The Olmsted Legacy: Parks, Green Spaces, and Human Health
April 28, 2022 Parks and green spaces aren’t just for nature—they can improve your health. Frederick Law Olmsted argued that great public parks would function as the “lungs of the city,” improving human health by providing fresh air and controlling the spread of diseases. In this panel discussion, public health experts discuss 1) how the use of parks and urban green spaces lead to positive health outcomes, 2) the distribution and utilization of parks across different communities, and 3) how the efficacy of health programs related to green spaces vary across socioeconomic groups and populations. The panelists: Viniece Jennings is an assistant professor of public health at Agnes Scott College where she focuses on the intersection between green space, health, and social justice. She previously served for over a decade as a research scientist with the USDA Forest Service. Her innovative articles on green spaces, health disparities, and social determinants of health are among the most cited in the field. She earned her PhD in environmental science with a focus in policy and management from Florida A & M University. Stephen Van Rhein is an ecologist and environmental manager at KC Parks, which maintains 221 parks, 12,242 acres of parkland, 158 miles of trails and bikeways, 29 lakes, and miles of scenic boulevards and parkways that crisscross the city. He previously worked as Community Conservationist at the Missouri Department of Conservation. He earned an MS in ecology from Illinois State University. Robert Zarr, MD, MPH, Founder and Medical Director, Park Rx America and a board-certified pediatrician at Unity Health Care in Washington, DC, where he cares for low-income and immigrant populations. He is Founder and Medical Director of Park Rx America, a community health initiative to prescribe nature to patients and families to prevent and treat chronic disease and promote wellness. He previously served as the Park Rx Advisor to the National Park Service in his national advocacy to connect people to parks.
