What we do
Translational research: Through research, we seek to understand how more public health and health care systems can use nature in healing. We work to gather thought leaders through mentorship and community relationships, and to create a research agenda and collaborative approach both for generating important research questions and for answering questions through high-quality prospective research.
Provide clinical care for vulnerable populations: In partnership with the East Bay Regional Park District, the Primary Care Clinic at UCSF Benioff Children's Hospital Oakland became one of the first in the nation to refer patients to the outdoors for health. The program, called Stay Healthy in Nature Everyday (SHINE), has served hundreds of patients and their families. We continue to build partnerships to give patients access to nature and advocate for the rights of patients in outdoor spaces.
Build the field of nature champions: We are developing training modules, replicable protocols and other tools that can be used by public health departments, medical practitioners and others. As opposed to a toolkit model, our method aims to support clinicians as future thought leaders and clinical scientists in nature and health.
Advocate for nature as a public health priority: We proudly join in the movement to increase access to nature by writing, speaking and participating in California advocacy groups such as Parks Now!, the California Outdoor Engagement Coalition, and Healthy Parks Healthy People (HPHP): Bay Area.
