Nature and Health Forum Summary Results - May 8, 2014
May 8, 2014 | Portland, OR -- The Intertwine Alliance today convened over 100 professionals from the worlds of health care and conservation for a dynamic Community Health and Nature Forum.
The event, held at the Native American Cultural Center at Portland State University, built on previous community discussions that aimed at finding common ground – and opportunities for collaborative action – in the health care and environmental fields.
“Our main goal for this forum was to frame the issue: that community health and urban nature are inseparable,” said David Cohen, Intertwine Alliance Program Manager and event organizer. “From here we’ll be working to develop a plan intended to positively impact broader community health outcomes.”
Over the course of a highly dynamic afternoon, attendees heard from experts from both worlds.
Providing context on why thought leaders are pushing for more investment in health and nature – and the new research that helps them make the case – were speakers Dr. Kurt Beil of the National College of Natural Medicine, Dr. Phil Wu of Kaiser Permanente, and Bobby Cochran of Willamette Partnership.
Attendees also heard from local organizations that are successfully integrating health outcomes with nature, with presentations from Portland Parks & Recreation’s Todd Lofgren, Erica Timm from Friends of Trees, and Teresia Hazen of Legacy Health.
Kicking off the forum, Intertwine Alliance founding board member Judy Bluehorse Skelton shared her perspective on the integral connection between nature and health as a Native American activist and teacher.
A critical element of the event was table discussions in which attendees identified community needs and assessed the current status of available resources. Click here to download the forum results.
