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Nature and Health

Scenic photo of Peter Kahn and Usha Varanasi at Reciprocal healing conference near Sedona, AZ
| Announcements, In the News, Publications

Special Issue of Ecopsychology

Nature and Health’s Steering Committee Members Peter Kahn and Usha Varanasi recently contributed to the new issue of Ecopsychology! Peter Kahn was Editor-in-Chief for the special issue Reciprocal Healing: Nature, Health, and Wild Vitality and Usha Varanasi was published in Focusing Attention on Reciprocity Between Nature and Humans Can Be the Key to Reinvigorating Planetary Health. 

Ecopsychology
| Events, Guest Speakers

GirlTrek

In 2019, GirlTrek, Washington Trails Association, and the USDA Forest Service’s PNW Research Station came together to learn about mutual interests in trails, health, and inclusive outdoor spaces, with an interest in getting more people outside enjoying the benefits of time in nature. 

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| Events, Guest Speakers

Reclaiming Relationships with Nature

Institutional racism remains present in Black and Indigenous communities—especially with COVID-19 and the recent murders of our Black relatives. During this June 2020 talk, Nat, Jessica, and Jules came together to discuss how our intersectional identities weave experiences in relationships with nature. 

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| Diversity and Equity

Black Lives Matter

The attack on Christian Cooper while birding in Central Park so painfully reminds us how inequitable our access to nature is. The recent killings by vigilantes of Ahmaud Arbery (1994-2020). The killings by police of Breonna Taylor (1993-2020), George Floyd (1976-2020), and Tony McDade (1982-2020) a Black transgender man, remind us yet again that this inequity is driven by deep-seated systemic racism. 

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| Events, Guest Speakers, Talks

Older Adult Walking Programs in Urban Park and Indoor Environments – Implementation and Perceived Restorativeness

Green exercise, or exercise performed in a natural environment, has additional health benefits than exercise alone. However, older adults may experience barriers to getting outside including distance from natural spaces. Therefore, urban parks and forests provide older adults with an opportunity to engage in accessible green exercise. 

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| In the News

Turning to Technology for Nature Could Help Us Feel More Connected, Experts Say

Sarah Grothjan · REI · April 29, 2020
Featuring Peter Kahn, member of the Center’s Research Collaborative and Steering Committee

Digital nature could also help with feelings of loneliness. A 2018 University of Washington (UW) study showed that university professors who worked in an office with a 50-inch plasma TV that depicted restorative nature scenes—serving, essentially, as a digital window—reported feeling connected to the outdoors and to the wider social community. 

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