Webinar Series: Public Health and Access to the Outdoors

April 26, 2023: Parks as Public Health Infrastructure (recording)

Session Description: Protected natural spaces are essential to individual and community health and well-being and, are thus, essential public health infrastructure. This webinar will discuss (1) specific physical, mental, and cognitive benefits of nature and parks, (2) mechanisms of how nature may improve health, (3) how the differences in peoples’ access to and experiences in nature affect nature’s health benefits, (4) parks as public health infrastructure, and (4) strategies to promote cross sector collaboration with public health and health care providers to leverage the health benefits of nature.

Learning Objectives:

• To understand how nature, parks, and outdoor recreation programming improve health and well-being
• To better  communicate with community partners, community members, health care providers and public health professionals the role that parks and recreation plays in supporting individual and community health and well-being
• To consider how differences in individuals' and communities’ access to and experience in nature affect health and well-being
• To identify opportunities to collaborate with local public health and health care providers on health and well-being programming

Presenter: 

Kathryn Palano PT, DPT, MPH
Clinical Specialist in Neurologic Physical Therapy

Resources:

• The Nature Gap
• Park RX
• 10-Minute Walk
• Project Learning Tree
• NRPA Park Advocate Handbook
• Diversify Outdoors
• Access Board Outdoor Recreation Accessibility Guide
• Nature Detectives
• Healthy Parks Healthy Person TN
• Nature’s Impact on Human Health Action Guide

May 3, 2023: How to bridge the gap: local/state/national-level health-recreation partnerships panel (recording)

Session Description: This panel session will feature four programs from the local, state, and national levels designed to connect public health and outdoor recreation. 

Panelists:

May 10, 2023: NPS Healthy Parks, Healthy People (recording)

Join us for a webinar that provides an overview of the Healthy Parks Healthy People philosophy and approach. Learn about the National Park Service’s Servicewide approach to advance a strategic vision, goals and guiding principles, and concrete examples of ways to promote parks as a health resource for all. Discussion time will be provided to consider some of the most recent research findings connecting parks and health and various ways to strategically advance the Healthy Parks Healthy People movement in tangible ways at local state and national levels. 

Learning Objectives:

• Understand the philosophy and approach of Healthy Parks Healthy People 
• Explore the connection between parks, health, and environmental sustainability 
• Learn about recent research on the benefits of spending time in nature 
• Learn about opportunities to get involved with Healthy Parks Healthy People 

Presenter:

• Diana Allen, Chief, National Park Service Healthy Parks Healthy People/National Health Promotion Program Lead 

Resources:

• Healthy Parks Healthy People
• National Park Service Wellness Challenge
• The Community Guide 
• National Park Service BARK Rangers

• Effect of nature prescriptions on cardiometabolic and mental health, and physical activity: a systematic review