The Learning Network

Places include site-specific projects that are intentionally designed to promote health and well-being by bringing people into contact with nature. Some places are built as parks and gardens for general purpose use by the public. Other places are designed with specific uses in mind that promote nature connection for certain groups of people, such as communities of color, individuals with different physical abilities, and populations with health-related conditions. These types of places may be connected with a hospital, clinic, school, or neighborhood. What all these different types of places have in common is a shared responsibility to increase equitable access to nature. They wouldn’t be possible without the collaborative efforts of design professionals, health care professionals, built-environment contractors, nature experts, and researchers. By highlighting case studies about these kinds of places, The Learning Network recognizes the work of these amazing professionals and the organizations and institutions they represent.

Programs include activities, classes, and therapeutic interventions that have been created to promote human health and flourishing through contact with nature. Many programs are associated with schools, hospitals, clinics, and other community-based organizations. They may include recreational opportunities and activities that are available to the general public. But they can also include therapeutic interventions that are targeted toward specific groups of people, such as individuals with health-related conditions, different age groups, and historically disadvantaged communities. These programs are often the result of purposeful collaboration between health care professionals, academics, researchers, designers, and community-based organizations. Sometimes the organizations that sponsor these types of programs are very large, such as national nonprofits or government agencies, but often they are quite local, like a school, hospital, or local philanthropy. By highlighting these types of programs, The Learning Network hopes that more people discover activities that can improve their quality of life by sustaining a strong connection with nature.