Full course description
Overview
Planners work to improve the general welfare and quality of life of residents. A wealth of research evidence indicates the importance of nature encounters and green space on human health. This course is designed to expand awareness among planners, elected officials, and local government staff of nearby nature as a social determinant of health. It encourages decision makers to treat all nature elements in cities (such as the urban forest, parks and open space) as a comprehensive health promotion system. The course translates findings from empirical studies and existing applied research about nature and health into practical, actionable guidelines for the planning community.
Course Outline
Module 1: Nature & Health Evidence (15 min)
Module 2: Plan Making (13 min)
Module 3: Building the Nature System (20 min)
Module 4: Implementation Tools (12 min)
Course Developers
This MOST Center course was developed by the University of Maryland Environmental Finance Center in partnership with the University of Washington and the American Planning Association.
At-A-Glance
Course Notice: Non-credit courses and Continuing Education Units (CEUs) do not post to the University of Maryland transcript and do not count towards a student's academic record. Neither a grade nor credit is earned. Students do not receive a University ID card and will not be granted access to University facilities such as recreation, transportation, and campus events. Non-credit students may access UMD Libraries as Visitors; see https://www.lib.umd.edu/about/visitors.
This is an Office of Extended Studies (OES) administered course.