History of NHH-UT
Nature and Human Health Utah (NHH-UT) was founded in 2019 by Nalini Nadkarni, Professor Emerita at the University of Utah (UU), and a lifelong advocate for trees and the natural world. NHH-UT was inspired by Nature and Health Washington, a group based at the University of Washington, dedicated to understanding how nature improves human health and well-being.
In 2020, with two other co-leaders, Tim Brown (President of the Tracy Aviary) and Dorothy Schmalz (Chair of the Department of Parks, Recreation and Tourism at the UU), we created a draft mission and vision statement, informally recruited members, and established a preliminary organizational structure. Initial funding was provided by an anonymous donor, followed by support from the REI Cooperative Action Fund. Since then, we have grown membership, engaged community group and academic associates, added staff members and a new co-leader (Joanna Bettmann Schaefer, College of Social Work), and increased our reach and capacity outside of Salt Lake City.
Mission.
To understand, articulate, and foster relationships between nature and human health by providing a collaborative arena to engage, formulate actions, and implement solutions for the people and nature in Utah.
Vision.
All Utahns understand the relationships between people and nature and help to ensure those relationships are accessible to and sustained for everyone in our community.
Strategic Priorities.
NHH-UT should be a networking hub that connects people within NHH-UT and in the field of nature and health.
NHH-UT should disseminate NHH information and opportunities (e.g., papers, articles, presentations, op-eds, reports, briefs)
NHH-UT should engage in research directly and indirectly (e.g., pilot grants, conference presentations, collaborations with other researchers, publish papers)
NHH-UT should develop and sustain the organizational capacity to serve Utah, our membership, and the world at large.