Presenters: Ann Vertovec, MD and Katherine Varey, PhD

Presenters Ann Vertovec, MD and Katherine Varey, PhD discussed the health benefits of nature in general. Dr. Varey focused on the benefits of outdoor play for children. While Dr. Vertovec will present research findings on nature’s medical benefits, including “prescribing nature” as medical treatment, the importance of access to nature, and the relationship between human health and planetary health. Video links are now available for this event:

Facebook Link

YouTube Link

Links to Nature Based Resources

Thank You and Acknowledgements

This video was recorded by Hunter Duzek and Delilah Luna del Castillo. A special thank you to the crew, who woke up bright and early for this.

Thank you to the Olmsted Society, namely President and Presentations Chair Dan Murphy, for their cooperation and hospitality.

Also, thank you to Dr. Ann Vertovec and Dr. Kate Varey for putting on an exciting, relevant, and educational program that all Riverside residents can enjoy!

Bios

Kate Varey, PhD, is an Assistant Professor at Harry S. Truman College: City Colleges of Chicago in the Education, Human Development and Family Studies Department. She has worked for almost two decades in the early childhood, elementary, high school, and college context. Her ongoing research interests include nature-based play and education, wellness, environmental affordances, and cross-cultural studies’ impact on learning, development and education.

Ann Vertovec, MD, FACEP, ABOIM, is an integrative emergency physician at Northwestern University. As a veteran emergency physician, she turned to integrative medicine after observing the epidemic of chronic lifestyle diseases including diabetes, obesity, and anxiety.