Strategic Plan

Vision

We envision a world that understands and values the reciprocal relationship between nature and human well-being, and creates equitable engagement with nature and its benefits for future generations.

Mission

We seek to illuminate the connections between nature and human well-being through scientific investigation. We equip students and collaborate with decision-makers and communities to inform policies and programs for equitable engagement and sustainable relationships with nature.

We aspire to create a future where all people can equitably benefit from the restorative power of nature. We humbly dedicate our work to those who carry the undue weight of environmental and social injustices.

Indigenous communities have maintained a profound and reciprocal connection to earth since time immemorial and have deeply known the intrinsic relationship between nature and human well-being. Their teachings offer invaluable insights for how we can live harmoniously with nature to save ourselves and the planet we all call home. It is with immense gratitude we honor these teachings and learn from the wisdoms that have been known for millennia.

We extend our heartfelt thanks to the Nature and Health Steering Committee, whose tireless efforts and spirited conversations shaped this plan. Your commitment to this process and willingness to engage in deep debate have been invaluable. Together, we have laid a solid foundation for the future of the Center, and we are truly grateful for your insights and collaboration.

• Gregory Bratman, PhD
  Associate professor, UW Environmental and Forest Sciences
• Dr. Howard Frumkin, MPH
  Professor Emeritus, UW Environmental and Occupational Health Sciences
• Michelle Johnson-Jennings, PhD, EdM
  Choctaw Nation
  Co-director, Indigenous Wellness Research Institute
• Peter Kahn, PhD
  Professor, UW Environmental and Forest Sciences
• Josh Lawler, PhD
  Professor, UW Environmental and Forest Sciences
• Edmund Seto, PhD
  Professor, UW Environmental and Occupational Health Sciences
• Usha Varanasi, PhD
  Affiliate professor, UW School of Aquatics and Fishery Sciences
• Spencer Wood, PhD
  Research scientist, UW Center for Nature and Health

To deeply understand the relationship between nature and human well-being, we must explore the complex ways in which nature enhances our well-being, fosters connections, and promotes healing. Our transdisciplinary, systems-based framework examines multiple facets of these connections, with a sharp focus on human health and well-being, health equity, people–nature reciprocity, and buffering against the impacts of climate change. By recognizing these deep connections, we can create a future in which communities prioritize equitable access to nature, ensuring that both people and the planet can thrive together.

1. Health and Well-Being

While we already understand that even a small amount of contact with nature is beneficial, we still have much to learn. For example, we need to know more about the mechanisms through which nature experiences lead to changes in the mind and the body. We also need to understand what aspects of nature have the largest effects and how those effects vary across different individuals and populations. We seek to better understand these benefits across different populations and how to best leverage them in decision-making and planning.

2. Health Equity

Access to safe and accessible green spaces is critically important to promoting health and well-being. In the United States, 74 percent of people who identify as Asian, Black, Indigenous, or Latinx live in a census tract that is considered nature deprived.¹ Improving equitable access to nature can be a cost effective way to address health inequalities and improve health outcomes, while meeting conservation and climate buffering goals.

To fully realize the health equity benefits of nature, we work to understand:

• • Differences in health benefits across populations
  • Diverse cultural relationships with nature
  • Inequitable distribution of health benefits of nature
  • How racism, trauma, inaccessibility, redlining, and other socioeconomic barriers affect the benefits of spending time in nature

3. People–Nature Reciprocity

For millennia, many Indigenous and local cultures have embraced a reciprocal relationship with nature, recognizing that people are both part of and dependent on the natural world. When we see nature as a precious gift—rather than a resource to exploit—we develop a deeper reverence for our connection to the earth. This shift in perspective nurtures lasting commitment to stewardship and a stronger bond with nature.

We operate from perspectives that emphasize people-nature reciprocity, with a focus on:

• • Improving the health and well-being of both nature and people
  • Highlighting multiple understandings of the connections between nature and human beings
  • Growing our research and projects to include these perspectives and communities

4. Climate Change

Nature is a powerful tool in the fight against climate change. From mitigating heat waves and droughts to cleaning water and air, thriving ecosystems can buffer communities from some of the worst effects of climate change. We aim to understand how green spaces can mitigate the impacts of climate change and boost human well-being so we can advocate for effective and equitable green space solutions.

We work to:

• • Investigate the effects of green infrastructure on reducing the impacts of climate change on human and ecological health
  • Assess challenges to well-being that come from climate anxiety and determine whether increased access to nature helps to moderate these impacts
  • Examine how connection to nature can improve resilience to the challenges of climate change

1. Research

We conduct translational research to better understand the benefits of nature contact; how to leverage them; and how to increase equitable outcomes, particularly for historically excluded communities.

GOALS

1. Understand the mechanisms through which nature experiences lead to changes in the human mind and the body
2. Understand what aspects of nature contact have the largest well-being effects
3. Understand how and why the well-being effects of nature contact vary across different populations
4. Understand how equitable engagement with nature can help close health equity gaps 
5. Co-develop research with communities using community-based participatory research practices

OBJECTIVES

1. Establish new research and community collaborations
2. Attain new research funding
3. Host 2-3 Steering Committee meetings each year

2. Inform Policy

Expanding equitable access to nature provides innumerable returns—from buffering against the effects of climate change to reducing chronic disease. These co-benefits can improve the well-being of communities and advance conservation goals, all while providing significant cost savings: a triple-win! Translating this research into systemic change—such as policies for equitable access to parks and forests—requires informing decision-makers about how time spent in nature will make our communities happier and healthier.

GOALS

1. Help decision-makers prioritize the connection between nature and community well-being in their budgets
2. Provide examples and blueprints for decision-makers to systematically integrate the proven benefits of nature into their programs and policies
3. Create materials that give decision-makers a baseline understanding of the benefits of nature exposure

OBJECTIVES

1. Conduct an economic analysis to quantify the cost savings and co-benefits of spending time in nature
2. Distill research into clear, actionable, policy-relevant insights
3. Foster relationships with decision-makers
4. Testify and present at strategic meetings and planning sessions

3. Communicate

Effective science communication plays a crucial role in helping the public grasp complex issues, empowering them to make informed decisions, engage in meaningful debates, and advocate for evidence-based policies. By translating our research into clear, relatable language, we strengthen the connection between science and the community, build an enduring nature and health movement, and work toward healthier communities.

GOALS

1. Motivate people to spend more time in nature and care for green spaces
2. Inspire others to advocate for equitable access to nature
3. Encourage students to pursue work in nature and health-related fields
4. Build social cohesion and bridge social divides

OBJECTIVES

1. Distill research into relatable and actionable public-facing content
2. Share compelling stories, research, and opportunities through our listserv, social media, and newsletter
3. Translate key content into Spanish
4. Assess the need for additional language translations

4. Cultivate Community

Through hosting community dinners, annual symposia, an active listserv, and the Northwest Nature and Health Coalition, we have cultivated a vibrant and connected network of nature and health advocates across the Pacific Northwest and beyond. Together, this diverse, transdisciplinary community is driving an enduring nature and health movement that advocates for programs and policies that advance equitable engagement with nature.

GOALS

1. Cultivate a robust and diverse network of nature and health professionals and advocates
2. Serve as a regional hub for collaboration and information sharing
3. Listen and respond to community and partner needs
4. Create a welcoming space for all, especially historically excluded communities

OBJECTIVES

1. Host an annual symposium
2. Host an annual meeting of the BIPOC Research Collective
3. Host 2-3 community dinners per year
4. Host 2-3 Northwest Nature and Health Coalition meetings per year

1. Integrity

In an age of information overload, trust is the cornerstone to accepting and acting on scientific recommendations. We are committed to exemplifying and upholding the highest standards of scientific integrity, rigorous research, accountability, and responsibility. From co-designing research to sharing our findings—and every step in between—we promote a culture of rigor, honesty, transparency, and objectivity.

2. Environmental Equity

We believe that all communities deserve to benefit from the healing power of nature. Creating a healthy relationship with the natural world goes beyond equitable access—it also requires physical and psychological safety. We are committed to understanding the unique needs of historically excluded communities and elevating their voices in the process. By working together, we aim to co-create research and advance programs and policies that ensure everyone can find belonging, connection, and healing in the outdoors.

3. Multiple Ways of Knowing

We have a deep respect for the histories, cultures, and knowledge systems of diverse communities. We recognize that Western science and outdoor recreation have often overlooked and marginalized many voices, creating significant gaps in our understanding of the world and how different communities connect with and care for nature. We aim to counter this wrong by actively listening to, learning from, and embracing diverse cultural perspectives, ways of knowing, and lived experience in everything we do.

4. Resilience

To work toward a future where both communities and nature can flourish, resilience and hope must be at the heart of our efforts. These qualities inspire us to work together and focus on solutions, rather than getting overwhelmed by humanity’s systemic challenges. In a time when we urgently need everyone to contribute to conservation and human well-being, hope and resilience can motivate us to take meaningful action, foster a sense of shared responsibility, and create the momentum needed for an enduring nature and health movement.

As we continue to build our own knowledge and capacity to do this work, we will adjust our approach based on feedback from our partners and the communities we serve.

Equitable engagement with nature
It is not enough to live in close proximity to natural spaces. Communities need these spaces to be accessible, culturally-relevant, healthy, safe, and welcoming. Throughout this plan, we refer to this as equitable engagement with nature.

Historically excluded communities
Historically excluded communities refers to groups who have been denied access and/or suffered institutional discrimination. In outdoor recreation, historically excluded communities often include people with disabilities, Black people, Indigenous people, people of color, women, LGBTQIA2S+ people, and people with low socio-economic status.

People–nature reciprocity¹
Actions, interactions, and experiences between people and the natural world (with people seen as part of nature) that lead to positive outcomes and benefits for both, in ways that build on each other over time and across different areas and scales.

Well-being
Well-being transcends the conventional Western focus on physical health and symptoms of disease. Well-being considers the whole person, including emotional, environmental, intellectual, mental, occupational, physical, social, and spiritual health indicators.

Translational research
Translational research involves moving knowledge gained from the basic sciences to its application in clinical and community settings.

¹ Adapted from: Ojeda, J., Salomon, A. K., Rowe, J. K., & Ban, N. C. (2022). Reciprocal contributions between people and nature: a conceptual intervention. BioScience, 72(10), 952-962.