Title: Equitable Access to Nature: Policy Recommendations & Trends
Course: Nature & Human Wellness eeCourse > Section: Module 4: Leveraging our Interconnection: Strategies & Implementation

Paradigm Shift in Thinking about Nature Access

As we conclude this course, it is clear that a paradigm shift is underway - as a call to reevaluate our relationship with nature is resonating across diverse fields, including health, education, and economics. This call recognizes that reconnecting with nature is not just a matter of leisure or environmental concern but a fundamental necessity for promoting healthier populations, enhancing educational outcomes, and fostering sustainable economic development.

In this last section, you’ll learn more about specific policies and trends helping to further the paradigm shift for rethinking our relationship with the natural world, including the following concepts:

- Right to Recess for K-12 Students
- Nature Access Equity Gap
- Healthy Ecosystems Linked to Economic Stability

Right to Recess for K-12 Students

Recess provides essential benefits for students through outdoor play, including improved physical health, enhanced social skills, and increased creativity. However, there has been a concerning trend of reduced recess time in many U.S. schools over recent decades due to academic pressures, safety concerns, and resource limitations. This decline in recess access raises concerns about its impact on children's well-being, prompting efforts to advocate for sufficient recess time to support students' overall development. There is growing recognition of the importance of recess, and efforts are underway to promote policies that support adequate recess time for students to benefit from outdoor play and its associated advantages.

TASK: Read the following article to learn more about these efforts: “Time to Play: More State Laws Require Recess”

Nature Access Equity Gap

The Nature Access Equity Gap is an increasing phenomenon that describes the unequal access to natural environments among children based on socioeconomic status and/or community location. As we’ve learned throughout this course, limited access to nature can negatively impact children's physical, mental, and emotional health. Closing this gap is essential for promoting equitable health outcomes and ensuring that all children have the opportunity to benefit from the positive effects of nature in terms of  their development and well-being.

TASK: Read the following article to learn more about the increased call for equitable nature access: “Connecting Children with Nature to Improve Mental Well-Being”

Healthy Ecosystems Linked to Economic Stability

In a recent independent review led by Professor Sir Partha Dasgupta from the University of Cambridge, researchers and economists underscore the critical importance of integrating nature into economic decision-making. The review, commissioned by the UK Treasury in 2019 and published ahead of the Convention on Biological Diversity in China, emphasizes that nature is our most valuable asset and that humanity's demands on nature far exceed its capacity to supply essential "goods and services."

TASK: Read the following article to learn more about this increasing call to center the value of nature in our economic systems: “Nature’s value must be at the heart of economics”