EcoHealth Ontario and the Friends of the Greenbelt Foundation are pleased to present a workshop on Realizing the Health Benefits of Green Spaces in a Changing World

There is growing understanding of the complex linkages between the natural and built environments and human health. Nature can help mitigate a wide range of physical and mental illnesses associated with modern lifestyles, urbanization, and changing climate.

Unfortunately, current patterns of urban development are eroding and reducing access to natural areas and affecting the capacity of human settlements to be resilient to extreme weather events.

This workshop will facilitate interdisciplinary dialogue among public health, medical, planning, parks, recreation, forestry, watershed management, and education professionals.

Discussions will explore creative policies, programs, and outreach approaches that could be used to enhance human health through increased quality and diversity of urban and rural green spaces. Case studies of the Ontario Greenbelt, watersheds and urban green spaces will be used to illustrate challenges and opportunities.

The workshop will include:

• Presentations on the evidence for health benefits of green spaces in a changing world
• Expert panel discussion on key issues
• Round-table discussions on ecohealth barriers, opportunities and actions

Questions?
Please contact Tom Bowers, Friends of the Greenbelt Foundation at

tbowers@greenbelt.ca

www.ecohealth-ontario.ca

www.greenbelt.ca