Bridging the gap between nature and health.
Join us for our second annual Nature and Health Symposium!
When: Thursday, October 22nd | 9am-3pm
Where: Utah Cultural Celebration Center | 1355 W 3100 S, West Valley City, UT 84119
What: Join us for a day of learning, networking, and connecting at the Second Annual Nature and Health Symposium! This event will feature pilot grant presentations from four of our recipients, a keynote address by Nikki Smith, and a guided nature walk.
Keynote Speaker: Nikki Smith, Salt Lake City-based climber, artist, writer, and photographer, Nikki Smith has over 150 first ascents and extensive experience in guidebook authorship. She advocates for an inclusive and diverse outdoor community, with a focus on the LGBTQIA+ community.
Pilot Grant Presentations
Learn from four grant recipients as they share their research findings, lessons learned, and future directions in nature and health initiatives.Guided Walk
Experience a guided walk along the Jordan River Trail, including a tour of the Tracy Aviary’s Jordan River Nature Center.
Announcements
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REGISTRATION OPEN!
Join us for the Second Annual Nature and Health Symposium on Thursday, October 22nd, from 9 AM to 3 PM at the Utah Cultural Celebration Center. The event will feature keynote speaker Nikki Smith, pilot grant presentations, and a guided walk along the Jordan River Trail. Don't miss this opportunity for food, networking, and learning! RSVP at natureandhumanhealthutah.org.
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Wasatch Gardens Hiring Executive Director
Applications for the Executive Director position are open until November 4th! In September, our current Executive Director, Georgina Griffith-Yates, will offer one-on-one campus tours for candidates to ask questions. Please share this opportunity with those who align with our values of joy, collaboration, inclusion, and stewardship.
We’re looking for someone to lead the execution of our strategic plan and focus on priorities from our Building Capacity and Deepening Impact Campaign. Georgina will continue supporting the WCG team, planning next year’s programming, and ensuring a smooth transition.
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Outdoor Classroom Grand Opening!
The Grand Opening of the Outdoor Classroom at Wonderbloom in Murray is the culmination of years of planning, preparation, and hard work from many staff, parents, volunteers, community members, and organizations. Help us finish the Outdoor Classroom while also raising funds for scholarships by attending our Grand Opening and sponsoring a plant or learning center!
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The Nature Conservancy of Utah is hiring!
The Nature Conservancy of Utah is hiring a Water Program Director. Click below to learn more and apply for the position by September 6th.
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UCORE Grant is open on September 3rd!
The Division of Outdoor Recreation is excited to bring back the Utah Children’s Outdoor Recreation and Education (UCORE) grant, to provide high-quality, outdoor-focused learning experiences to youth ages 6-18 in Utah. This funding aims to teach youth the physical skills that can make outdoor recreation part of a healthy and active lifestyle. UCORE complements the state’s Every Kid Outdoors (EKO) Initiative and hopes to provide more opportunities so no child is left inside. Please review the 2024 UCORE Program Guide to learn what activities, and expenses UCORE can help your program fund.
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Nature Play Symposium
Join us on October 16 to discuss best practices in nature play.
Please help us spread the word by sharing the registration link with anyone you believe would be interested in attending.
In an effort to make the Symposium as accessible as possible, we've set the base price at $10. However, the actual cost of organizing the event exceeds this amount. If you'd like to help support the Symposium, please consider donating whatever you can.
Thank you, and we look forward to seeing you in October!
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Research Participation Opportunity
The Applied Cognition Lab at the University of Utah, in partnership with Red Butte Garden, is offering an exciting opportunity to participate in a fun and simple study. This is a unique chance to contribute to important research and enjoy the beauty of Red Butte Garden. Participants will be compensated for their time.
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NHH-UT Pilot Grant Recipients!
Thanks to the support from the REI Cooperative Action Fund and an anonymous donor, we are thrilled to announce the awarding of over $60,000 to eight projects, well exceeding last years’ impact.
Our call for proposals yielded an overwhelming response, with three times the number of submissions compared our first cycle of pilot funding. The projects awarded this year are diverse in project type, targeted audience, and desired goals and outcomes. Amongst our pilot grant recipients, there are projects aimed at working with pediatric rheumatology patients, incarcerated youth, first-generation college students, and black families among others.
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Incorporating more nature into your community and policy initiatives
Members of NHH-UT and our partner organization, the Nature and Health Alliance, have worked together to author "Healthy by Nature: Policy Practices Aimed at Maximizing the Behavioral Health Benefits of Nature Contact." This article is designed to promote greater engagement by community organizations and policymakers in the realm of nature and health practices. To access the article, please click the link below.
Connection to Research
A growing body of research links nature exposure to positive physical, emotional and mental health. However, myriad questions remain about how and why nature yields these benefits. Many of these research questions require interdisciplinary and cross-sectoral perspectives that bridge research and practice and that benefit from collaborations across many ways of knowing. Experts in parks, recreation and tourism, biology, environmental studies, urban planning and sociology, among others, will best position research teams to address the complex questions surrounding nature and human health.
Inspired by innovative research and projects produced by the similar Nature and Health program at the University of Washington, NHH-UT provides an arena in which experts from many societal sectors can collaborate. To learn more about NHH UT’s sister organization, Nature and Health Alliance, a research-collaborative that focuses primarily on advancing knowledge in nature and health, click the link below.
Utah’s Unique Position
With its urban and wilderness parks and monuments, natural resources, and recreational opportunities, Utah is uniquely positioned to foster this research collaborative. The University of Utah, along with partners across the state, has the expertise and resources to answer compelling questions about the nature and human health link, improve access to nature for all populations and increase awareness of the important role nature plays in human health and well-being.
Nature Equity
Not all people and communities are able to experience the health benefits of nature equitably. NHH UT is working to better understand the barriers to nature, and the address the inequities when it comes to accessing nature. To learn more about nature equity and our funding source, please visit the link below.
"Nature itself is the best physician.”
— Hippocrates
