NYC Option

This is NOT REQUIRED!

I will be attending the NYC Grow Together on Saturday the 24th of March. If any of you plan to stay in the city over that weekend and would like to be a part of something like this, I highly recommend it. See below.

Children and "Back -to-Nature"--more context

All of you raised great point, questions, and critiques reagrding last weeks readings...some of them dealing with"nature-deficit disorder" and related topics.

Here is a link to the latest book on the subject:
http://www.amazon.com/Last-Child-Woods-Children-Nature-Deficit/dp/1565125223/sr=8-1/qid=1172690519/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1/103-2405519-2286242?ie=UTF8&s=books

...and below, more on the subject. Some of you will no doubt find this interesting and of use. Enjoy!

A back-to-nature movement to reconnect children with the outdoors is burgeoning nationwide"
- USA Today, Nov. 21, 2006

Children & Nature Movement Update

The grass roots Children and Nature Movement continues to grow and expand. Twenty-two regions have now launched or are considering launching a Children & Nature Campaign. From Louisville to Seattle, communities are coming together to raise awareness and map-out plans for action. Shifts in policy are also underway with several groups working together to propose children and nature amendments to the No Child Left Behind Act.Recent movement gatherings include the December conference on children and nature hosted by the National Wildlife Federation (NWF) and the C&NN planning session held in January to inform the drafting of a C&NN Action Guide for regional leaders and community collaboratives. C&NN Chairman, Rich Louv, continues to speak as author and a spokesman for the movement with over 20 speaking engagements in February and March alone. As the movement grows, so do the resources and support for movement leaders.

This month C&NN publishes two key tools for communicating the need, reasons, urgency and scientific foundations for taking action to re-connect children & nature: 1) a report listing the first of 20 premier research studies on the benefits of connecting children to nature, and 2) a selection of conference resources, including exclusive video excerpts, from the 2006 Dialogue on Children and Nature co-convened by the Conservation Fund, the National Conservation Training Center and Rich Louv. These resources will help provide scientific information, common language and a shared vision to support advocacy, innovation, and local leadership.Research ReportParents and grandparents, friends, family, teachers, physicians and concerned citizens-people want to do what is right and best for children. With that in mind, C&NN has set out to compile a premier set of research studies to help us all understand the connection between nature and the healthy development of children. The conclusion of these studies is clear: nature experience improves children's health, happiness, academic achievement, and general well being.[+] read more

Leadership Report and ResourcesC&NN publishes a Leadership Report on the National Dialogue on Children and Nature with video and PowerPoint presentations. View video excerpts or presentations by Secretary of the Interior, Dirk Kempthorne, Richard Louv, Larry Selzer, Stephen Kellert, Kathy Baughman McLeod, Charles Jordan and others as they speak out on the children and nature connection.[+] read more

The Three Articles

I thought that the three articles articulated a reoccurring theme in the urban environmental discourse. That theme is that green spaces and nature in general provide us with more than just clean air but an overall improvement in our quality of life. The research that the Landscape and Human Health Laboratory is involved in showing that medicine is not the only resource in treating disorders such as ADD. Nature projects can keep the youth of the streets and instill values and discipline in them. Furthermore, the Center for Urban Horticulture emphasizes interaction with plants can have a beneficial psychological gain for those who chose to participate.

I am bad at titles...

Urban Nature Benefits:
Psycho-Social Dimensions of People and Plants

I think that it is an interesting concept that people who experience more nature in their lives are happier, that they take less sick days, get more job satisfacton, and feel safer in natural places. I also feel like this article was a little one sided. It stated things like "studies have shown..." but was very vague on the actual content of the studies. It seems like there is more to happiness than just nature. Specifically, there are known psychological disorders that are associated with the winter time. Seasonal affective disorder is an accepted psychological disorder fairly common in this country. It is commonly treated not with trees and flowers, and getting peopel outside in the winter, but with bright light therapy. The use of full spectrum lamps, or "the happy lamp", as my roomate calls, it tends to bring peopel out of the "winter slumps" that frequently occur. Is it possible that the people with offices near windows are just responding to the natural light, as opposed to the green things that they see?

Landscape and Human Health Laboratory

I like this site a little better, cause it gives specific examples of how green spaces and things help people psychologically. I am still a little skeptical (as I tend to be) that there is not just a coincidence occuring here. Especially with the ADD example, I think a culture change has occured that is not being explored. Over the past few years people, including children, have been spending more time indoors playing videogames, watching tv, or various other physically inactive activities. There has also been an increase in ADD diagnosis. Children used to spend a lot more time just running around in general than they do now. When the children would get hyperactive, parents would just tell them to go outside and run around, now they are medicated. Peopel are now realizing that they can send their children outside to physically release that energy as opposed to putting them on ritalin, and are attributing it to the green things that are also outside. I am not saying that it is impossible that the natural things found outside are not helping peoples behavior, but I do believe that it is not as clear cut as the websites are making it out to be.

Social Science Research Project:
Forest Ecosystem Work and Youth Benefits

I like this article. I think that it is a good idea to foster a relationship between young people and the environment. People need to be aware of the world around them and how to take care of it so that it will be stabel and sustainable for years to come. This program also aims to get people more physically active, which is also a problem that should be confronted in our society. I like that this program, from what I could see, did not claim to provide psychological benefits based on proximity to green plants.

3 articles

Social Benefits of Nature
I think this article has a fascinating argument for the benefits that nature has on people’s mental health. I do believe that workers exposed to a view of the outdoors would be more inclined to work. I would like to know more about the studies done, to be sure that they are accurate because the article does not explain them well. Nature can definitely impact a person’s attitude as well as the amount of stress one feels. I also thought it was interesting that the presence of trees and grass has been studied as a factor influencing family interactions. This is a new idea, but if nature can have an impact on stress and attitude, these things would also impact family interactions.

The research done at U of I on adults and children, with focus on crime, safety, violence, community, attention, self-control, learning, and a variety of other topics sounds very promising in promoting nature and benefiting people living in the city. I am especially interested to learn about this project because I lived in Champaign, IL for three years and considered going to college there. It is not surprising that playing outdoors can lessen the symptoms of ADHD. Not only is it physically healthy for the children, but it allows them to experience the world first-hand instead of from a TV screen. I thought it was interesting to point out the greener affected girls’ self-discipline and confidence, but was not significant to boys’ confidence. When I read about crime and green spaces, I thought that it must also be a factor of income and location. Reading further, the web site made some good arguments that greenery brings neighborhoods and communities outdoors more often, so crime is discouraged. This is also linked to a strong feeling of community. These are very good arguments to support the growth of trees, flowers, and other plants in cities, but we must also address the issue of cost. Will the city really invest in landscaping in poor neighborhoods that would put the plants at risk to vandalism?

Youth Benefits
This sounds like a promising study about the effects of outdoor community service in nature on youths. I think that when children and even adults volunteer in the environment, they learn to appreciate the world more. They develop their ecological identity, which the article says is the degree to which nature and the environment are integrated into one’s sense of self. People will learn to be more accepting and more giving, instead of acting selfish and focused on their own needs. Not only will they respect nature, but I think they will care for other people as well. Instead of choosing a career that makes money, they could be more inspired to do something beneficial for the world. I think it is great the study is looking into the effects of environmental volunteer work on children as individuals as well as America as a nation. A program promoting youth involvement outdoors would benefit the nation and could be a step towards changing our culture from a mostly sedentary way of life to an active lifestyle.

Urban Greenery

Urban Nature Benefits: Psycho-Social Dimensions of People and Plants

This article arguments that in urban environments, plants not only improve the environment, but also beautify the scenes. This contributes to psychological as well as social benefits in society. This can be seen in cities like NYC, where life is hectic. Nature relaxes. Who could possibly know how many lives the Central Park in NYC has saved?

Landscape and Human Health Laboratory-University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

This study shows further proof that nature and green areas provide human health in a psychological way. As with the previous article on Urban Nature Benefits, urban areas with more green areas are perceived and observed to be safer and healthier.

Social Science Research Project: Forest Ecosystem Work and Youth Benefits

This article studies the impact that nature can have in youth and young adults. It is based on the argument that early encouragement provides authentic interest on ecology, and a positive impact on a person’s personality, future interests, and social role. This article also goes into psychometrics, which is the study of how people’s psychological/social reaction on different situations. It is argued that nowadays, it is regretful that society is becoming more sedentary and less inclined to eat healthy food since young age. Therefore, various cardiovascular and health illnesses are developing and affecting society. A change is necessary, this article says. A solution may be more interest and action on green market.

Introducing myself

Dear Urban Environments Course Participants,

Mr Tidball has invited me to join in the Urban Environments 07 blog. I have looked over your comments and it looks as if you are doing some good thinking about cities and natural resources.

As chair of the Department of Natural Resources, I am very interested in your thoughts about ways our Department should be addressing urban natural resources issues. You are welcome to email me (mek2) or perhaps talk with Mr Tidball if you want to share thoughts as a class. I very much appreciate Mr Tidball assuming leadership on urban issues in Natural Resources by teaching this course, as well as your active participation in the class and in the ASB service-learning component.

I am hoping to join you for the Monday of spring break in NYC, and I will be talking with you about community gardens and Garden Mosaics on March 6. I look forward to meeting all of you.

Marianne Krasny

Website reflextions

The CFR Washington website provided some interesting perspectives on the importance of trees based on various sociological and psychological studies. The study on office workers and the relationship between the ability to see greenery from their desks and their job satisfaction was pretty suspicious. The study concluded that people who could see green at work felt more relaxed at work and had less sick days. However, there may be another aspect of these people's lives that may affect these issues more than just being able to see the lawn. Generally, office workers that have windowed offices are the upper level employees. These people may have more experience (and thus better coping abilities), higher income ( more comfortable lifestyle) and have probably invested more time in their work (therefore seeing it as more challenging) than those desk workers that do not have office windows.
I hold the rest of the studies about the psychologically beneficial effects of trees in contempt for several reasons. First of all, these fun facts about trees are certainly interesting, but just because they provide the name of the person who conducted the study does not mean that these studies were conducted in a legitimate manner. Secondly, these reports do not give enough information about the methods of the experiments for the reader to judge for herself wheter to believe the findings. Who was asked if they felt less stress/endured less domestic violence/viewed tree-lined streets as safer? What was their economic background? Age? Sex? All these factors and more come into play when evaluating the significance of trees in peoples lives and these details were left out of these reports.
Planning has historically made wealthier areas more beautiful (generally with artful building and landscape design). The studies that talk about reduced domestic violence, reduced stress and reduced feelings of insecurity of areas with many trees seems suspiciously tied to the planning of the area and the type of people that live in those places. More time and effort are put into an area where it is perceived that people and businesses will invest their money. So, if the neighborhoods looked more dangerous because of their lack of trees, perhaps that was because they were indeed less invested in. In my opinion, environment plays a huge role in shaping the opinions of people. Other studies have shown that people brought up in economically disadvantaged families generally suffer from higher stress, poor education opportunities, and as a result of these desperate conditions, more crime. It seems as though the presence of trees is a physical manifestation of the amount of money in the area (both from individual families and from the government). So, while planting more trees in areas that are lacking certainly wouldn't hurt, more trees will not necessarily solve the problems affecting people which are due to greater and more varied causes ( mainly pertaining to economic status).

The Landscape and Human Health Laboratory website seemed to understand the presence of trees in urban life from a more reasonable perspective. Their studies focused on impoverished inner-city adults and children, the elderly, and children with ADHD. This laboratory seemed more to look at whether improving the environment in which these groups lived would make a positive impact in their lives. In other words, whether the existence of urban forestry would improve the lives of these groups over those living with less greenery. There is recognition that it is not JUST the lack of trees in these people's lives that causes social distress.

Benefits of Nature

Urban Nature Benefits

Once again I was struck by the extent to which trees, plants, flowers or just greenery improve our environment and affect the way we function and feel. Out of the entire article, one word really captivated me and that word was "restorative." This little word encapsulates so much concerning the relationship between nature and people.

I liked how the article provided examples of how nature improved the lives of people. For example, workers who had a view of nature from their work space had less illnesses compared to those who did not have a view. People with trees in their homes experienced reduced domestic conflict and less physcial abuse. I really liked the part about how schools with tended landscapes contributed to reduced feelings of fear and violence. I can attest to this.

Landscape and Human Health Laboratory

I found this laboratory site fascinating and also it's recent findings. Things such as:
Green activity reducing ADHD symptons ( I did not know this).
Views of trees from homes improve girls self-discipline, what about boys self-discipline, lol.
Trees boost concentration and the ability to cope ( duh)
The right residential landscaping can discourage crime. This one really surprised me and I started thinking what kind of landscape would attract a criminal? Would it be an unkempt landscape or would it be something that people took time and spent money beautifying? What does this say about people who take pride in their surroundings and enhancing it versus those who allow the landscape in which they live to be overgrown and obviously neglected?
Green residential landscaping strengthens communities. I liked this one also because it reminded me of the gardens article that we read last week.

Social Science Research Project

I liked this article especially since they told us upfront that there is no empirical data to support a lot of the findings regarding the perceived changes in young people after they have participated in nature-based programs. What I took away from this article was that young people benefit form nature-based work experiences and this got me very excited for our springbreak of service. Like the article I do believe that nature work programs are essential. The article talks about a pilot study that will be undertaken and seeks to address some very relevant questions. It is important to look at things like the impact of nature based programs on lifestyle and career choices of youths and also the ecological literacy aspect of things. I anticipate reading more about their findings.

I am excited to watch the Gotham Fish Tails Movie. I was unaware that anything could actually live in the waters around New York City. I like the Urban Neighbors site a lot. I especially enjoy the sentiment of "It refutes the canard that pigeons, cockroaches, and rats are the city’s only local wild fauna." There are a lot of steriotypes about cities like New York, and Urban Neighbors is helping to change people's false impresions about wildilife in the city. The Wild Side of New York website is interesting caue it is a place where information about natural things in the city can be easily found. Many "wild" things in cities are hard to come by, or at least find out about, and the idea of this website is good cause interested people won't have to search forever.

Comments on Benefirts of Urban Trees and Trees as Capital Assets

Comments on Benefits of Urban Trees:
This article outlines the importance of trees in cities. Trees are projected as indispensable to humankind, since they provide many benefits such as improving air quality, reducing storm water runoff and erosion, modifying local climates, conserving energy, being beneficial for the economy, creating a habitat for plants and animals, improving health, serving as screens, and promoting community. The question asked behind the scenes is: what would happen if trees were not present? How would our world be? Trees in this article are, as already mentioned before, portrayed as necessary to mankind. The United States Department of Agriculture relates trees with many aspects that make up a society (which are sometimes taken for granted) and that are necessary to keep a society working. For example, by stating that trees improve air quality, USDA concludes that if trees did not exist, we would have shorter life spans (if any) since everybody needs air to live, right! By stating that trees are beneficial for the economy, the USDA states that without trees, the economy would be less profitable, since trees add beauty and therefore, another reason why something, such as houses surrounded by trees, should be bought (one of the thresholds of economy). Finally, by stating that trees improve health it is being stated that if you keep trees around, you will be happier. And let’s not forget that trees promote community….indeed. Everyone likes to gather, once in a while, around or near trees. After declaring and proving how trees are necessary in every society, the USDA provides solutions on how “you” can promote urban tree conservation.

Comments on Trees as Capital Assets:
This article talks about green infrastructure. After pointing out that urban forest managers are aware of the importance of trees in urban areas, this article goes into some detail by talking about how economy, capital laws, investment, and governmental rules can work towards creating an urban and green infrastructure. It points out that these types of projects sometimes involve passing debts from generation to generation. The process may seem complicated for someone not familiar with the methods and how urban forestry management programs work, but in reality, it may become a simple process for someone with experience in this area. It is a matter of understanding how economy works, and how ones understanding of urban forestry can be applied to the political and economic rules.

Lost poster

Hey guys, this is very off topic but I think I left a poster in class on Tuesday, has anyone seen it? It was a white tube of paper inside of a clear plastic bag. Please let me know it you have seen it around. thanks!

These sites represented various organizations that are trying to better urban living conditions through increased interaction with greenery. The studies that correlated the benefits of greenery to less crime, greater concentration, less domestic violence, are understandable and very interesting. However I would have liked them to be a little more specific - the vagueness made it sound less credible. Overall the studies did make a lot of sense, because they all harkened back to nature's calming effect. I really value the work of organizations that seek to show nature to innercity children. Beyond establishing self confidence and leadership, these outings establish a relationships with outdoors. It is often the children who played in nature that grow up to care the most about the environment.

Reading for 2/20/2007

The article about the benefits of urban tress explained the value of trees to humans and the urban environment. The article stated what seems to be common knowledge in general areas, like having trees on ones property increasing the value of that property and that trees play an integral part in local climate control. Furthermore, trees give us benefits in health that we usually look for in pill form. Such as reduced stress, more productive and happier life experiences. The article finishes with what we can do to protect and keep trees healthy in our urban environments.

The article on treating trees as capital assets expressed a very interesting approach to managing trees and thinking of trees in economic terms and benefits. As I read the article i felt that trees were not trees anymore, meaning that presenting trees in this form or language seemed to lessen the natural beauty of trees. It is as if trees have been removed from nature to the domain of bureaucratic expenditures. If this is the way to keep trees healthy and extend their longevity in urban environments they must become part of our systems and budgets to make that possible. It might sound sad and unnatural to speak of trees in this manner but its about having a process that ensures that trees be apart of urban environments.

These two articles worked together very well to first, explain and describe some of the benefits of urban forestry, then to analyze how these benefits fit into the economics of the city. I thought that the "Benefits of Urban Trees" article explained many well-known benefits that trees offer in the urban environment. What was most interesting was the secondary and tertiary benefits trees offer. That is to say that trees not only provide a sense of place and natural cycling of air and water, but they can also serve as local recreation spaces. So not only are they trees reducing the cost of air conditioning and flood water management, they are reducing the cost of gas, costs to run a power plant, and, this article even suggests, cost of medicine for people with attention disorders and people in hospitals. The monetary values of these benefits are surely incalculable.

This sentiment progresses nicely into the second article, “Trees as Capital Assets.” I am not sure if I understand completely the economic models presented in this article, but it seems to me that Dudley Hartel wanted to calculate the incalculable benefits that trees offer in order to increase their value in the eyes of local governments. It would make sense to provide a budget for the planting and maintenance of urban trees on state owned property. While the author of “Benefits of Urban Trees” would argue that tree planting and maintenance are community building activities and thus the responsibility lies within the community, this idea is rather vague. What does the phrase “the community” mean? Who is included? Is it just the residents of the area or does it include the government and its employees that do no necessarily live in the area? Hartel’s argument for monetary representation of the benefits that trees provide tries to assign some responsibility to the local government. The economic models for increased taxation seem like a good idea but may be seen negatively if not properly articulated. The idea of having a debt so that the future community also must pay for the trees seems like it would be unpopular and seems to view urban trees’ negative aspects far more than their positive aspects. The idea of making a place for urban forestry in the tax laws as assets that need to be protected is definitely a good one and I would like to understand better how to this all works.

Readings for 2/20/07

Trees as Capital Assets
This article was very policy and business oriented. While I had never thought of the economic benefits of trees for urban environments, I find it disheartening that the value of trees must be calculated to allow for governments and officials to support their utilization. The article suggests that the beneficials services provided by trees could be taxable qualities. The benefits provided such as cooling clean air, flood control, and carbon sequestration could be assesed and added to a budget to support green infrastructure. I realize that it is important to account for these positive services because otherwise, the government would not support the use of trees in cities as much. The article says that government agencies, departments, and elected officials would support urban forestry budgets because the GASB 34 would show that they are beneficial and maintain the currect condition of infrastructure; however, what is the aethetic value of the tree? How can a price tag be put on beauty and comfort and happiness?
Benefits of Urban Trees
I thought this flyer was more sensitive to the aethetic and natural view of trees, but was also trying to convince people of economic reasons why they should support trees in urban environments. It talked of beauty, color, cover, and privacy that trees provide as well as other aspects that I had not considered. For example, I was interested to learn that trees can lower the temperature, lessen the force of storms, and reduce the heat-island effect in trees. I liked how it supported useful urban landscaping by suggesting the deliberate placement of certain kinds of trees on specific sides of the house to reduce energy usage. The flyer did a good job of increasing my interest in the subject and showing me that trees have many more uses and benefits than I thought.

I thought the readings and lecture on urban trees was really interesting. I have always wondered how the trees lived in the little holes, and apperently the answer is "not very well". Most people don't realize that it is really difficult for the trees to grow in such a confined space. The solution, the soil developed at Cornell, doesn't seem very expensive and should be more widly used in places that want trees growing in the sidewalk or streets or other paved places. Most people in urban areas don't conciously appreciate the sidewalk trees, but there is most likely a subconcious affection for seeing nature in places where there is a lot of concrete and buildings. there should be more of an effort to plant trees and to help them grow as best they can.

More on trees...

We will read a bit more on the social and economic values of trees in this course, but for those of you that heard something in Dr Bassuk's lecture that caught your interest, please be advised that she teaches a class called 'Creating the Urban Eden" Horticulture/Landscape Architecture(co-listed) 491 in the Fall and 492 in the spring.( 4 credits each semester T,R, 12:20-4:25) You need to take 491 before taking 492. She also teaches a woody plant ID course ,which is half of 491 and 492. It is called HORT 391in the fall and 392 in the spring.Fall, Hort 391( R, 12:20-4:25). Spring, Hort. 392( T.12:20-4:25).

Also, check the link on this blog to TREES NY to learn more about our partner in NYC.

NPR listenings

Hawks in the City.

On hearing that the tenants of the co-op tore down the Red-tailed Hawks nest I was angry. When I learnt that an agreement was made between the co-op and the Audubon society I was happy. This story showcases that humans and animals/nature can coexist and that all it takes is a little bit of compromise and understanding.

Machetes and Marigolds

This is perhaps a disadvantage of community gardening. Since there is no structure someone is bound to think that they are the boss and then make things difficult for others. This shows that whenever you have a lot of people coming together there is bound to be some conflict. People have different temperaments and a variety of backgrounds that is bound to breed tension. Also, due to the success of community gardening, there was bound to be a high demand for additional plots.

Guerrilla gardening illustrates that people want their surroundings to be beautiful and planting flowers is a way of achieving this goal.

Defiant Gardens

These stories touched me. They were extremely poignant. I particularly liked the line "small pleasure must correct great tragedies." Planting gardens in the midst of war I feel illustrate the soldiers need to have control over something in their lives. It is also a way of cultivating life and beauty amidst all the death and devastation surrounding them. The soldiers are transcending the war. The gardens have a cathartic effect on them. It soothes their soul in the same way that music calms the soul.

What is means to be "Urban"

pertaining to a city or town
www.idealcity.org.au/glossary.html

I do not like this definition. It is to elementary. This definition is to narrow and therefore leaves out to many critical factors.


Typically, a community or settlement with a population of 2,000 or more is considered urban. www.planetwire.org/glossarylist.php

This definition still leaves out a lot of the key factors of what is means to be urban.



Area is characterized by a substantially urbanized environment, although the background may have natural-appearing elements. Renewable resource modification and utilization practices are often used to enhance specific recreation activities. Vegetative cover is often exotic and manicured. Sights and sounds of humans are predominant onsite. Large numbers of users can be expected both onsite and in nearby areas. ...fwie.fw.vt.edu/rhgiles/appendices/glossr.htm


I like this definition. This definition is much more realistic and accounts for the complex factors involved when trying to explain what it means to be urban.