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.
RxN Collaboration Platform Feasibility Study
Resilient by Nature Project (RxN)
This feasibility study is grounded in RxN's broader effort to expand the role of nature in Chicago’s neighborhoods to improve health and quality of life through nature-based solutions (NBS). Green Infrastructure (GI) implementation is one of many potential NBS strategies. This research examines barriers to both the prioritization of GI, and to interagency collaboration. Prepared by Foresight Design.
BiodiverCities by 2030: Transforming Cities’ Relationship with Nature
World Economic Forum
The BiodiverCities by 2030 initiative combines the latest research with practical solutions in the service of sustainable, inclusive and nature-positive urban development. The report, released in January 2022, provides a vision for cities of the future that place nature at the heart of decision-making and infrastructure investments.
BiodiverCities by 2030-Global Commission
World Economic Forum
The BiodiverCities by 2030 initiative combines the latest research with practical solutions in the service of sustainable, inclusive and nature-positive urban development.
Collaboration on Nature-Based Solutions is Key to Resilient City Infrastructure
World Resources Institute
Research shows that nature-based solutions (also sometimes called “natural” or “green” infrastructure) such as trees, wetlands, parks, open spaces and green roofs can address many of these problems at once. Nature-based solutions serve as multi-benefit infrastructure that meet core community needs while also providing co-benefits.
Joint Benefits Authority
World Resources Institute
The Joint Benefits Authority is an independent entity for collaboration that allows joint planning, funding, project delivery, and long-term stewardship for transformational projects that deliver multiple benefits to communities by scaling natural infrastructure approaches. As a tool/framework/approach, it provides a more effective way to address challenging cross-sector problems faced by communities through collaboration.
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.
Chicago and Calumet Rivers Watershed Council
In 2020, the Chicago-Calumet River Watershed Council (Watershed Council) established a forum to expand collaborative watershed-based stormwater management using multi-benefit nature-based solutions. The 16-member Watershed Council’s approach is to maximize multiple ecological, social, and climate resiliency objectives across jurisdictional boundaries.