Welcome to NCH2's Recent Research page. Below you will find links to peer-reviewed papers that relate to the mission of NCH2. Some of the papers listed may be blocked by a paywall. If you are blocked by a paywall try one of these solutions:
If you have any suggestions for peer reviewed papers that may be of interest for our community, email us at nch2.chicago@gmail.com.
- Email the author directly. Typically authors of research papers will want to share their research with those interested.
- Check to see if the article is available on Research Gate (www.researchgate.net). ResearchGate is a website that offers free access to research publications.
- Check to see if the article is available on a third-party source on google scholar (https://scholar.google.com/).
If you have any suggestions for peer reviewed papers that may be of interest for our community, email us at nch2.chicago@gmail.com.
Recent Research
Title: The role of non-governmental organizations in achieving environmental justice for green and blue spaces.
Citation: Rigolon, A. and S. Gibson (2021). "The role of non-governmental organizations in achieving environmental justice for green and blue spaces." Landscape and Urban Planning 205: 103970.
Link: http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0169204620314535
Topic: Environmental Justice, Non-governmental Organizations, Green and Blue Spaces
Summary: The governance of green and blue spaces (GBS) has gradually shifted from public agencies to non-governmental organizations (NGOs) worldwide. Scholars have attributed this shift to the increased adoption of neoliberal governance involving reduced public spending for GBS. Although NGOs’ work on GBS has raised environmental justice (EJ) concerns, some GBS NGOs have formed to advanced EJ goals. To date, limited research has compared GBS NGOs striving to advance different EJ pursuits, namely distributional justice (equal provision of GBS), procedural justice (engagement of marginalized people in GBS decision-making), and interactional justice (meaningful experiences in GBS for marginalized people). Focusing on California, where NGO coalitions have achieved significant EJ victories, we examine which GBS NGO characteristics are associated with their involvement in different EJ pursuits. We identify 121 GBS NGOs working in coalitions and analyze their websites and tax returns to extract information about their EJ focus, scope of work, revenue, and other characteristics. We find that working in urban settings, having higher revenue, and having a smaller geographic scale of work are associated with the odds of coalition-member GBS NGOs working on distributional justice. Few NGO characteristics are associated with the odds of working on procedural and interactional justice, suggesting that a broader range of coalition-member NGOs work on these tasks than on distributional justice. We also find that significantly fewer GBS NGOs outside coalitions focus on EJ than NGOs in coalitions. These findings from California can inform funding agencies, NGO management, and GBS government agencies worldwide.
Title: Identification of Effective Programs to Improve Access to and Use of Trails among Youth from Under-Resourced Communities: A Review.
Citation: Reed, J. A., R. M. Ballard, M. Hill and D. Berrigan (2020). "Identification of Effective Programs to Improve Access to and Use of Trails among Youth from Under-Resourced Communities: A Review." Int J Environ Res Public Health 17(21): 7707.
Link: https://www.mdpi.com/1660-4601/17/21/7707
Topic: Nature Benefits, Nature Use, Built versus Natural Environment
Summary: The primary purpose of this paper is to identify and review studies evaluating the effectiveness of programs to increase access to trails and trails use (physical activity) among youth from under-resourced communities. Three additional goals include identifying: (1) Correlates of physical activity/trail use and features of transportation systems and/or built environment and land use destinations, that may inform and support the planning and implementation of programs to promote trail use among youth, (2) benefits associated with trail use, and (3) barriers to trail use.
Title: Results from an 18 country cross-sectional study examining experiences of nature for people with common mental health disorders.
Citation: Tester-Jones, M., M. P. White, L. R. Elliott, N. Weinstein, J. Grellier, T. Economou, G. N. Bratman, A. Cleary, M. Gascon, K. M. Korpela, M. Nieuwenhuijsen, A. O’Connor, A. Ojala, M. van den Bosch and L. E. Fleming (2020). "Results from an 18 country cross-sectional study examining experiences of nature for people with common mental health disorders." Scientific Reports 10(1): 19408.
Link: https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-020-75825-9
Topic: Health benefits, Nature Exposure, Mental Health Disorders
Summary: Exposure to natural environments is associated with a lower risk of common mental health disorders (CMDs), such as depression and anxiety, but we know little about nature-related motivations, practices and experiences of those already experiencing CMDs. We used data from an 18-country survey to explore these issues (n = 18,838), taking self-reported doctor-prescribed medication for depression and/or anxiety as an indicator of a CMD (n = 2698, 14%). Intrinsic motivation for visiting nature was high for all, though slightly lower for those with CMDs. Most individuals with a CMD reported visiting nature ≥ once a week. Although perceived social pressure to visit nature was associated with higher visit likelihood, it was also associated with lower intrinsic motivation, lower visit happiness and higher visit anxiety. Individuals with CMDs seem to be using nature for self-management, but ‘green prescription’ programmes need to be sensitive, and avoid undermining intrinsic motivation and nature-based experiences.
Title: Increasing decision relevance of ecosystem service science
Citation: Mandle, L., Shields-Estrada, A., Chaplin-Kramer, R. et al. Increasing decision relevance of ecosystem service science. Nat Sustain (2020). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41893-020-00625-y
Link: https://doi.org/10.1038/s41893-020-00625-y
Topic: Community Engagement, Communication, Environmental Justice, Public Engagement
Summary: The ecosystem service (ES) community aspires to illuminate how nature contributes to human well-being, and thereby elevate consideration of nature in decision making. So far, however, policy impact of ES research has been limited. To understand why, we identify five key elements of ES research that help inform decisions by connecting the supply of ES to those who benefit from them. Our structured review of the ES literature reveals that only 13% of assessments included the full ES chain from place to value. Only 7% of assessments considered the distribution of ES benefits explicitly across demographic or other beneficiary groups (for example, private landowners versus the broader public), although disaggregation across regions or spatial units was more common (44%). Finally, crucial mediating factors that affect who benefits and how (for example, the vulnerability of beneficiaries or the availability of substitutes for ES) were considered in only 35% of assessments. Our results suggest that increasing the decision relevance of ES research requires more effectively predicting the impacts of specific decisions on the value and distribution of ES across beneficiary groups. Such efforts will need to integrate ecological models with socioeconomic and cultural dimensions of ES more closely than does the current ES literature.
Title: Urban Trees and Human Health: A Scoping Review
Citation: Wolf, K. L., S. T. Lam, J. K. McKeen, G. R. A. Richardson, M. van den Bosch and A. C. Bardekjian (2020). "Urban Trees and Human Health: A Scoping Review." Int J Environ Res Public Health 17(12). https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/32570770
Link: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/32570770
Topic: Urban forests, urban planning, built environments, environmental health, public health, green infrastructure, ecosystem services
Summary: The urban forest is a green infrastructure system that delivers multiple environmental, economic, social and health services, and functions in cities. Environmental benefits of urban trees are well understood, but no review to date has examined how urban trees affect human health. This review provides a comprehensive summary of existing literature on the health impacts of urban trees that can inform future research, policy, and nature-based public health interventions. A systematic search used keywords representing human health, environmental health, and urban forestry. Following screening and appraisal of several thousand articles, 201 studies were conceptually sorted into a three-part framework. Reducing Harm, representing 41% of studies, includes topics such as air pollution, ultraviolet radiation, heat exposure, and pollen. Restoring Capacities, at 31%, includes attention restoration, mental health, stress reduction, and clinical outcomes. Building Capacities, at 28%, includes topics such as birth outcomes, active living, and weight status. The studies that were reviewed show substantial heterogeneity in purpose and method yet indicate important health outcomes associated with people's exposure to trees. This review will help inform future research and practice, and demonstrates why urban forest planning and management should strategically promote trees as a social determinant of public health.
Title: Did Playground Renovations Equitably Benefit Neighborhoods in Chicago?
Citation: Zenk, S. N., O. Pugach, M. Ragonese-Barnes, A. Odoms-Young, L. M. Powell and S. J. Slater (2020). "Did Playground Renovations Equitably Benefit Neighborhoods in Chicago?" Journal of Urban Health. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11524-020-00472-4.
Link: https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s11524-020-00472-4
Topic: Urban Planning, Environmental Injustice, Built Environments
Summary: This peer-reviewed article by researchers at the University of Illinois Chicago examined the impact of park renovations carried out by the Chicago Park Department from 2013-2016. Contrary to expectations, in lower-income neighborhoods, renovations led to a reduction in park use and a reduction in moderate to vigorous physical activity among neighborhood residents. The study suggests the renovations may have had unintended consequences. The authors suggest that neighborhood residents be more fully engaged when planning for future renovations and that additional park programming be incorporated after renovations occur to engage residents.
Title: Publication bias: the Achilles' heel of systematic reviews?
Citation: Torgerson, C. J. (2006). "PUBLICATION BIAS: THE ACHILLES’ HEEL OF SYSTEMATIC REVIEWS?" British Journal of Educational Studies 54(1): 89-102. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1467-8527.2006.00332.x
Link: https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1467-8527.2006.00332.x
Topic: Publication Bias, systematic reviews
Summary: The term ‘publication bias’ usually refers to the tendency for a greater proportion of statistically significant positive results of experiments to be published and, conversely, a greater proportion of statistically significant negative or null results not to be published. It is widely accepted in the fields of healthcare and psychological research to be a major threat to the validity of systematic reviews and meta-analyses. Some methodological work has previously been undertaken, by the author and others, in the field of educational research to investigate the extent of the problem. This paper describes the problem of publication bias with reference to its history in a number of fields, with special reference to the area of educational research. Informal methods for detecting publication bias in systematic reviews and meta-analyses of controlled trials are outlined and retrospective and prospective methods for dealing with the problem are suggested.
Title: Environmental education and K-12 student outcomes: A review and analysis of research
Citation: Ardoin, N. M., A. W. Bowers, N. W. Roth and N. Holthuis (2018). "Environmental education and K-12 student outcomes: A review and analysis of research." The Journal of Environmental Education 49(1): 1-17. https://doi.org/10.1080/00958964.2017.1366155
Link: https://doi.org/10.1080/00958964.2017.1366155
Topic: Systematic reviews, environmental education, child environmental interaction
Summary: Many practitioners and researchers describe academic and environmental benefits of environmental education for kindergarten through twelfth grade (K-12) students. To consider the empirical underpinnings of those program descriptions, we systematically analyzed the peer-reviewed literature (1994–2013), focusing on outcomes of environmental education programs with K-12 students. In the resulting sample of 119 articles, we identified 121 unique outcomes, finding that most articles reported positive findings from the programs under study. Reflections stemming from the review highlight the versatility of environmental education, while also suggesting opportunities for bolder and more diversified approaches in research design and thinking.
Title: “What future/s for outdoor and environmental education in a world that has contended with COVID-19?”
Citation: Quay, J., Gray, T., Thomas, G. et al. What future/s for outdoor and environmental education in a world that has contended with COVID-19?. Journal of Outdoor and Environmental Education 23, 93–117 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1007/s42322-020-00059-2
Link: https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s42322-020-00059-2#citeas
Topic: Health benefits of nature, Urban planning, COVID-19, Mental Health, Nature Prescriptions
Summary: This is an unusual article in that it brings together the perspectives of many on this journal’s editorial board, around the issue of contending with COVID-19. Twenty statements showcase a range of thoughts and experiences, highlighting the differences and similarities in the way the pandemic is impacting on the educational practice of outdoor and environmental education. The future is not yet written, of course, so it is worth thinking about how the current moment may impact on the months and years to come. The aim of this article is to influence and support such thinking.
Title: "Nature as a Community Health Tool: The Case for Healthcare Providers and Systems."
Citation: South, E. C., M. C. Kondo and N. Razani (2020). "Nature as a Community Health Tool: The Case for Healthcare Providers and Systems." Am J Prev Med.
Link: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/32654863/ OR https://www.researchgate.net/publication/342808300_Nature_as_a_Community_Health_Tool_The_Case_for_Healthcare_Providers_and_Systems (download the pdf to view)
Topic: Nature Prescriptions, Healthcare, Social Determinants of Health, Care access and quality, neighborhood green space
Summary: Written by two physicians and a social scientist, this easily read paper summarizes the evidence for why health care professionals should be counseling their patents to spend time in nature.
Title: "Walk with a Doc-a Call to Action for Physician-Led Walking Programs."
Citation: Sabgir, D. and J. Dorn (2020). "Walk with a Doc-a Call to Action for Physician-Led Walking Programs." Current cardiology reports 22(7): 44-44.
Link: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/32561999
Topic: Park Rx, Nature Therapy, Green Space, Health Benefits, Horticultural Therapy, Exercise.
Summary: Written by the founder of “Walk with a Doc” (David Sabgir, MD) and a professor of Community Health and Social Medicine (Joan Dorn, PhD), this article reviews the evidence and need for physicians to prescribe physical activity, particularly time outdoors, to their patients. And for physicians to use this “medicine” themselves to help address the epidemic of burnout in the healthcare professions. The article describes the role that Walk with a Doc plays in organizing physician-led walks in communities.
Title: "Identifying principles for the design of robust impact evaluation frameworks for nature-based solutions in cities."
Citation: Dumitru, A., N. Frantzeskaki and M. Collier (2020). "Identifying principles for the design of robust impact evaluation frameworks for nature-based solutions in cities." Environmental Science & Policy 112: 107-116.
Link: http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1462901119303314
Topic: Urban Planning, Built Environment, Green Spaces in Urban areas, Climate Change, Nature, Human Health and Well-being
Summary: Cities all over the world are confronting intertwined environmental, social and economic problems and aim to become resilient to climate change and promote wellbeing for all their citizens. Nature-based solutions have been proposed as a promising policy approach to addressing urban problems for the potential they have to deliver multiple benefits and foster wellbeing for individuals and communities. However, the evidence for their multiple benefits is rather scarce and highly fragmented, and more robust frameworks for the monitoring and assessment of their impacts are needed to guide urban policy-making. This paper focuses on the current state of impact assessment of nature-based solutions in Europe and through a systematic review of the literature identifies four conceptual problems and three empirical gaps that impede the accumulation of solid evidence regarding of the impacts of different types of nature-based solutions for different social groups; as well as of the contextual conditions that contribute to their performance and delivery of multiple outcomes.
Title: "Physical and mental health effects of repeated short walks in a blue space environment: A randomised crossover study."
Citation: Vert, C., M. Gascon, O. Ranzani, S. Márquez, M. Triguero-Mas, G. Carrasco-Turigas, L. Arjona, S. Koch, M. Llopis, D. Donaire-Gonzalez, L. R. Elliott and M. Nieuwenhuijsen (2020). "Physical and mental health effects of repeated short walks in a blue space environment: A randomised crossover study." Environmental Research 188: 109812.
Link: http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0013935120307076
Topic: Blue Spaces, Human Health, Exercise, Environment, Nature
Summary: This paper examines a study of whether blue spaces benefit mental health and promote physical activity. The objective of this randomized crossover study was to assess psychological and cardiovascular responses to blue spaces’ exposure.
Title: The role of non-governmental organizations in achieving environmental justice for green and blue spaces.
Citation: Rigolon, A. and S. Gibson (2021). "The role of non-governmental organizations in achieving environmental justice for green and blue spaces." Landscape and Urban Planning 205: 103970.
Link: http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0169204620314535
Topic: Environmental Justice, Non-governmental Organizations, Green and Blue Spaces
Summary: The governance of green and blue spaces (GBS) has gradually shifted from public agencies to non-governmental organizations (NGOs) worldwide. Scholars have attributed this shift to the increased adoption of neoliberal governance involving reduced public spending for GBS. Although NGOs’ work on GBS has raised environmental justice (EJ) concerns, some GBS NGOs have formed to advanced EJ goals. To date, limited research has compared GBS NGOs striving to advance different EJ pursuits, namely distributional justice (equal provision of GBS), procedural justice (engagement of marginalized people in GBS decision-making), and interactional justice (meaningful experiences in GBS for marginalized people). Focusing on California, where NGO coalitions have achieved significant EJ victories, we examine which GBS NGO characteristics are associated with their involvement in different EJ pursuits. We identify 121 GBS NGOs working in coalitions and analyze their websites and tax returns to extract information about their EJ focus, scope of work, revenue, and other characteristics. We find that working in urban settings, having higher revenue, and having a smaller geographic scale of work are associated with the odds of coalition-member GBS NGOs working on distributional justice. Few NGO characteristics are associated with the odds of working on procedural and interactional justice, suggesting that a broader range of coalition-member NGOs work on these tasks than on distributional justice. We also find that significantly fewer GBS NGOs outside coalitions focus on EJ than NGOs in coalitions. These findings from California can inform funding agencies, NGO management, and GBS government agencies worldwide.
Title: Identification of Effective Programs to Improve Access to and Use of Trails among Youth from Under-Resourced Communities: A Review.
Citation: Reed, J. A., R. M. Ballard, M. Hill and D. Berrigan (2020). "Identification of Effective Programs to Improve Access to and Use of Trails among Youth from Under-Resourced Communities: A Review." Int J Environ Res Public Health 17(21): 7707.
Link: https://www.mdpi.com/1660-4601/17/21/7707
Topic: Nature Benefits, Nature Use, Built versus Natural Environment
Summary: The primary purpose of this paper is to identify and review studies evaluating the effectiveness of programs to increase access to trails and trails use (physical activity) among youth from under-resourced communities. Three additional goals include identifying: (1) Correlates of physical activity/trail use and features of transportation systems and/or built environment and land use destinations, that may inform and support the planning and implementation of programs to promote trail use among youth, (2) benefits associated with trail use, and (3) barriers to trail use.
Title: Results from an 18 country cross-sectional study examining experiences of nature for people with common mental health disorders.
Citation: Tester-Jones, M., M. P. White, L. R. Elliott, N. Weinstein, J. Grellier, T. Economou, G. N. Bratman, A. Cleary, M. Gascon, K. M. Korpela, M. Nieuwenhuijsen, A. O’Connor, A. Ojala, M. van den Bosch and L. E. Fleming (2020). "Results from an 18 country cross-sectional study examining experiences of nature for people with common mental health disorders." Scientific Reports 10(1): 19408.
Link: https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-020-75825-9
Topic: Health benefits, Nature Exposure, Mental Health Disorders
Summary: Exposure to natural environments is associated with a lower risk of common mental health disorders (CMDs), such as depression and anxiety, but we know little about nature-related motivations, practices and experiences of those already experiencing CMDs. We used data from an 18-country survey to explore these issues (n = 18,838), taking self-reported doctor-prescribed medication for depression and/or anxiety as an indicator of a CMD (n = 2698, 14%). Intrinsic motivation for visiting nature was high for all, though slightly lower for those with CMDs. Most individuals with a CMD reported visiting nature ≥ once a week. Although perceived social pressure to visit nature was associated with higher visit likelihood, it was also associated with lower intrinsic motivation, lower visit happiness and higher visit anxiety. Individuals with CMDs seem to be using nature for self-management, but ‘green prescription’ programmes need to be sensitive, and avoid undermining intrinsic motivation and nature-based experiences.
Title: Increasing decision relevance of ecosystem service science
Citation: Mandle, L., Shields-Estrada, A., Chaplin-Kramer, R. et al. Increasing decision relevance of ecosystem service science. Nat Sustain (2020). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41893-020-00625-y
Link: https://doi.org/10.1038/s41893-020-00625-y
Topic: Community Engagement, Communication, Environmental Justice, Public Engagement
Summary: The ecosystem service (ES) community aspires to illuminate how nature contributes to human well-being, and thereby elevate consideration of nature in decision making. So far, however, policy impact of ES research has been limited. To understand why, we identify five key elements of ES research that help inform decisions by connecting the supply of ES to those who benefit from them. Our structured review of the ES literature reveals that only 13% of assessments included the full ES chain from place to value. Only 7% of assessments considered the distribution of ES benefits explicitly across demographic or other beneficiary groups (for example, private landowners versus the broader public), although disaggregation across regions or spatial units was more common (44%). Finally, crucial mediating factors that affect who benefits and how (for example, the vulnerability of beneficiaries or the availability of substitutes for ES) were considered in only 35% of assessments. Our results suggest that increasing the decision relevance of ES research requires more effectively predicting the impacts of specific decisions on the value and distribution of ES across beneficiary groups. Such efforts will need to integrate ecological models with socioeconomic and cultural dimensions of ES more closely than does the current ES literature.
Title: Urban Trees and Human Health: A Scoping Review
Citation: Wolf, K. L., S. T. Lam, J. K. McKeen, G. R. A. Richardson, M. van den Bosch and A. C. Bardekjian (2020). "Urban Trees and Human Health: A Scoping Review." Int J Environ Res Public Health 17(12). https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/32570770
Link: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/32570770
Topic: Urban forests, urban planning, built environments, environmental health, public health, green infrastructure, ecosystem services
Summary: The urban forest is a green infrastructure system that delivers multiple environmental, economic, social and health services, and functions in cities. Environmental benefits of urban trees are well understood, but no review to date has examined how urban trees affect human health. This review provides a comprehensive summary of existing literature on the health impacts of urban trees that can inform future research, policy, and nature-based public health interventions. A systematic search used keywords representing human health, environmental health, and urban forestry. Following screening and appraisal of several thousand articles, 201 studies were conceptually sorted into a three-part framework. Reducing Harm, representing 41% of studies, includes topics such as air pollution, ultraviolet radiation, heat exposure, and pollen. Restoring Capacities, at 31%, includes attention restoration, mental health, stress reduction, and clinical outcomes. Building Capacities, at 28%, includes topics such as birth outcomes, active living, and weight status. The studies that were reviewed show substantial heterogeneity in purpose and method yet indicate important health outcomes associated with people's exposure to trees. This review will help inform future research and practice, and demonstrates why urban forest planning and management should strategically promote trees as a social determinant of public health.
Title: Did Playground Renovations Equitably Benefit Neighborhoods in Chicago?
Citation: Zenk, S. N., O. Pugach, M. Ragonese-Barnes, A. Odoms-Young, L. M. Powell and S. J. Slater (2020). "Did Playground Renovations Equitably Benefit Neighborhoods in Chicago?" Journal of Urban Health. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11524-020-00472-4.
Link: https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s11524-020-00472-4
Topic: Urban Planning, Environmental Injustice, Built Environments
Summary: This peer-reviewed article by researchers at the University of Illinois Chicago examined the impact of park renovations carried out by the Chicago Park Department from 2013-2016. Contrary to expectations, in lower-income neighborhoods, renovations led to a reduction in park use and a reduction in moderate to vigorous physical activity among neighborhood residents. The study suggests the renovations may have had unintended consequences. The authors suggest that neighborhood residents be more fully engaged when planning for future renovations and that additional park programming be incorporated after renovations occur to engage residents.
Title: Publication bias: the Achilles' heel of systematic reviews?
Citation: Torgerson, C. J. (2006). "PUBLICATION BIAS: THE ACHILLES’ HEEL OF SYSTEMATIC REVIEWS?" British Journal of Educational Studies 54(1): 89-102. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1467-8527.2006.00332.x
Link: https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1467-8527.2006.00332.x
Topic: Publication Bias, systematic reviews
Summary: The term ‘publication bias’ usually refers to the tendency for a greater proportion of statistically significant positive results of experiments to be published and, conversely, a greater proportion of statistically significant negative or null results not to be published. It is widely accepted in the fields of healthcare and psychological research to be a major threat to the validity of systematic reviews and meta-analyses. Some methodological work has previously been undertaken, by the author and others, in the field of educational research to investigate the extent of the problem. This paper describes the problem of publication bias with reference to its history in a number of fields, with special reference to the area of educational research. Informal methods for detecting publication bias in systematic reviews and meta-analyses of controlled trials are outlined and retrospective and prospective methods for dealing with the problem are suggested.
Title: Environmental education and K-12 student outcomes: A review and analysis of research
Citation: Ardoin, N. M., A. W. Bowers, N. W. Roth and N. Holthuis (2018). "Environmental education and K-12 student outcomes: A review and analysis of research." The Journal of Environmental Education 49(1): 1-17. https://doi.org/10.1080/00958964.2017.1366155
Link: https://doi.org/10.1080/00958964.2017.1366155
Topic: Systematic reviews, environmental education, child environmental interaction
Summary: Many practitioners and researchers describe academic and environmental benefits of environmental education for kindergarten through twelfth grade (K-12) students. To consider the empirical underpinnings of those program descriptions, we systematically analyzed the peer-reviewed literature (1994–2013), focusing on outcomes of environmental education programs with K-12 students. In the resulting sample of 119 articles, we identified 121 unique outcomes, finding that most articles reported positive findings from the programs under study. Reflections stemming from the review highlight the versatility of environmental education, while also suggesting opportunities for bolder and more diversified approaches in research design and thinking.
Title: “What future/s for outdoor and environmental education in a world that has contended with COVID-19?”
Citation: Quay, J., Gray, T., Thomas, G. et al. What future/s for outdoor and environmental education in a world that has contended with COVID-19?. Journal of Outdoor and Environmental Education 23, 93–117 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1007/s42322-020-00059-2
Link: https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s42322-020-00059-2#citeas
Topic: Health benefits of nature, Urban planning, COVID-19, Mental Health, Nature Prescriptions
Summary: This is an unusual article in that it brings together the perspectives of many on this journal’s editorial board, around the issue of contending with COVID-19. Twenty statements showcase a range of thoughts and experiences, highlighting the differences and similarities in the way the pandemic is impacting on the educational practice of outdoor and environmental education. The future is not yet written, of course, so it is worth thinking about how the current moment may impact on the months and years to come. The aim of this article is to influence and support such thinking.
Title: "Nature as a Community Health Tool: The Case for Healthcare Providers and Systems."
Citation: South, E. C., M. C. Kondo and N. Razani (2020). "Nature as a Community Health Tool: The Case for Healthcare Providers and Systems." Am J Prev Med.
Link: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/32654863/ OR https://www.researchgate.net/publication/342808300_Nature_as_a_Community_Health_Tool_The_Case_for_Healthcare_Providers_and_Systems (download the pdf to view)
Topic: Nature Prescriptions, Healthcare, Social Determinants of Health, Care access and quality, neighborhood green space
Summary: Written by two physicians and a social scientist, this easily read paper summarizes the evidence for why health care professionals should be counseling their patents to spend time in nature.
Title: "Walk with a Doc-a Call to Action for Physician-Led Walking Programs."
Citation: Sabgir, D. and J. Dorn (2020). "Walk with a Doc-a Call to Action for Physician-Led Walking Programs." Current cardiology reports 22(7): 44-44.
Link: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/32561999
Topic: Park Rx, Nature Therapy, Green Space, Health Benefits, Horticultural Therapy, Exercise.
Summary: Written by the founder of “Walk with a Doc” (David Sabgir, MD) and a professor of Community Health and Social Medicine (Joan Dorn, PhD), this article reviews the evidence and need for physicians to prescribe physical activity, particularly time outdoors, to their patients. And for physicians to use this “medicine” themselves to help address the epidemic of burnout in the healthcare professions. The article describes the role that Walk with a Doc plays in organizing physician-led walks in communities.
Title: "Identifying principles for the design of robust impact evaluation frameworks for nature-based solutions in cities."
Citation: Dumitru, A., N. Frantzeskaki and M. Collier (2020). "Identifying principles for the design of robust impact evaluation frameworks for nature-based solutions in cities." Environmental Science & Policy 112: 107-116.
Link: http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1462901119303314
Topic: Urban Planning, Built Environment, Green Spaces in Urban areas, Climate Change, Nature, Human Health and Well-being
Summary: Cities all over the world are confronting intertwined environmental, social and economic problems and aim to become resilient to climate change and promote wellbeing for all their citizens. Nature-based solutions have been proposed as a promising policy approach to addressing urban problems for the potential they have to deliver multiple benefits and foster wellbeing for individuals and communities. However, the evidence for their multiple benefits is rather scarce and highly fragmented, and more robust frameworks for the monitoring and assessment of their impacts are needed to guide urban policy-making. This paper focuses on the current state of impact assessment of nature-based solutions in Europe and through a systematic review of the literature identifies four conceptual problems and three empirical gaps that impede the accumulation of solid evidence regarding of the impacts of different types of nature-based solutions for different social groups; as well as of the contextual conditions that contribute to their performance and delivery of multiple outcomes.
Title: "Physical and mental health effects of repeated short walks in a blue space environment: A randomised crossover study."
Citation: Vert, C., M. Gascon, O. Ranzani, S. Márquez, M. Triguero-Mas, G. Carrasco-Turigas, L. Arjona, S. Koch, M. Llopis, D. Donaire-Gonzalez, L. R. Elliott and M. Nieuwenhuijsen (2020). "Physical and mental health effects of repeated short walks in a blue space environment: A randomised crossover study." Environmental Research 188: 109812.
Link: http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0013935120307076
Topic: Blue Spaces, Human Health, Exercise, Environment, Nature
Summary: This paper examines a study of whether blue spaces benefit mental health and promote physical activity. The objective of this randomized crossover study was to assess psychological and cardiovascular responses to blue spaces’ exposure.