Institute at the Golden Gate

The National #ParkRx movement continues to grow! Check out the latest article in Glamour. http://ow.ly/meVw50v10Ft #parkprescriptions #nature #health #stress #SHINE #WalkwithaDoc

Do you spend 2 hours a week outside? A new study suggests 120 minutes a week is all you need to receive the #health benefits of nature! @nytimes @UCSFBenioffOAK #ParkRx #parkprescriptions #greenspaces https://www.nytimes.com//heal/nature-outdoors-health.html

In need of the #NatureCure? Time for some #ParkRx! Read AlmanacNews to see how the Institute at the Golden Gate started the #ParkPrescription movement and how time in #nature can benefit everyone, from stimulating learning and creativity to buffering toxic #stress to helping people make deeper connections with themselves, with others and with the planet ‘You can enjoy the quiet side of nature and also enjoy the power of bringing people together.’ https://www.almanacnews.com//for-stressed-out-families-loc

Check out Outside Magazine's feature on the "Nature Cure" where the Institute and other #ParkPrescription leaders--Healthy Parks Healthy People US - National Park Service, Children & Nature Network, Park Rx America, UCSF Benioff Children's Hospital Oakland, East Bay Regional Park District, SHIFTjh, and Kaiser Permanente Thrive--talk about the "exploding" #ParkRx movement. Learn more about the Institute's work with Park Prescriptions by checking out our ParkRx Census and the ParkRx Toolkit at https://instituteatgoldengate.org/programs/health. #parks4all https://www.outsideonline.com//ask-your-doctor-if-nature-r

Almost half of Atlanta is covered in trees. But despite being "the city in the forest and a very lush, #greencity, most of that lush greenness is privately held." See how Atlanta is keeping existing #greenspaces public by keeping the school yard open after hours. https://nextcity.org//atlantas-schoolyards-to-become-after

#NationalParkRxDay is April 28th! Get ready to celebrate a whole day of #ParkPrescriptions in parks around the country. Ready to register your #ParkRxDay event?... Visit ParkRx.org/national-parkrx-day to be added to the list, and if you need help getting an event started, check out the National ParkRx Day Toolkit. #parkrx Photo credit: Kirk Wrench, National Park Service See more

Black people have a "54 percent higher chance of breathing air #pollution than the overall population," but leaders in #environmental organizations are still "overwhelmingly white." That's where the Black Environmental Leaders come in. Learn more about this dedicated group "getting African Americans engaged and involved in addressing #environmentalissues." http://www.freshwatercleveland.com/features/bel041619.aspx

Researchers from The University of Sheffield, "more funding should be made available to improve, maintain and encourage people to connect with #greenspaces in cities so residents can reap the #health and #wellbeing rewards they provide." The connections between #nature and #mentalhealth are strong and can "provide a foundation for designing and managing public open spaces." https://phys.org//2019-03-invest-green-space-boost-wellbei

Black birders are "as rare a bird as exists." See how African Americans are connecting to #nature through #birding and the challenges to being a Black birder when White people make up 93 percent of birders nationwide. https://www.yesmagazine.org//birding-where-are-black-birde

All access to #parks is not created equal. A new study shows that divisions in education, income, and race are reflected in our park access. "...'residents with higher levels of #education and higher incomes were more likely to have more access to both mixed and woody #urban vegetation, and racialized residents were less likely to have access to mixed and woody vegetation in large, dense urban areas.'" https://www.citylab.com//inequality-parks-and-gree/585166/

Check out Osceola County's #innovative, all-inclusive park catering to children on the #autism spectrum. "#Inclusion is a key component of SENSES...This #park will offer new and exciting opportunities for many families in our #community. It will support positive interactions and emphasize the abilities of children with #specialneeds rather than their disabilities. http://www.aroundosceola.com//article_6dc803cc-36b5-11e9-b

What do kids want in their #cities? More #nature! "Our kids want to be able to go to the #park and just bump into friends; but often, in suburban designs, everyone is secluded in their own backyards and they don’t interact. #Kids want communal spaces, where their parents can still keep an eye, but they can meet independently and connect with others." https://greatergood.berkeley.edu//what_happens_when_kids_h

A new study shows "just 20 minutes in a #park even if you don’t exercise while you’re there is enough to improve #wellbeing..." Learn how this #parkprescription makes you happy. "Plus, these unusual prescriptions are the prettiest you’ll ever fill a fact ...the Institute at the Golden Gate, which runs #ParkRx, says encourages people to actually do them...'It’s about making a positive choice in your life, rather than a punitive choice like ‘You’re sick, take a pill.’ It just seems so much more supportive.'" http://time.com/5539942/green-space-health-wellness/