Month: October 2013


Recommended Reading: Stress Response Report

When confronted with a stressful situation, what is your coping mechanism? Do you take a few deep breaths before tackling the problem? Scientists say maybe you should try going outside for a walk to relieve stress in your daily life. “More than 100 studies now confirm that stress reduction and mental restoration are significant benefits…

Recommended Reading: Bringing Education and Nature Together

For many students today the school day consists of sitting indoors at a desk, staring at photocopied worksheets and the blackboard. But for the students at CA Frost Environmental Sciences Academy in Grand Rapids, MI, education isn’t confined to inside. The school sits right next to a nature preserve, so teachers can help bring more…

Open Voices News Roundup: October 28

Every week, we bring you the latest news in placemaking, landscape architecture, the nature-mental health link, and much more. Check back each week for new roundups and items. MIT Research Reveals the Power of Placemaking “The MIT Department of Urban Studies and Planning released new research that examines the evolution of urban planning and its…

Friday Flower: Name This Bloom!

Every Friday we publish a new Friday Flower. We ask our readers, as a game, to identify the flower. Here’s today’s beautiful bloom — anybody know what it is? (And guess more Friday Flowers here.)  …

Recommended Reading: Growth through Prison Gardening Programs

A green thumb was not always a skill set prison inmates could expect to gain during their time spent in correctional facilities. But many prisons from coast to coast have started to use gardens to help rehabilitate inmates and teach them basic landscaping skills that can later be used to get a job after they…

A Look into Therapeutic Landscapes: An Interview with Naomi Sachs

Taking time to get in tune with your surroundings and learn to love nature has proven a therapeutic process for many, including Naomi Sachs. Sachs is Founding Director of the Therapeutic Landscapes Network and writes the corresponding blog, but has taken the research on connections between healing and nature a step further in her latest…

Open Voices News Roundup: October 21

Every week, we bring you the latest news in placemaking, landscape architecture, the nature-mental health link, and much more. Check back each week for new roundups and items. Reconnecting City Citizens with the Environment “Going back to the 19th century, when poor housing, sanitation and overcrowding caused cholera outbreaks and tuberculosis, the relationship between environment…

Recommended Reading: Partnerships Along The Green Road Project

A garden has the potential to add more than natural appeal to a space, especially around facilities like Naval Support Activity Bethesda, where the Green Road Project is hoping to provide space for relaxation, meditation and overall healing for those using the facilities. Dr. Fred Foote, adjunct assistant professor at the Uniformed Services University’s Department…

Friday Flower: Name This Bloom!

Every Friday we publish a new Friday Flower. We ask our readers, as a game, to identify the flower. Here’s today’s beautiful bloom — anybody know what it is? (And guess more Friday Flowers here.)…

Open Voices News Roundup: October 14

Every week, we bring you the latest news in placemaking, landscape architecture, the nature-mental health link, and much more. Check back each week for new roundups and items. How Trees Can Boost a Home’s Sale Price “Maybe money grows on trees after all. In an analysis of 2,608 real-estate transactions over 10 months, researchers found…

"Just for today I am grateful for being alive and to have this quiet space."

More about this Bench Story