Newsletter from Thursday, September 8th, 2022
Dear NCH2 Community,
This is a time of the year that many children and teenagers approach with mixed feelings—excitement, nervousness, and some even dread. It is a season of change and opportunity for many of us as families and students head back to school or are already immersed in more structured schooldays, homework, seeing friends and after school activities. . The adrenaline of experiencing all that is needed to be school-ready can be overwhelming and can leave children and families lacking energy. Kids today have higher stress levels than ever before, due everything from the general uncertainty of the world, to friendship challenges to college preparation and other post high school career plans.. Supporting children's mental and physical well being is crucial, especially in times of transition. Family members often unknowingly pass their stress on to the kids in their lives, so communicating about, and working through feelings of anxiety and stress can be a cross generational endeavor.
Getting outside, getting into nature and making even little discoveries about the world around you is a proven way to combat stress.. Exercise can reduce feelings of stress, and fresh air and natural spaces promote a sense of calm and refresh our minds. Getting outdoors can be as simple as walking out your door, but finding ways to connect with people who also value nature can make it more fun, for kids and family members. In this newsletter we list several organizations and events that may interest you, to stay healthy and refreshed during this time of transition. Take care, and happy end of summer!
NCH2 team
Getting outside, getting into nature and making even little discoveries about the world around you is a proven way to combat stress.. Exercise can reduce feelings of stress, and fresh air and natural spaces promote a sense of calm and refresh our minds. Getting outdoors can be as simple as walking out your door, but finding ways to connect with people who also value nature can make it more fun, for kids and family members. In this newsletter we list several organizations and events that may interest you, to stay healthy and refreshed during this time of transition. Take care, and happy end of summer!
NCH2 team
Index
Community Spotlight
Upcoming Events
Future Events: Save the Date
Job Opportunities
In the News
Connect with Us
Community Spotlight
Upcoming Events
Future Events: Save the Date
Job Opportunities
In the News
Connect with Us
Community Spotlight: Mappy Hour!
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Photos by Laura Derks
Who would ever thought you could forest bathe on the “606”? The Bloomingdale Trail, otherwise known as the “606”, is an elevated park for runners, bikers, walkers, skaters, and boarders and runs for three miles along old railroad tracks through Wicker Park, Bucktown, Humboldt Park and Logan Square. The local chapter of Mappy Hour organized this mid-week activity as one of its many outings to connect adults with city-focused nature experiences in Chicago. Created in New York City 6 years ago, Mappy Hour encourages come one, come all, proclaiming that “The outdoors are for everyone, no matter your background, your religion, sexual orientation, race, or gender identity. They are creating the space for “urban dwellers” to connect and have fun with one another, in nature, and in and around the city.
Tweny adults followed Darnell Calhoun, recently trained through Cultured Forest,who led the forest bathing engagement on the elevated park among many other 606 users, sirens, motorcycle engines, cars, and cicadas thrumming. Just this year Darnell founded City Forest Bathing to “promote and encourage staying close to nature to support human wellness for those who live in the city.” He encouraged participants to think only of the nature around them as they walked along the pathway now home to many native plant and tree species. Gathering in a quiet spot, Mappy Hour participants reflected on their mindfulness activities –despite all of the distractions and noise.
Chapter leader Erica Zazo volunteers her time to organize events to build community and is looking forward to another Mappy Hour event on October 8th: a hike in the Palos region of the Cook County forest preserves. Learn more about Mappy Hour here.
Tweny adults followed Darnell Calhoun, recently trained through Cultured Forest,who led the forest bathing engagement on the elevated park among many other 606 users, sirens, motorcycle engines, cars, and cicadas thrumming. Just this year Darnell founded City Forest Bathing to “promote and encourage staying close to nature to support human wellness for those who live in the city.” He encouraged participants to think only of the nature around them as they walked along the pathway now home to many native plant and tree species. Gathering in a quiet spot, Mappy Hour participants reflected on their mindfulness activities –despite all of the distractions and noise.
Chapter leader Erica Zazo volunteers her time to organize events to build community and is looking forward to another Mappy Hour event on October 8th: a hike in the Palos region of the Cook County forest preserves. Learn more about Mappy Hour here.
Upcoming Events
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Faith in Place's Green Team Summit: Rooted Together
Date: September 11, 2022 Time: 5:00 PM - 6:30 PM Location: Zoom webinar Join us for our Green Team Summit keynote session with renowned climate scientist, Dr. Katharine Hayhoe! Dr. Hayhoe will deliver a live address with Q&A, exploring her latest book, Saving Us: A Climate Scientist’s Case for Hope and Healing in a Divided World. A remarkable and award-winning communicator, Dr. Hayhoe, leverages both her expertise in atmospheric science and her evangelical Christian faith to navigate difficult conversations about our changing climate. Register for the Green Team Summit today to hear from Dr. Hayhoe LIVE! |
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Bilingual Tree and Nature Walk
Date: Friday, September 10 Time: 10am - 12:30pm Location: McKinley Park, 2210 W. Pershing Rd. Chicago, IL 60609 Join us for a nature walk in Spanish and English at McKinley Park with Openlands and Maritza Rocha from FPCC. Emphasis will be on tree identification, climate change, and the benefits of trees. Únase a nosotros para una caminata por la naturaleza en español e inglés en McKinley Park con Openlands y Maritza Rocha de FPCC. Se hara enfoque en la identificación de árboles, el cambio climático y los beneficios de los árboles. Register here. |
Future Events: Save the Date
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Englewood Nature Trail: Golden Hour Tours
Date: September 19th, 2022 Time: 6:00 PM 7:30 PM Location: Englewood Village Plaza (map) Experience the natural beauty of the Englewood Nature Trail on an early summer evening! Grow Greater Englewood is hosting group tours so Chicagoans can learn more about the plans for the trail and envision its potential as a community oasis and connector. All are welcome! #wecantgrowwithoutyou Click here to reserve your spot for your chosen date! |
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Using Nature to Improve Mental Health and Well-Being
Date: September 29th, 2022
Time: 12:00 PM
Location: Online Webinar
Presented by the National Environmental Education Foundation (NEEF) and the US Forest Service (USFS), our webinar will share ways that healthcare professionals, outdoor interpretive and volunteer staff, and community organizations can use nature as a tool for promoting wellness, resilience, and recovery to their patients and community. We'll introduce how outdoor access improves physical and mental wellbeing, examine the community needs and barriers to getting outside, and explore best practice nature and health programs. You will learn:
• Strategies for engaging communities in nature access.
• Practical resources and tools for a successful program.
• Triggers that exacerbate mental health conditions like anxiety, stress, and depression.
• Examples of nature-based trauma informed care programs.
Register here.
Date: September 29th, 2022
Time: 12:00 PM
Location: Online Webinar
Presented by the National Environmental Education Foundation (NEEF) and the US Forest Service (USFS), our webinar will share ways that healthcare professionals, outdoor interpretive and volunteer staff, and community organizations can use nature as a tool for promoting wellness, resilience, and recovery to their patients and community. We'll introduce how outdoor access improves physical and mental wellbeing, examine the community needs and barriers to getting outside, and explore best practice nature and health programs. You will learn:
• Strategies for engaging communities in nature access.
• Practical resources and tools for a successful program.
• Triggers that exacerbate mental health conditions like anxiety, stress, and depression.
• Examples of nature-based trauma informed care programs.
Register here.
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Integrating Public and Ecosystem Health Systems to Foster Resilience
Dates: September 19, 11:00 am-3:30 pm EDT virtual AND September 29 and 30, 10:00 am – 4:00 pm EDT hybrid (in-person in Washington DC and virtual) This workshop will bring together research, practitioner, and policy communities along with other stakeholders to explore opportunities to advance understanding of the interconnections between public health and Nature and discuss how to move from knowledge to action through better integration of knowledge, policy, and practice. Hosted by the Board on Atmospheric Sciences and Climate, register here. |
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Local Farmers Markets:
North Chicago: Sundays through October 16th, 2022
Englewood: Saturdays through October 29th, 2022
Downtown Evanston: Saturdays through November 5th, 2022
Skokie: Sundays through November 6th, 2022
North Chicago: Sundays through October 16th, 2022
Englewood: Saturdays through October 29th, 2022
Downtown Evanston: Saturdays through November 5th, 2022
Skokie: Sundays through November 6th, 2022
Job Opportunities
Friends of the Forest Preserves seeks a BGI Crew Member to participate in the Friends Conservation Corps. Conservation Corps members work year-round to remove invasive species and restore native plants throughout the Forest Preserves of Cook and Lake Counties. The FFP community advocates for the responsible management of the nearly 70,000 acres of forest preserves in Cook County through advocacy, engagement, and stewardship of the land. FFP seeks crew members from diverse communities for a program that provides valuable skills and certifications that could lead to a long-term career in natural land management or other environmental jobs. Experience working outdoors and familiarity with Midwest outdoor conservation work preferred. More information here.
Delta Institute is looking for an individual to serve as a Specialist of Programs on their team. As a Specialist, an employee will know what happens on the ground in the dynamic landscapes of the Midwest and Great Lakes and will bring that robust experience to Delta while working within the team to implement a variety of projects that focus on changing how we think about the practices that we implement on the landscape, how we value the environmental impacts, and how to change the structural drivers to create large-scale impacts. A Specialist will bring a solid background in sustainability work to the team spanning planning to implementation; and, will continue to build expertise in the team’s focus areas. As a subject matter expert, the Specialist should relish managing multiple projects and seeking funding to address some the greatest barriers scaling environmental sustainability. Learn more here.
Openlands is looking to hire two Garden and Nature Based Education Coordinators. One for Birds in My Neighborhood, and one for School Gardens and Nature Based Learning. The primary role of the Garden and Nature Based Education Coordinator (Coordinator) is to work directly with schools, students, community members, and volunteers. The Coordinator ensures quality delivery of education programs specifically related to our Garden and Nature Education programming around nature-based environments which include school edible gardens, pollinator gardens, and nature play environments. While the primary focus for this role will be the School Gardens and Nature Based Education program, the role will also require flexibility to support the rest of the Education department’s work when needed. Since the nature of this position has to do with volunteer coordination, the ideal candidate for this position has strong communication skills, both written and spoken as well as an ability to communicate clearly and concisely. Additionally, strong time management, project management, communication, and training facilitation skills. This is a full-time, salaried, non-exempt position and requires flexibility with weekend work during spring and autumn field trip seasons and other occasional weekends and evenings during the year. This position reports to the Director of Education. Learn more here.
In the News
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Overview: Integrating Social and Emotional Learning into Out-of-School Times
As the school year begins, parents can integrate social and emotional learning into their children’s out-of-school times OSTs). Allison Colman, Director of Health for the National Recreation and Park Association, notes the five competencies that comprise social and emotional learning: self-awareness, self-management, social awareness, relationship skills, and responsible decision-making. While many programs already incorporate social and emotional learning, she writes, “Given the challenges impacting youth over the past several years, there is a need for park and recreation professionals to focus on developing SEL skills that improve confidence, attitudes, behaviors, and youth outcomes.” She offers five tips, read them here. |
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Overview: Celebrating the Great Monarch Migration
The 2,500-mile fall migration of the Eastern monarch butterfly will begin shortly. The route from the United States and Canada to Michoacán in central Mexico is well known; almost equally well known is the ecological peril of the earth-bound portion of the journey. More than a year ago (March 2021) Liz Watt wrote “The great monarch migration A unique phenomenon under threat.” She describes the damage climate change has visited on both the Mexican hibernation areas and the American breeding grounds: deforestation, herbicides, pesticides and conversion of grassland to farmland. WWF is working with the Mexican government and with many leading food companies in the U.S. to both reduce the impact of crop production and increase biodiversity. Read more here. |
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Overview: The Quiet Nature of Skokie Lagoons
The first thing to know, writes Jeff Banowetz in rootrated.com, is that the Skokie Lagoons are not in Skokie. The term “Skokie Marsh” was a loose translation of “Chewbab Skokie,” or big, wet prairie. Created by the Civilian Conservation Corps, the series of lagoons and channels offers a quiet wildlife trip by kayak or canoe. The article offers directions, regulations and other information such as “Who Is Going to Love It” and a link to other flat-water paddling spots. Read more here. |
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Overview: Harvesting Flower Seeds
It’s not only vegetables that can be harvested in the fall. Sarah Warwick offers advice on when and how to collect seeds from flowers. These can be stored for planting in the next season or swapping with friends for a new look. Annuals, biennials and perennials all produce seeds that can be sown later, but the plants that come from them may not look like it parent – hybrids produce “highly variable results,” she writes. A good time to collect seeds is about two months after the plant has first flowered; late summer and early fall are optimal for many plants. The article offers tips for harvesting and storing the seeds as well as suggestions of flowers to use. Read more here. |
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Connect with Us!
We are currently taking requests for our Coffee & Discussion Series - Please submit Coffee and Discussion suggestions here.
We are also taking requests for any upcoming events to be added to future newsletters and our events calendar which can be done here. You can also submit materials for the next newsletter by emailing [email protected] by July 20th, 2022.
FOLLOW US on our social media by clicking the icons below!
CREATE your own stories on Instagram and tag @NCH2Network so we can share how you engage with nature; we would love to see them!
EMAIL US and keep us updated on local events, exciting opportunities in the area, or send photos of local nature to be featured on the website.
CONTACT US at [email protected].
We are currently taking requests for our Coffee & Discussion Series - Please submit Coffee and Discussion suggestions here.
We are also taking requests for any upcoming events to be added to future newsletters and our events calendar which can be done here. You can also submit materials for the next newsletter by emailing [email protected] by July 20th, 2022.
FOLLOW US on our social media by clicking the icons below!
CREATE your own stories on Instagram and tag @NCH2Network so we can share how you engage with nature; we would love to see them!
EMAIL US and keep us updated on local events, exciting opportunities in the area, or send photos of local nature to be featured on the website.
CONTACT US at [email protected].