiing competition that requires navigation in a landscape, making optimal route choices at racing speeds. Standard orienteering maps are used, but with special green overprinting of trails and tracks to indicate their navigability in snow ; other symbols indicate whether any roads are snow-covered or clear. Standard skate-skiing equipment is used, along with a map holder attached to
2418-558: Is a form of cross-country skiing, which includes map navigation along snow trails and tracks. The word ski comes from the Old Norse word skíð which means stick of wood. Skiing started as a technique for traveling cross-country over snow on skis, starting almost five millennia ago with beginnings in Scandinavia . It may have been practised as early as 600 BCE in Daxing'anling , in what
2511-525: Is a local nature reserve with a woodland valley which is an example of ancient woodland in the Merseyside area. It is also a Site of Special Scientific Interest . The park has woodland walks, nature trails, a meadow, historic woodland, wetland habitats, a small unmanned visitor centre, a rangers office, toilets and a free car park. Park A park is an area of natural, semi-natural or planted space set aside for human enjoyment and recreation or for
2604-473: Is a reserve of land, usually, but not always declared and owned by a national government , protected from most human development and pollution. Although this may be so, it is not likely that the government of a specific area owns it, rather the community itself. National parks are a protected area of International Union for Conservation of Nature Category II . This implies that they are wilderness areas, but unlike pure nature reserves, they are established with
2697-412: Is adapted to each technique and each type of terrain. A variety of turns are used, when descending. Poles contribute to forward propulsion, either simultaneously (usual for the skate technique) or in alternating sequence (common for the classical technique as the "diagonal stride"). Double poling is also used with the classical technique when higher speed can be achieved on flats and slight downhills than
2790-441: Is an area of open space provided for recreational use, usually owned and maintained by a local government. Parks commonly resemble savannas or open woodlands , the types of landscape that human beings find most relaxing. Grass is typically kept short to discourage insect pests and to allow for the enjoyment of picnics and sporting activities. Trees are chosen for their beauty and to provide shade . Some early parks include
2883-434: Is available in the diagonal stride, which is favored to achieve higher power going uphill. The classic style is often used on prepared trails (pistes) that have pairs of parallel grooves (tracks) cut into the snow. It is also the most usual technique where no tracks have been prepared. With this technique, each ski is pushed forward from the other stationary ski in a striding and gliding motion, alternating foot to foot. With
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2976-734: Is first recorded by the Danish historian Saxo Grammaticus in the 13th century. These troops were reportedly able to cover distances comparable to that of light cavalry . The garrison in Trondheim used skis at least from 1675, and the Danish-Norwegian army included specialized skiing battalions from 1747—details of military ski exercises from 1767 are on record. Skis were used in military exercises in 1747. In 1799 French traveller Jacques de la Tocnaye recorded his visit to Norway in his travel diary: Norwegian immigrants used skis ("Norwegian snowshoes") in
3069-446: Is influenced by the intended purpose and audience, as well as by the available land features. A park intended to provide recreation for children may include a playground . A park primarily intended for adults may feature walking paths and decorative landscaping. Specific features, such as riding trails, may be included to support specific activities. The design of a park may determine who is willing to use it. Walkers might feel unsafe on
3162-656: Is now China . Early historical evidence includes Procopius 's (around CE 550) description of Sami people as skrithiphinoi translated as "ski running samis". Birkely argues that the Sami people have practiced skiing for more than 6000 years, evidenced by the very old Sami word čuoigat for skiing. Egil Skallagrimsson 's 950 CE saga describes King Haakon the Good 's practice of sending his tax collectors out on skis. The Gulating law (1274) stated that "No moose shall be disturbed by skiers on private land." Cross-country skiing evolved from
3255-401: Is purely a competitive sport and not for amateurs. He further noted that in some competitions the skier "is also required to show his skill in turning his ski to one side or the other within given marks" at full speed on a steep hill. Nansen regarded these forms (i.e., jumping and slalom) as "special arts", and believed that the most important branch of skiing was travel "in an ordinary way across
3348-596: Is referred to as stå på ski (literally "stand on skis"). Fridtjof Nansen , describes the crossing of Greenland as På ski over Grønland , literally "On skis across Greenland", while the English edition of the report was titled, The first crossing of Greenland . Nansen referred to the activity of traversing snow on skis as Norwegian : skilöbning (he used the term also in the English translation), which may be translated as ski running . Nansen used skilöbning , regarding all forms of skiing, but noted that ski jumping
3441-485: Is the variety of life on Earth in all its forms. Fauna and flora are principal biotic components. They include all living species, which consist of plants, animals, and bacteria. Around half of the greenhouse gases in the Earth’s atmosphere get absorbed by the floral components of the biodiversity , providing nature-based aid in the fight against the climate change and habitat for the fauna . When processes such as
3534-538: The Boreal Loppet , held in Forestville, Quebec , Canada. Biathlon combines cross-country skiing and rifle shooting . Depending on the shooting performance, extra distance or time is added to the contestant's total running distance/time. For each shooting round, the biathlete must hit five targets; the skier receives a penalty for each missed target, which varies according to the competition rules. Ski orienteering
3627-681: The International Orienteering Federation , and Paralympic cross-country skiing, sanctioned by the International Paralympic Committee . The FIS Nordic World Ski Championships have been held in various numbers and types of events since 1925 for men and since 1954 for women. From 1924 to 1939, the World Championships were held every year, including the Winter Olympic Games . After World War II,
3720-603: The Norse colony in Wirral, to the north and west, and Anglo-Saxon Mercia to the east and south. After the Norman Conquest , the whole area became part of the Hundred of Wirral . In the 1800s the land on which Brotherton Park resides was part of an estate called 'Woodslee', this estate was bought in 1866 by a Liverpool Merchant called Robert Rankin who built 'Woodslee' house on the site as
3813-995: The Ski Classics , which started in 2011, and the Worldloppet . Skiers race in classic or free-style (skating) events, depending on the rules of the race. Notable ski marathons , include the Vasaloppet in Sweden , Birkebeineren in Norway, the Tartu Maraton in Estonia , the Engadin Skimarathon in Switzerland , the American Birkebeiner , the Tour of Anchorage in Anchorage , Alaska , and
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3906-617: The Xerces Society are also promoting this idea. City parks play a role in improving cities and improving the futures for residents and visitors - for example, Millennium Park in Chicago, Illinois or the Mill River Park and Green way in Stamford, CT. One group that is a strong proponent of parks for cities is The American Society of Landscape Architects. They argue that parks are important to
3999-608: The la Alameda de Hércules , in Seville , a promenaded public mall, urban garden and park built in 1574, within the historic center of Seville; the City Park , in Budapest, Hungary, which was property of the Batthyány family and was later made public. An early purpose built public park was Derby Arboretum which was opened in 1840 by Joseph Strutt for the mill workers and people of the city. This
4092-408: The "diagonal stride" variant the poles are planted alternately on the opposite side of the forward-striding foot; with the "kick-double-pole" variant the poles are planted simultaneously with every other stride. At times, especially with gentle descents, double poling is the sole means of propulsion. On uphill terrain, techniques include the "side step" for steep slopes, moving the skis perpendicular to
4185-399: The 18th century have often been landscaped for aesthetic effect. They are usually a mixture of open grassland with scattered trees and sections of woodland, and are often enclosed by a high wall. The area immediately around the house is the garden. In some cases this will also feature sweeping lawns and scattered trees; the basic difference between a country house's park and its garden is that
4278-719: The International Ski Federation, or national standards. Standards address course distances, degree of difficulty with maximums in elevation difference and steepness—both up and downhill, plus other factors. Some facilities have night-time lighting on select trails—called lysløype (light trails) in Norwegian and elljusspår (electric-light trails) in Swedish. The first lysløype opened in 1946 in Nordmarka and at Byåsen ( Trondheim ). Cross-country ski competition encompasses
4371-694: The Norwegian consul in Kobe imported ski equipment and introduced skiing to the Japanese , motivated by the death of Japanese soldiers during a snow storm. Starting in 1919, Vladimir Lenin helped popularize the activity in the Soviet Union. Norwegian skiing regiments organized military skiing contests in the 18th century, divided in four classes: shooting at a target while skiing at "top speed", downhill racing among trees, downhill racing on large slopes without falling, and "long racing" on "flat ground". An early record of
4464-717: The US midwest from around 1836. Norwegian immigrant " Snowshoe Thompson " transported mail by skiing across the Sierra Nevada between California and Nevada from 1856. In 1888 Norwegian explorer Fridtjof Nansen and his team crossed the Greenland icecap on skis. Norwegian workers on the Buenos Aires - Valparaiso railway line introduced skiing in South America around 1890. In 1910 Roald Amundsen used skis on his South Pole Expedition . In 1902
4557-660: The World Championships were held every four years from 1950 to 1982. Since 1985, the World Championships have been held in odd-numbered years. Notable cross-country ski competitions include the Winter Olympics, the FIS Nordic World Ski Championships , and the FIS World Cup events (including the Holmenkollen ). Cross-country ski marathons —races with distances greater than 40 kilometers—have two cup series,
4650-407: The animals co-existing together in a regulated environment generates a natural cycle of life where decaying bodies assist in the fertilization of the ground. [1] Alongside the preservation of native species parks with exotic fauna and flora drive diversity in natural ecosystems , aiding in the adaptation to urban environment. Richness of a park’s nature is associated with its age and size, with
4743-550: The appearance of London's West End. With the establishment of Princes Park in 1842, Joseph Paxton did something similar for the benefit of a provincial town, albeit one of international stature by virtue of its flourishing mercantile contingent. Liverpool had a burgeoning presence on the scene of global maritime trade before 1800 and during the Victorian era its wealth rivaled that of London itself. The form and layout of Paxton's ornamental grounds, structured about an informal lake within
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#17328587057984836-479: The ban, most race waxes combined fluorinated hydrocarbon waxes with fluorocarbon overlays. Fluorocarbons decrease surface tension and surface area of the water between the ski and the snow, increasing speed and glide of the ski under specific conditions. Either combined with the wax or applied after in a spray, powder, or block form, fluorocarbons significantly improve the glide of the ski. Skis designed for classic technique, both in track and in virgin snow, rely on
4929-445: The base using an iron or applied in a liquid form. The excess wax is first scraped off and then finished by brushing. Most glide waxes are based on paraffin that is combined with additive materials. The paraffin hardness and additives are varied based on snow type, humidity and temperature. Since the 2021-2022 race season, fluorinated products are banned in FIS sanctioned competitions. Before
5022-488: The chest. It is one of the four orienteering disciplines recognized by the International Orienteering Federation . Upper body strength is especially important because of frequent double poling along narrow snow trails. Paralympic cross-country ski competition is an adaptation of cross-country skiing for athletes with disabilities. Paralympic cross-country skiing includes standing events, sitting events (for wheelchair users), and events for visually impaired athletes under
5115-500: The condition of the snow—crystal structure, temperature, degree of compaction, moisture content, etc. Depending on the initial condition of the snow, grooming may achieve an increase in density for new-fallen snow or a decrease in density for icy or compacted snow. Cross-country ski facilities may incorporate a course design that meets homologation standards for such organizations as the International Olympic Committee,
5208-411: The confines of a serpentine carriageway, put in place the essential elements of his much imitated design for Birkenhead Park . The latter was commenced in 1843 with the help of public finance and deployed the ideas he pioneered at Princes Park on a more expansive scale. Frederick Law Olmsted visited Birkenhead Park in 1850 and praised its qualities. Indeed, Paxton is widely credited as having been one of
5301-469: The council in the 1930s, by the 1940s the house had become dilapidated and was demolished. In 1978 Brotherton Park and Dibbinsdale was designated a local nature reserve owing to the ancient woodland and became a single entity with much of Dibbinsdale donated by the Lancelyn Green family. Brotherton Park is an urban park with an informal grassed area for recreation, dog walking and picnicking. Dibbinsdale
5394-410: The country". In Germany, Nansen's Greenland report was published as Auf Schneeschuhen durch Grönland (literally "On snowshoes through Greenland"). The German term, Schneeschuh , was supplanted by the borrowed Norwegian word, Ski , in the late 19th century. The Norwegian encyclopedia of sports also uses the term, skiløping , (literally "ski running") for all forms of skiing. Around 1900
5487-465: The decay of wood, winter dieback or succession are allowed to happen the natural cycle helps with biodiversity conservation. The amount of habitat can be increased more vegetation to parks – wildflowers , long grass areas, shrubs , and trees. In parks located in urban areas the conservation of native vegetation is tied to preservation of insects and mammals in the area. Tall trees and bushes create shadow for bodies of water with fish. Having all
5580-470: The expectation of a certain degree of human visitation and supporting infrastructure. While this type of national park had been proposed previously, the United States established the first "public park or pleasuring-ground for the benefit and enjoyment of the people", Yellowstone National Park , in 1872, although Yellowstone was not gazetted as a national park. The first officially designated national park
5673-546: The fabric of the community on an individual scale and broader scales such as entire neighborhoods, city districts or city park systems. Parks need to feel safe for people to use them. Research shows that perception of safety can be more significant in influencing human behavior than actual crime statistics. If citizens perceive a park as unsafe, they might not make use of it at all. A study done in four cities; Albuquerque, NM, Chapel Hill/Durham, NC, Columbus, OH, and Philadelphia, PA, with 3815 survey participants who lived within
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#17328587057985766-458: The fall line, the "herringbone" for moderate slopes, where the skier takes alternating steps with the skis splayed outwards, and, for gentle slopes, the skier uses the diagonal technique with shorter strides and greater arm force on the poles. With skate skiing, the skier provides propulsion on a smooth, firm snow surface by pushing alternating skis away from one another at an angle, in a manner similar to ice skating . Skate-skiing usually involves
5859-436: The heel to enable a walking pace, as with Nordic disciplines and unlike Alpine skiing . Ski touring's subgenre ski mountaineering involves independently navigating and route finding through potential avalanche terrain and often requires familiarity with meteorology along with skiing skills. Ski touring can be faster and easier than summer hiking in some terrain, allowing for traverses and ascents that would be harder in
5952-431: The helmets and wax mannequins of Armenian troops. The helmets were reported by international media to belong to dead Armenian soldiers. Several international journalists have called the park "barbaric". Armenia strongly condemned it, accusing Baku of "dishonoring the memory of victims of the war, missing persons and prisoners of war and violating the rights and dignity of their families". Armenia's ombudsman called it
6045-556: The leaders of liberal democratic opposition, criticized the helmets corridor, he was rebuffed by local journalists and bloggers who justified demonstrating the helmets, one of them going as far as inviting "all who does not feel well looking at them to go and drown in Caspian sea". Private parks are owned by individuals or businesses and are used at the discretion of the owner. There are a few types of private parks, and some which once were privately maintained and used have now been made open to
6138-640: The nature of a park, increasing the look of safety can also have unintended consequences on the aesthetics of the park. Creating secure areas with bars and locks lowers the beauty of the park, as well as the nature of who is in charge of observing the public space and the feeling of being observed. Parks can be divided into active and passive recreation areas. Active recreation is that which has an urban character and requires intensive development. It often involves cooperative or team activity, including playgrounds , ball fields, swimming pools, gymnasiums, and skateparks . Active recreation such as team sports, due to
6231-586: The need to provide substantial space to congregate, typically involves intensive management, maintenance, and high costs. Passive recreation, also called "low-intensity recreation" is that which emphasizes the open-space aspect of a park and allows for the preservation of natural habitat. It usually involves a low level of development, such as rustic picnic areas, benches, and trails. Many smaller neighborhood parks are receiving increased attention and valuation as significant community assets and places of refuge in heavily populated urban areas. Neighborhood groups around
6324-405: The older ones having a larder variety of breeds and greenery. Vegetation in parks can indirectly reduce air temperature and directly reduce levels of carbon dioxide by storing it as a biomass and due to the trees’ ability to absorb over 95% of ultraviolet radiation the aid in the reduction of skin cancer is a factor that is largely considered when new greenspaces are build. A national park
6417-414: The other one during endurance events; this became known as the "marathon skate". The word ski comes from the Old Norse word skíð which means "cleft wood", "stick of wood" or "ski". Norwegian language does not use a verb-form equivalent in idiomatic speech, unlike English "to ski". In modern Norwegian , a variety of terms refer to cross-country skiing, including: In contrast, alpine skiing
6510-415: The park is grazed by animals, but they are excluded from the garden. Cross-country skiing Cross-country skiing is a form of skiing whereby skiers traverse snow-covered terrain without use of ski lifts or other assistance. Cross-country skiing is widely practiced as a sport and recreational activity; however, some still use it as a means of travel. Variants of cross-country skiing are adapted to
6603-613: The past hundred and seventy years, but these authorities have no statutory duty to fund or maintain these public parks. In 2016 the Heritage Lottery Fund 's State of UK Public Parks reported that "92 per cent of park managers report their maintenance budgets have reduced in the past three years and 95 per cent expect their funding will continue to reduce". Another early public park is the Peel Park, Salford , England opened on August 22, 1846. Another possible claimant for status as
6696-468: The principal influences on Olmsted and Calvert's design for New York's Central Park of 1857. There are around an estimated 27,000 public parks in the United Kingdom , with around 2.6 billion visits to parks each year. Many are of cultural and historical interest, with 300 registered by Historic England as of national importance. Most public parks have been provided and run by local authorities over
6789-772: The protection of wildlife or natural habitats. Urban parks are green spaces set aside for recreation inside towns and cities. National parks and country parks are green spaces used for recreation in the countryside. State parks and provincial parks are administered by sub-national government states and agencies. Parks may consist of grassy areas, rocks, soil and trees, but may also contain buildings and other artifacts such as monuments , fountains or playground structures. Many parks have fields for playing sports such as baseball and football , and paved areas for games such as basketball . Many parks have trails for walking , biking and other activities. Some parks are built adjacent to bodies of water or watercourses and may comprise
6882-480: The public. Hunting parks were originally areas maintained as open space where residences, industry and farming were not allowed, often originally so that nobility might have a place to hunt – see medieval deer park . These were known for instance, as deer parks (deer being originally a term meaning any wild animal). Many country houses in Great Britain and Ireland still have parks of this sort, which since
6975-435: The reality). A linear park is a park that has a much greater length than width. A typical example of a linear park is a section of a former railway that has been converted into a park called a rail trail or greenway (i.e. the tracks removed, vegetation allowed to grow back). Parks are sometimes made out of oddly shaped areas of land, much like the vacant lots that often become city neighborhood parks. Linked parks may form
7068-442: The rules of the International Paralympic Committee . These are divided into several categories for people who are missing limbs, have amputations, are blind, or have any other physical disability, to continue their sport. Cross-country skiing has two basic propulsion techniques, which apply to different surfaces: classic (undisturbed snow and tracked snow) and skate skiing (firm, smooth snow surfaces). The classic technique relies on
7161-695: The safe confines of villages and towns. The most famous US example of a city park that evolved from this practice is the Boston Common in Boston, Massachusetts (1634). With the Industrial Revolution parks took on a new meaning as areas set aside to preserve a sense of nature in the cities and towns. Sporting activity came to be a major use for these urban parks. Areas of outstanding natural beauty were also set aside as national parks to prevent them from being spoiled by uncontrolled development. Park design
7254-408: The snow beneath the feet of the skier; side-cut affects the ease of turning; width affects forward friction; overall area on the snow affects bearing capacity; and tip geometry affects the ability to penetrate new snow or to stay in a track. Each of the following ski types has a different combination of these attributes: Glide waxes enhance the speed of the gliding surface. The wax is either melted on
7347-415: The snow conditions encountered may cause ski slippage (wax too hard for the conditions) or snow sticking to the grip zone (wax too soft for the conditions). Grip waxes generate grip by interacting with snow crystals, which vary with temperature, age and compaction. Hard grip waxes do not work well for snow which has metamorphosed to having coarse grains, whether icy or wet. In these conditions, skiers opt for
7440-562: The sub-national levels of government. In Brazil , the United States , and some states in Mexico , as well as in the Australian state of Victoria , these are known as state parks, whereas in Argentina , Canada and South Korea , they are known as provincial or territorial parks. In the United States, it is also common for individual counties to run parks, these are known as county parks . A park
7533-402: The success of Bill Koch ( United States ) in 1982 Cross-country Skiing Championships drew more attention to the skating style. Norwegian skier Ove Aunli started using the technique in 1984, when he found it to be much faster than classic style. Finnish skier, Pauli Siitonen , developed a one-sided variant of the style in the 1970s, leaving one ski in the track while skating to the side with
7626-590: The summer and skiers in the winter. Groomed trail skiing occurs at facilities such as Nordmarka (Oslo), Royal Gorge Cross Country Ski Resort and Gatineau Park in Quebec , where trails are laid out and groomed for both classic and skate-skiing. Such grooming and track setting (for classic technique) requires specialized equipment and techniques that adapt to the condition of the snow. Trail preparation employs snow machines which tow snow-compaction, texturing and track-setting devices. Groomers must adapt such equipment to
7719-480: The summer. Skis can also be used to access backcountry alpine climbing routes when snow is off the technical route, but still covers the hiking trail. In some countries, organizations maintain a network of huts for use by cross-country skiers in wintertime. For example, the Norwegian Trekking Association maintains over 400 huts stretching across thousands of kilometres of trails which hikers can use in
7812-685: The technique is the "marathon skate" or "Siitonen step", where the skier leaves one ski in the track while skating outwards to the side with the other ski. Turns, used while descending or for braking, include the snowplough (or "wedge turn"), the stem christie (or "wedge christie"), parallel turn , and the Telemark turn . The step turn is used for maintaining speed during descents or out of track on flats. Equipment comprises skis, poles, boots and bindings; these vary according to: Skis used in cross-country are lighter and narrower than those used in alpine skiing . Ski bottoms are designed to provide
7905-656: The word Skilaufen was used in German in the same sense as Norwegian : skiløping . Recreational cross-country skiing includes ski touring and groomed-trail skiing, typically at resorts or in parklands. It is an accessible form of recreation for persons with vision and mobility impairments . A related form of recreation is dog skijoring —a winter sport where a cross-country skier is assisted by one or more dogs. Ski touring takes place off- piste and outside of ski resorts . Tours may extend over multiple days. Typically, skis , bindings , and boots allow for free movement of
7998-546: The world are joining to support local parks that have suffered from urban decay and government neglect. Passive recreation typically requires less management which can be provided at lower costs than active recreation. Some open space managers provide trails for physical activity in the form of walking, running, horse riding, mountain biking, snowshoeing, or cross-country skiing; or activities such as observing nature, bird watching, painting, photography, or picnicking. Limiting park or open space use to passive recreation over all or
8091-466: The world's first public park is Boston Common (Boston, Massachusetts, US), set aside in 1634, whose first recreational promenade, Tremont Mall, dates from 1728. True park status for the entire common seems to have emerged no later than 1830, when the grazing of cows was ended and renaming the Common as Washington Park was proposed (renaming the bordering Sentry Street to Park Street in 1808 already acknowledged
8184-474: Was Mackinac Island , gazetted in 1875. Australia 's Royal National Park , established in 1879, was the world's second officially established national park. The largest national park in the world is the Northeast Greenland National Park , which was established in 1974 and currently protects 972,001 km (375,000 sq mi). In some Federal systems , many parks are managed by
8277-519: Was closely followed by Princes Park in the Liverpool suburb of Toxteth , laid out to the designs of Joseph Paxton from 1842 and opened in 1843. The land on which the Princes park was built was purchased by Richard Vaughan Yates, an iron merchant and philanthropist, in 1841 for £50,000. The creation of Princes Park showed great foresight and introduced a number of highly influential ideas. First and foremost
8370-436: Was enhanced by landscape architects such as Capability Brown and Humphry Repton . The French formal garden such as designed by André Le Nôtre at Versailles is an earlier and elaborate example. As cities became crowded, private hunting grounds became places for the public. Early opportunities for the creation of urban parks in both Europe and the United States grew out of medieval practice to secure pasture lands within
8463-460: Was experimented with early in the 20th Century, but was not widely adopted until the 1980s. Johan Grøttumsbråten used the skating technique at the 1931 World Championship in Oberhof, one of the earliest recorded use of skating in competitive cross-country skiing. This technique was later used in ski orienteering in the 1960s on roads and other firm surfaces. It became widespread during the 1980s after
8556-400: Was strictly forbidden for commoners to hunt animals in these deer parks. These game preserves evolved into landscaped parks set around mansions and country houses from the sixteenth century onwards. These may have served as hunting grounds but they also proclaimed the owner's wealth and status. An aesthetic of landscape design began in these stately home parks where the natural landscape
8649-503: Was the provision of open space for the benefit of townspeople and local residents within an area that was being rapidly built up. Secondly it took the concept of the designed landscape as a setting for the suburban domicile, an idea pioneered by John Nash at Regent's Park , and re-fashioned it for the provincial town in a most original way. Nash's remodeling of St James's Park from 1827 and the sequence of processional routes he created to link The Mall with Regent's Park completely transformed
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