Every week, we bring you the latest news in placemaking, landscape architecture, the nature-mental health link, and much more. Check back every week for new roundups and items.
Nature’s Medicine
““I feel we all pretty much agree that nature is good for your health. The question is: How do we hook up with it?â€
University of California-San Francisco‘s Daphne Miller wondered these words aloud in a Tuesday session on “Wellness Through Nature: Connection Across the Life Span.†And while presenters shared their findings on the environment and why merely being outside promotes better health, they each concluded that the case for it is best grounded in common sense, not published research.”
Trees Are A Matter of Life and Death
“Everyday exposure to trees enhances your health now and promotes health across your entire lifespan,†said Dr. William Sullivan, Ph.D., a professor of landscape architecture at the University of Illinois-Campaign, at a conference on the Washington, D.C. region’s urban tree canopy organized by Casey Trees. Some 150 urban forestry policymakers, experts, and designers heard Sullivan make the striking argument that the social and psychological benefits of trees and other greenery may even eclipse their ecological benefits. Research, based in real data, is now clearly demonstrating that exposure to trees brings people together, reduces crime, and lowers stress. Furthermore, trees are even a matter of life and death — their presence is a predictor of death rates for many.
Designing Neighborhoods for People and Wildlife
“Watch a new animation from ASLA’s “Designing Our Future: Sustainable Landscapes†online exhibition that explains how to transform your property into a real wildlife habitat. Learn how native plants and designed structures provide what nature needs.”
