Olmsted Network

The Olmsted Network— formerly the National Association for Olmsted Parks— was established in 1980 as a diverse coalition dedicated to preserving the living legacy of Frederick Law Olmsted and the Olmsted firm. Over the last 40 years, we have helped foster park conservancies, friends’ groups and citizen volunteers to preserve their neighborhood parks and landscapes. We have created a permanent record thanks to the groundbreaking scholarship of Charles E. Beveridge, series editor of the Papers of Frederick Law Olmsted. We have raised awareness through educational outreach, conferences and timely publications, and we have engaged in rapid response advocacy across the country.

In 2020, we took on a new role as managing partner of Olmsted 200, the Olmsted bicentennial, partnering with nine national organizations. We joined with policymakers, public health professionals, community leaders and citizen activists to explore the many ways Olmsted’s values are relevant to 21st-century challenges.

The Olmsted Network is the first and only national organization dedicated to preserving the Olmsted legacy by providing the advocacy, research and education needed to protect, renew and maintain these exemplary parks and landscapes.