Southern Urban and Interface Forests - What's New

On August 22, the National Environmental Education Foundation partnered with the USDA Forest Service and UF Health Shands Children’s Hospital in Gainesville, Florida, to host a Nature Champion Training in anticipation of the long-awaited Nature Explore Classroom currently under construction at Shands. This outdoor classroom, the UF Health Children’s Healing Garden, is a nature-based play and learning space designed to promote health by creating nature connections for patients, children, families and medical staff. This project is funded by the Washington Office, Region 8 and private donors. The Forest Service has a national-level partnership with the Dimensions Educational Research Foundation related to the Nature Explore program and has sponsored the building of Nature Explore classrooms at strategic locations around the country.

Urban Nature for Human Health and Well-Being, a new report by the USDA Forest Service’s National Urban Forestry Technology and Science Delivery Team, shares the most current research related to nature and public health, providing a resource to help natural resource professionals, health professionals, urban planners, architects, educators, and community groups effectively communicate the health benefits of nature to their constituents. The report provides an overview of the current research in five key areas: pollution and physical health, active living, mental health, stress reduction, and social health, cohesion, and resilience, and discusses issues of social equity and access to nature in urban environments.

In this issue of Leaves of Change you will learn about a project that engages 6th grade students from Westwood Middle School in Gainesville, Florida, in outdoor science learning activities in the nearby Loblolly Woods Nature Park. Spurred on by a grant from the US Forest Service’s More Kids in the Woods initiative, the school project kicked off in the fall of 2013. Through this project, students are learning outdoors while also gaining first-hand experience with the scientific method—developing hypotheses, collecting data, doing analysis, and drawing conclusions. Some of the main objectives of the project are for students to become more aware and connected to their local environment and exposed to careers in science and natural resources, as well as increased teacher participation in providing outdoor learning experiences for students. Over three hundred sixth graders and three science teachers are participating in the project this year.

Click here to learn more about this project highlighted in our latest issue of Leaves of Change.
 

Check out our new Kids in the Woods blog for updates on our project with Westwood Middle School, the University of Florida, Gainesville Parks, Recreation, and Cultural Affairs, and Alachua County Environmental Protection Department. We will also be providing information about other actvities related to children and nature.

http://kidsinwoods-interfacesouth.org/

This video was developed by the NCLI Coalition to encourage increased environmental education opportunities at schools. The video celebraties environmental education and its impact on children's learning, health and leadership.