Chattanooga National Park City
Chattanooga National Park City
In 2025, Chattanooga in Tennessee was recognised as North America’s first ever National Park City, and the fourth worldwide.
In a remarkable story, Chattanooga has been transformed over the past decades, from one of the most polluted cities in the United States in the 1970s to an unrivalled outdoor destination and biodiversity hotspot.
The impressive campaign for Chattanooga National Park City has built upon this legacy of change, involving widespread support from across the city including dozens of grassroots and community-led organisations, the City of Chattanooga, local businesses, and the endorsement of over 5,000 citizens across the city.
Chattanooga has set out seven inter-linked commitments to guide their National Park City around:
- Unrivalled Access to Nature
- A Culture of Outdoor Activity
- Environmental Stewardship and Education
- Inclusive and Sustainable Development
- Community and Cultural Enrichment
- Food and Agriculture
- Arts and Creativity
National Park City status is formally recognised through a peer review process led by the accrediting body, the National Park City Foundation, in conjunction with World Urban Parks and Salzburg Global.
The Chattanooga National Park City Journey
Over the past few decades Chattanooga has been transformed from a former industrial hub, to an incredible outdoor destination, deeply connected to nature, with an active civil society and supportive city government, leading efforts to conserve and enhance biodiversity and make their city greener, healthier, and wilder.
Chattanooga’s efforts to champion the environment can be seen in everything from the reimagining of Montague Park and the Riverfront to clean water initiatives and land preservation efforts.
Elsewhere citizen-led organisations have developed people and planet positive initiatives including community gardens and food forests, while city-driven wildlife restoration is on full display at sites including the Tennessee Aquarium Conservation Institute, and the Hellbender research lab at the Chattanooga Zoo.
The success of the above is rooted in strong multi-agency stakeholder collaboration with communities, not-for-profit organisations, research institutions, city government officials, and experts in design, ecology, culture and arts coming together to realise the Chattanooga National Park City vision.
Get in touch with the National Park City Foundation
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We’re here to guide cities through the process of becoming a National Park City. Contact us today to find out how to take the first step.
