Urban parks are truly a blessing to the communities that have them – they offer a refreshing refuge and a place to play. They are deeply valuable in many ways, such as supporting the health and well-being of people of all ages, bolstering surrounding property values, reducing crime, purifying and cooling the air, protecting municipal water supplies, conserving local flora and fauna, and so much more! The largest urban park in the world is Chugach State Park in Anchorage, which spans nearly half a million acres across Southcentral Alaska. Chugach State Park provides 280 miles of trails and plentiful opportunities for biking, hunting, camping, fishing, horseback riding, birding, and even glacier viewing. It is home to around 45 species of mammals – biologists estimate that there are over 1,000 moose, 80 black bears, and 40 brown bears living there. There is no other wild-life rich habitat so close to a major city on Earth!