Health, Equity, and Nature: A Changing Climate in Lake County, IL
Brushwood Center at Ryerson Woods
Brushwood Center at Ryerson Woods works collaboratively with community partners, artists, health care providers, and scientists to improve health equity and access to nature in Lake County, Illinois, and the Chicago region. This report outlines key findings and recommendations for improving well-being in Lake County, Illinois, by addressing systemic inequities at the intersection of environment and health.
Understanding and Acting on the Health Benefits of Nature
Resilient by Nature Project (RxN)
The positive physical and mental health benefits of regular exposure to trees, green spaces and the outdoors are indisputable–and today, they are better documented and understood than ever before by researchers from diverse fields. More and more, a growing body of data asserts the connection between nature and human health. With this quickly growing evidence in hand, how might we use this knowledge to more significantly improve the design and function of urban areas like Chicago?
Nature Culture and Human Health Network
The Nature, Culture, and Human Health (NCH2) Network connects people with interests in investigating and applying knowledge about the health benefits of nature to improve the health and well-being of Chicago-region communities.
Healthy Chicago 2025: Closing Our Life Expectancy Gap PDF
City of Chicago Department of Public Health
Chicago’s five-year community health improvement plan focuses on racial and health equity, with an aim to meet the city’s goal of reducing the Black-white life expectancy gap.