Massachusetts Conservation Voters is a proud Olmsted 200 Celebration Partner

On September 21, 2021, hundreds of viewers tuned into Conversations with Olmsted: Parks, Equity and Public Health.

Hosted by Olmsted 200 and founding partner American Public Health Association (APHA), the third installment in the series, see video below, explored the role parks, and nature can play in achieving health equity and what can be done to equalize resources and ensure safe and equitable access to parks and green space for all communities.

Olmsted believed parks function as “lungs of the city,” offering spaces that foster physical and mental health. He was an early member of the APHA and understood humans’ need for access to nature and the critical connection between a thoughtful built environment and social, health, and ecological well-being.

During the pandemic, parks have served as critical health infrastructure. Yet recent data from the Trust for Public Land found that many, including low-income communities and communities of color, face serious barriers when it comes equal access.

This panel explored the role parks, and nature, can play in achieving health equity and what can be done to equalize resources and ensure safe and equitable access to parks and green space for all communities.

To learn more about Olmsted 200 and find an event near you, please click here.