Newsletter from Thursday, January 6th, 2022
Dear NCH2 Community,
As the new year starts we want to thank our members for their continued support and interest in the Nature, Culture, and Human Health network. We hope you and your families are staying safe and warm into the new year. Please submit materials for the next newsletter by Jan. 19th, 2022 so we can make sure to include them. Submit items by emailing [email protected].
This week's newsletter includes upcoming local events, information about the Environmental Education Association of Illinois 50th Annual Conference, a grant opportunity, and links to articles in the research literature and popular press.
This week's newsletter includes upcoming local events, information about the Environmental Education Association of Illinois 50th Annual Conference, a grant opportunity, and links to articles in the research literature and popular press.
Local Events
Chicago Park District: Snowtrekking in the Nature Sanctuary at Burnham
Date: Sat, Jan 8th
Time: 10:00 - 11:30 am
Location: Burnham (Daniel) Park
1200-5700 S. Jean-Baptiste Pointe DuSable Lake Shore Drive
Chicago, IL 60615
Description: Discover the Burnham Nature Sanctuary on snowshoes this winter!
Explore for winter birds and wildlife on the prairie and woodland trail on snowshoes. Snowshoes are provided for all participants. All participants must be registered; all children participants must be accompanied by an adult caretaker who must also register for the program. $5 fee.
Please note that there must be at least three inches of snow on the ground to host the program. Please call us for more information and to verify weather conditions at (312) 745.2910.
For more information and registration, click here.
Photo by Alexandr Podvalny from Pexels
Date: Sat, Jan 8th
Time: 10:00 - 11:30 am
Location: Burnham (Daniel) Park
1200-5700 S. Jean-Baptiste Pointe DuSable Lake Shore Drive
Chicago, IL 60615
Description: Discover the Burnham Nature Sanctuary on snowshoes this winter!
Explore for winter birds and wildlife on the prairie and woodland trail on snowshoes. Snowshoes are provided for all participants. All participants must be registered; all children participants must be accompanied by an adult caretaker who must also register for the program. $5 fee.
Please note that there must be at least three inches of snow on the ground to host the program. Please call us for more information and to verify weather conditions at (312) 745.2910.
For more information and registration, click here.
Photo by Alexandr Podvalny from Pexels
Forest Preserves of Cook County: Winter Watercolors
Date: Sat, Jan 8th
Time: 10 am - 1 pm
Location: Mathew Bieszczat Volunteer Resource Center
6100 N Central Ave
Chicago, IL 60646
Description:
Join us for a winter art workshop as we explore the beauty of nature through watercolor painting. Materials provided. All ages. Must register for demos. Drop in available for additional watercolor activities. Registration Required: Call 224-456-8602.
For more information, click here.
Photo by Pavel Danilyuk from Pexels
Date: Sat, Jan 8th
Time: 10 am - 1 pm
Location: Mathew Bieszczat Volunteer Resource Center
6100 N Central Ave
Chicago, IL 60646
Description:
Join us for a winter art workshop as we explore the beauty of nature through watercolor painting. Materials provided. All ages. Must register for demos. Drop in available for additional watercolor activities. Registration Required: Call 224-456-8602.
For more information, click here.
Photo by Pavel Danilyuk from Pexels
Forest Preserves of Cook County: Winter Tree ID
Date: Sun, Jan 9th
Time: 1 pm
Location: Little Red Schoolhouse Nature Center
9800 Willow Springs Rd
Willow Springs, IL 60480
Description: Discover tips and clues to help identify trees when there are no leaves on them on this 1-mile adventure. REGISTRATION REQUIRED: Call Little Red Schoolhouse at 708-839-6897.
For more information, click here.
Photo by Maria Orlova from Pexels
Date: Sun, Jan 9th
Time: 1 pm
Location: Little Red Schoolhouse Nature Center
9800 Willow Springs Rd
Willow Springs, IL 60480
Description: Discover tips and clues to help identify trees when there are no leaves on them on this 1-mile adventure. REGISTRATION REQUIRED: Call Little Red Schoolhouse at 708-839-6897.
For more information, click here.
Photo by Maria Orlova from Pexels
Forest Preserves of Cook County: Wellness in the Woods - “Solitude” in Nature
Date: Fri, Jan 14th
Time: 6 pm
Location: Sand Ridge Nature Center
15891 Paxton Ave
South Holland, IL 60473
Description: Discover the peacefulness of solitude in nature without being alone. REGISTRATION REQUIRED:
Email Sand Ridge at [email protected].
For more information, click here.
Photo by Simon Berger from Pexels
Date: Fri, Jan 14th
Time: 6 pm
Location: Sand Ridge Nature Center
15891 Paxton Ave
South Holland, IL 60473
Description: Discover the peacefulness of solitude in nature without being alone. REGISTRATION REQUIRED:
Email Sand Ridge at [email protected].
For more information, click here.
Photo by Simon Berger from Pexels
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Forest Preserves of Cook County: Photography Walk
Date: Tue, Jan 18th Time: 9 am Location: Thatcher Woods Chicago Ave, west of Thatcher Ave River Forest, IL 60305 Description: We’ll hike around Thatcher Woods and down to the Des Plaines River in hopes of capturing some magical winter photography. REGISTRATION REQUIRED: Call 312-533-5751. For more information, click here. Photo credit: Forest Preserves of Cook County |
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Ongoing Events:
For Healthcare Providers: Join the ParkRx America network of providers who write prescriptions for time outdoors.
Click here for more information.
For members of the ParkRx America Provider Network: Virtual Forest Bathing sessions lead by certified ANFT (Association of Nature and Forest Therapy) Guides. The ANFT Certified Guide Team is excited to share the gift of an array of remote Forest Bathing sessions to support the wellbeing and resiliency of the Park Rx America (PRA) healthcare provider network. Each session is limited to 10 participants, so please register soon to lock in your session.
Click here for more information and registration.
Photo credit: Park Rx America
For Healthcare Providers: Join the ParkRx America network of providers who write prescriptions for time outdoors.
Click here for more information.
For members of the ParkRx America Provider Network: Virtual Forest Bathing sessions lead by certified ANFT (Association of Nature and Forest Therapy) Guides. The ANFT Certified Guide Team is excited to share the gift of an array of remote Forest Bathing sessions to support the wellbeing and resiliency of the Park Rx America (PRA) healthcare provider network. Each session is limited to 10 participants, so please register soon to lock in your session.
Click here for more information and registration.
Photo credit: Park Rx America
Environmental Education Association of Illinois 50th Annual Conference
The Environmental Education Association of Illinois is excited to announce our 50th Anniversary Annual Conference will be held on April 8th and 9th at Hoover Forest Preserve in Yorkville, Illinois. This annual event has provided professional development for thousands of Illinois educators over the course of those 50 years, impacting millions of students. This year will be no different, with an excellent keynote, dozens of current sessions, workshop and field experiences there will be extensive learning opportunities for IL educators and organizations.
This event will also be in partnership with IL Green Alliance and the IL Green Ribbon School Program bringing together educators and administrators focused on advancing sustainability and green initiatives for their institutions. We are excited to learn more about their projects and help build partnerships between formal and non-formal organizations.
This year's theme of "Building Connections" is an excellent opportunity to really examine and demonstrate the wide variety of fields that are involved with environmental literacy, environmental health, and the protection of our natural spaces. We would be honored if you would consider taking a look at the information below and joining the event in some way.
Become an EEAI Annual Conference Sponsor!
Connect with participants through an Exhibit Booth!
Share an innovative project or resource with participants through a Presentation!
Support the advancement of environmental literacy through a donation to our auction!
Find all the conference details and registration links at the Annual Conference website!
The Environmental Education Association of Illinois is excited to announce our 50th Anniversary Annual Conference will be held on April 8th and 9th at Hoover Forest Preserve in Yorkville, Illinois. This annual event has provided professional development for thousands of Illinois educators over the course of those 50 years, impacting millions of students. This year will be no different, with an excellent keynote, dozens of current sessions, workshop and field experiences there will be extensive learning opportunities for IL educators and organizations.
This event will also be in partnership with IL Green Alliance and the IL Green Ribbon School Program bringing together educators and administrators focused on advancing sustainability and green initiatives for their institutions. We are excited to learn more about their projects and help build partnerships between formal and non-formal organizations.
This year's theme of "Building Connections" is an excellent opportunity to really examine and demonstrate the wide variety of fields that are involved with environmental literacy, environmental health, and the protection of our natural spaces. We would be honored if you would consider taking a look at the information below and joining the event in some way.
Become an EEAI Annual Conference Sponsor!
Connect with participants through an Exhibit Booth!
Share an innovative project or resource with participants through a Presentation!
Support the advancement of environmental literacy through a donation to our auction!
Find all the conference details and registration links at the Annual Conference website!
Grant Opportunity
Burroughs Wellcome Fund Climate Change and Human Health Seed Grants
Description: The Burroughs Wellcome Fund aims to stimulate the growth of new connections between scholars working in largely disconnected fields who might together change the course of climate change’s impact on human health.
Interests of the RFP:
Award Range: Over the next two years, the Fund will dedicate $1M to supporting small, early-stage grants of $2,500 - $50,000 toward achieving this goal.
Deadline: Rolling through August 30, 2023
To learn more and apply click here.
Burroughs Wellcome Fund Climate Change and Human Health Seed Grants
Description: The Burroughs Wellcome Fund aims to stimulate the growth of new connections between scholars working in largely disconnected fields who might together change the course of climate change’s impact on human health.
Interests of the RFP:
- Linking basic/early biomedical science to climate-focused thinking
- Sustainability in health care systems, health care delivery outside institutions, and biomedical research
- Health impacts and health systems impacts of extreme weather events and other crises
- Outreach, communication and education around climate & human health
Award Range: Over the next two years, the Fund will dedicate $1M to supporting small, early-stage grants of $2,500 - $50,000 toward achieving this goal.
Deadline: Rolling through August 30, 2023
To learn more and apply click here.
Recent Research
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Citation: Williams, C. R., Burnell, S. M., Rogers, M., Flies, E. J., & Baldock, K. L. (2022). Nature-Based Citizen Science as a Mechanism to Improve Human Health in Urban Areas. Int J Environ Res Public Health, 19(1), 68. https://www.mdpi.com/1660-4601/19/1/68 NCH2 Comments: Many members of NCH2 lead environmental and ecological restoration projects and many engage in citizen science projects. The article by Williams et al. (2022) discusses the important role that citizen science project may play in improving public health by increasing people’s engagement with nature. The paper contains a review of the physiological and psychological pathways by which engaging with nature can improve health, then links these pathways with citizen science (see Figure 1 in the paper). The paper suggests that as we conduct citizen science programs to learn more about biodiversity and nature in the greater Chicago region, we partner to investigate the impact of these projects on the health and well-being of the Citizen Scientists. Photo by Eva Elijas from Pexels |
In the News
Overview: Study: Those on the Slopes Have Less Anxiety
A recent study that explored the relationship between skiing and anxiety focused on men and women who trained to participate in Vasaloppet, the world’s largest long-distance ski race – 90 kilometers or 56 miles long.
Kristin Rogers wrote in September for CNN about a then-just-released study of skiers in Sweden.
Martina Svensson, one of the authors of the study, said her group compared nearly 200,000 Swedish people who participated in the Vasaloppet bettern 1989 and 2010. When compared to non-skiers, skiers had an approximately 60% lower risk of getting diagnosed with anxiety disorders, she said. This held true regardless of differences in education level, age and gender.
The authors selected as a measure of physical performance how much time it took to finish the race. Among the men studied, the researchers found no impact on the risk of anxiety disorders. The risk was almost doubled among high-performing women by this measure, they found. Still, the risk was lower than that for “lower-performing women.” They authors suggest the difference may be due to “different physiological responses to exercise” between men and women or do psychological or other factors.
Read more: Skiers might be at lower risk for anxiety, study finds. By Kristen Rogers: https://www.cnn.com/2021/09/15/health/skiing-benefits-anxiety-study-wellness/index.html
The study: Physical Activity Is Associated With Lower Long-Term Incidence of Anxiety in a Population-Based, Large-Scale Study by Martina Svensson, Lena Brundin, Sophie Erhardt, Ulf Hållmarker, Stefan James, and Tomas Deierborg
https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpsyt.2021.714014/full
Photo by Stephen Hale. (Own work, CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=601255) 2006 Vasaloppet
A recent study that explored the relationship between skiing and anxiety focused on men and women who trained to participate in Vasaloppet, the world’s largest long-distance ski race – 90 kilometers or 56 miles long.
Kristin Rogers wrote in September for CNN about a then-just-released study of skiers in Sweden.
Martina Svensson, one of the authors of the study, said her group compared nearly 200,000 Swedish people who participated in the Vasaloppet bettern 1989 and 2010. When compared to non-skiers, skiers had an approximately 60% lower risk of getting diagnosed with anxiety disorders, she said. This held true regardless of differences in education level, age and gender.
The authors selected as a measure of physical performance how much time it took to finish the race. Among the men studied, the researchers found no impact on the risk of anxiety disorders. The risk was almost doubled among high-performing women by this measure, they found. Still, the risk was lower than that for “lower-performing women.” They authors suggest the difference may be due to “different physiological responses to exercise” between men and women or do psychological or other factors.
Read more: Skiers might be at lower risk for anxiety, study finds. By Kristen Rogers: https://www.cnn.com/2021/09/15/health/skiing-benefits-anxiety-study-wellness/index.html
The study: Physical Activity Is Associated With Lower Long-Term Incidence of Anxiety in a Population-Based, Large-Scale Study by Martina Svensson, Lena Brundin, Sophie Erhardt, Ulf Hållmarker, Stefan James, and Tomas Deierborg
https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpsyt.2021.714014/full
Photo by Stephen Hale. (Own work, CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=601255) 2006 Vasaloppet
Overview: Fire Escape - Campfire, Firepit and Even a Hearth Will Offer Health Benefits
A fire, inside or outside, can help relieve some of the stress from spending too much time indoors. Outside is preferable, writes Louise Wright, Founder of The Woodee, in “Why Being Outside Around a Fire is Good for Your Physical and Mental Health.”
“As a species, we love fire,” she writes.
She cites research by Dr. Christopher Lynn, a medical and psychological anthropologist, which “showed that people who were subjected to both the sight and sounds of a hearth fire or campfire experienced a significant drop in blood pressure, which was greater the longer they were exposed to it.”
Read more: www.thewoodee.com/blog/beingoutside
Photo: Passersby stop to contemplate the torches at a lagoon at Chicago Botanic Gardens’ annual Lightscape.
A fire, inside or outside, can help relieve some of the stress from spending too much time indoors. Outside is preferable, writes Louise Wright, Founder of The Woodee, in “Why Being Outside Around a Fire is Good for Your Physical and Mental Health.”
“As a species, we love fire,” she writes.
She cites research by Dr. Christopher Lynn, a medical and psychological anthropologist, which “showed that people who were subjected to both the sight and sounds of a hearth fire or campfire experienced a significant drop in blood pressure, which was greater the longer they were exposed to it.”
Read more: www.thewoodee.com/blog/beingoutside
Photo: Passersby stop to contemplate the torches at a lagoon at Chicago Botanic Gardens’ annual Lightscape.
Overview: Bigger Shoes to Fill - Snowshoeing Around
In 2020, when most people had accepted the pandemic and were searching for ways to cope, Caroline Ackerman wrote of the benefits of snowshoeing. “Snowshoeing can burn more calories than walking and makes it easy to maintain a six-foot physical distance during the pandemic.”
Snowshoeing builds muscles, helps with endurance and balance, and provides an immediate connection with nature.
Ms. Ackerman gives advice for beginners, such as renting snowshoes to see if the activity is a good fit, picking the right kind of footwear, and putting on lots of layers before heading out. She also suggests checking out REI’s Beginner’s Guide to Snowshoeing and also How to Put on Snowshoes for reference.
Writing for Renown Health in Nevada, she lists several local places for snowshoeing.
Read more: https://www.renown.org/blog/the-health-benefits-of-snowshoeing/
Closer to home, Jeff Banowet in 2016 found “7 Great Places to Snowshoe Around Chicago: Northerly Island, Morton Arboretum, Palos Trail System, Red Oak Nature Center, Kettle Moraine State Forest (Wisconsin), .Indiana Dunes State Park, and Starved Rock State Park
Read more: https://rootsrated.com/stories/7-great-places-snowshoe-around-chicago
Frozen waterfalls are just one of the draws at the Starved Rock State Park in the winter. Curtis Abert
Photo Credit: Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources
In 2020, when most people had accepted the pandemic and were searching for ways to cope, Caroline Ackerman wrote of the benefits of snowshoeing. “Snowshoeing can burn more calories than walking and makes it easy to maintain a six-foot physical distance during the pandemic.”
Snowshoeing builds muscles, helps with endurance and balance, and provides an immediate connection with nature.
Ms. Ackerman gives advice for beginners, such as renting snowshoes to see if the activity is a good fit, picking the right kind of footwear, and putting on lots of layers before heading out. She also suggests checking out REI’s Beginner’s Guide to Snowshoeing and also How to Put on Snowshoes for reference.
Writing for Renown Health in Nevada, she lists several local places for snowshoeing.
Read more: https://www.renown.org/blog/the-health-benefits-of-snowshoeing/
Closer to home, Jeff Banowet in 2016 found “7 Great Places to Snowshoe Around Chicago: Northerly Island, Morton Arboretum, Palos Trail System, Red Oak Nature Center, Kettle Moraine State Forest (Wisconsin), .Indiana Dunes State Park, and Starved Rock State Park
Read more: https://rootsrated.com/stories/7-great-places-snowshoe-around-chicago
Frozen waterfalls are just one of the draws at the Starved Rock State Park in the winter. Curtis Abert
Photo Credit: Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources
Overview: Why should summer have all the fun?
Northshore University Health System recognizes the importance of physical activity and getting outdoors. Their recent advertisements (“Why should summer have all the fun?”) are accompanied by advice for preparing children (and adults) to spend time outdoors on their “Healthy You” webpage (“Cold Air Can be Beneficial to Your Health, Especially for Children”.)
Read more: www.northshore.org/healthy-you/cold-air-benefits-for-kids/
Northshore University Health System recognizes the importance of physical activity and getting outdoors. Their recent advertisements (“Why should summer have all the fun?”) are accompanied by advice for preparing children (and adults) to spend time outdoors on their “Healthy You” webpage (“Cold Air Can be Beneficial to Your Health, Especially for Children”.)
Read more: www.northshore.org/healthy-you/cold-air-benefits-for-kids/