Nearby Nature Systems in Urban Planning to Promote Health
A rapidly expanding research literature indicates the wide range of human health benefits that nearby nature experiences can provide. Optimizing these benefits suggests that comprehensive, systems-oriented strategies are needed to assess nature access opportunities and create network linkages. Dr. Kathleen Wolf is working with the American Planning Association and the Environmental Finance Center at University of Maryland to create urban planning tools that transcend the usual departmental sectoring (e.g. urban forestry, parks, natural areas) that characterizes nature planning in most cities. Kathy joined us as a guest speaker for our January 2022 Community Dinner to discuss Nearby Nature Systems in Urban Planning to Promote Health.
Bio
Dr. Kathleen Wolf is a Research Social Scientist at the College of the Environment, University of Washington. Based on theory and methods of environmental psychology, Dr. Wolf’s research explores human response to outdoor spaces in cities. Kathy’s mission is to discover, understand and communicate human behavior and benefits, as people experience nature in cities and towns. She has been a research associate with the US Forest Service Pacific NW Research Station, collaborating on studies of social dimensions of urban ecosystems. And has also worked professionally as a landscape architect and as an environmental planner. Moreover, Kathy is interested in how scientific information can be integrated into local government policy and planning. She is/has served with national organizations that promote nature-based health and quality of life in cities, such as the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, the Sustainable Sites Initiative, the American Planning Association, the TKF Foundation, American Forests and the Transportation Research Board national committee on Landscape and Environment. Kathy really enjoys planning, then doing, outdoor adventures with her partner and daughter, a wilderness guide in Alaska. You can view Dr. Wolf’s research at Nature Within and Green Cities: Good Health.
About Nature and Health Community Dinners
Our Community Dinners are a chance for the community to learn about local Nature and Health research, programs, and policies. They also provide an opportunity to connect with Nature and Health colleagues and experts from around Puget Sound. Your gift can help sustain Nature and Health’s community-building efforts.
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