Transformative Programming and Research

We conduct high-quality research

Through research we seek to understand how more public health and health care systems can use in nature in healing. We work to gather thought leaders through mentorship and community relationships, to create a research agenda and collaborative approach for generating important research questions, and to answering questions through high quality, prospective research. We have completed research in collaboration with SFDPH and a randomized trial of park prescriptions.

We provide clinical care for vulnerable populations

We practice what we preach. In partnership with the East Bay Regional Park District, the Children’s Hospital Oakland’s Primary Care Clinic 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.

We build the field of nature champions

We don’t want to do this alone. At the Center for Nature and Health 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, we aim to support clinicians as future thought leaders and clinical scientists in nature and health.