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.
Hiking in a Winter Wonderland
“Just because temperatures have dropped doesn’t mean outdoor efforts to elevate your heart rate should take a nose dive, too. New York City offers many walking trails and paths through scenic, wooded parks and along breathtaking waterways. “Winter is a great time to get out and see the parks in a new way once the trees have shed all of their leaves,” said Sarah Aucoin, director of the Urban Park Rangers program, which offers guided hikes and walks in the city’s park all year. “You can see wildlife and get your heart pumping at the same time.” If you struggle to stay active in the winter, walking may inspire you to get outdoors. Dr. Susan Kansagra, deputy commissioner for the division of health promotion and disease prevention at the New York City health department, said that regular walking helps reduce the risk of heart disease, high blood pressure, stroke, diabetes, osteoporosis, and colon and breast cancer.”
Improve Your Health with the Forest Therapy
“There are plenty of pills to lower your blood pressure and boost your immune system, but what if it’s simpler than that? Japanese research into “forest therapy” suggests that spending regular time outside, amid trees and greenery, can do wonders for your health. Forest therapy– also known as shinrin-yoku or forest bathing– simply means spending time in green spaces. Japanese studies show that this lowers your blood pressure and cortisol level, a stress-related hormone, and increases your immune system defenses. Though forest bathing is just beginning to get more attention in the US, lowering your stress without pills is nothing new. Other means of tackling stress naturally include working out regularly, eating a balanced diet, and participating in artistic activities.”
How to Get to People Street
“Starting in early 2014, community members will have the opportunity to take the lead on small-scale street projects through a City of Los Angeles-LADOT (LA Department of Transportation) program known as People St. Once the People St program is underway, interested community members will be able to apply online for city permission to install a parklet, plaza, or bike corral on an underused stretch of roadway. Though the process will vary depending on the type of intervention, in general the person or group initiating the petition will cover the cost of materials, installation, and upkeep. The city or LADOT, in turn, will provide the site’s operators with the architectural elements needed to transform a patch of pavement into community space…People St also stands out as a bottom-up alternative to traditional city planning. “LA has a hunger for transforming public space,” said People St project manager Valerie Watson. “To meet that hunger we need a much more consistent, quickly-implemented multi-phase process—not a New York–style, top-down approach, but more of a grassroots process where communities identify sites for the reallocation of the public right of way.””
Green Landscaping In Boston
“Landscape architecture is a huge field that affects a great deal of our physical environment, especially in urban areas where truly wild landscape is pretty rare. Within the overarching realm of landscape architecture, green and sustainable landscaping is a huge, growing trend. After all, when not designed properly, human-made landscapes can be dependent on a great deal of resources. Different plants have different needs – some require more water, sunshine, healthier soil and fertilizer, while others hardly need any of these. So the trick for landscape architects (and DIY gardeners), is learning which plants to put where and in a way that is both resourceful and aesthetically pleasing. Sustainable gardens also avoid the planting of invasive species and are mindful to the wildlife that depend on that given space. Sustainable landscaping is also often regenerative, meaning that the garden won’t need to be replanted every year.”
