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NaturePHL Program to Provide Nature Prescriptions Starting August 1

PHILADELPHIA, PA - In August 2017, children around Philadelphia will be attending their annual well child visits with pediatricians. But this year, along with their routine check-up, patients at some Children's Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP) CHOP Primary Care Practices may also be receiving prescriptions for outdoor activity. This summer, NaturePHL, an initiative four years in the making, launches in two CHOP Care Network locations: CHOP Primary Care Cobbs Creek and Roxborough, with a press conference on Wednesday, July 26. The program - a collaboration between the Schuylkill Center, CHOP, Philadelphia Parks and Recreation, and the U.S. Forest Service - will connect primary care pediatric health and wellness with nature and time spent being active outdoors. "Research shows the important role nature and the outdoors plays in public health-- nature lowers blood pressure, relieves anxiety, boosts our immune system, says Schuylkill Center Executive Director Mike Weilbacher. "This is one of the first organized efforts to leverage this knowledge in a systematic way to improve health." Childhood in America has moved indoors: today, the average American child spends 1% of their free time outdoors-which amounts to about 30 minutes of free play outdoors per week. Yet, a growing body of research has shown the far-ranging impacts of time spent outdoors for children. The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends that children get 60 minutes of active play each day, and through NaturePHL, physicians are able to explain how the best way to do that is through being outside. The benefits of this time in nature are many - from lowered depression and anxiety to reduced risk of diabetes and obesity, and research continues to explore impacts on immune system health, eyesight, and mental health.

But fewer and fewer children are getting the outdoor time they need. NaturePHL hopes to change that.

"As pediatricians, we are always encouraging at least one hour per day of physical activity as recommended by American Academy of Pediatrics," explains Dr. Sharon Sutherland, Pediatrician at CHOP Primary Care Cobbs Creek, "but now we can help them in terms of the ‘where’ and ‘how’ to make this happen with NaturePHL." NaturePHL is integrated into CHOP’s electronic health record system, so that doctors can use the website to help families identify parks and green spaces near them, filter through possible amenities they are seeking, and make a plan to spend time outdoors.

"NaturePHL goes beyond a single nature outing and encourages families to adopt activity in nature as part of their daily lives," says Schuylkill Center Director of Education Aaliyah Green Ross. Turning nature into a habit is an important part of NaturePHL.

This increased use of Philadelphia’s parks, trails, and green spaces is another central part of NaturePHL. Although the heart of the program is the prescriptions for outdoor activity, the initiative will also provide an innovative way for Philadelphians to find and engage with their parks using the website (naturephl.org), perhaps searching by wheelchair accessibility, playground facilities, or public transit options.

About the Schuylkill Center for Environmental Education

The Schuylkill Center was founded in 1965 as the nation’s first urban environmental education center. Its 365-acres of fields and forests serve as a living laboratory to foster appreciation, deepen understanding, and encourage stewardship of the environment. Reaching over 36,000 Philadelphia-area residents each year, the Schuylkill Center offers a diverse collection of educational programs, including programs for school, continuing education for teachers, Pennsylvania’s first Nature Preschool, and a full calendar of events for the public. For more information: www.schuylkillcenter.org.