2018 DuPage Environmental Summit Presented By The ...... · mindfully moving through the landscape in ways that cultivate presence, open all the ... Wheaton@shinrinyokuwheaton Jodi

7:30-8:30 Registration/Exhibits/Light Breakfast

8:30-8:50 Welcome

Brook McDonald, President/CEO, The Conservation Foundation

Amy Grant, DuPage Environmental Committee Chair

Barb Szczepaniak, Vice President for Programs, DuPage Foundation

Joe Cantore, President Forest Preserve District of DuPage County

8:50-9:30 Where’s the Tree: Documenting the Health Benefits of Nature

Dr. Teresa H. Horton, Bachelor of Science in Zoology, University of Washington, PhD, Biology,

subspecialty: Ecology, Evolutionary, and Organismal Biology, University of Utah. Current

Position: Associate Professor of Research, Department of Anthropology, Northwestern

University, Evanston IL. She is also a member of E2HD, a research collaboration focused on

Evolutionary and Ecological Approaches to Health and Development.

It is probably safe to say that most people attending the conference already know that

spending time outside surrounded by nature can make you feel better. However, as society

becomes more urbanized, we are removed from our connection with nature. We are only

just beginning to understand the consequences of that disconnection both to the

environment and to human health and well-being. This presentation will describe the

evidence for the health benefits of nature, the diverse mechanisms by which nature can

influence health, and the gaps on our knowledge that need to be filled as we work to devise

policies and programs that will conserve nature and improve the health of people and their

communities.

2018 DuPage Environmental Summit Presented By

The Conservation Foundation

Nature Rx: How Spending Time in Nature Is Good for Our Mind, Body, and Soul

January 25, 2018 7:30-12:00 PM Northern Illinois University, Naperville Campus

Thank you to our sponsors!

9:30-10:00 Rx for Health: Walking in Nature

The Story of an Equitability Expanding Initiative in Lake County, Illinois

Jon Ashworth, MDiv, MA, LPC, I/ECMH-C, Health Equity Coordinator with the Lake County

Health Dept. and Community Health Center in Lake County, Illinois

Jon is helping the health department fulfill its mission, which is “Promoting the health

and well-being of all who live, work and play in Lake County.” For the past four years,

the health department has been partnering with the Lake County Forest Preserve

District and NorthShore University HealthSystem to facilitate the Rx for Health:

Walking in Nature initiative. Jon will share with us today the story of how this initiative

started with limited participation, which also was not representative of the

demographics of the entire county. Then, by implementing a change in approach to

outreach and promotion, the initiative expanded greatly in its third and fourth years.

10:00-10:20 BREAK/RAFFLE- Exhibit Area

10:20-10:50 Health Benefits of Trees

Dr. Kristen Esposito Brendel, PhD, LCSW, E-RYT founder of Per La Vita Wellness, LLC.

Recent research suggests that practicing mindfulness in natural settings such as forest

preserves, parks, gardens, near water and even in our own backyard improves mental

and physical health, increases happiness and feelings of contentment, and reduces

pain and stress. During the presentation, Dr. Kristin Brendel will discuss implications of

current research and present practical, evidence-based applications of mindfulness in

nature.

10:50-11:20 Forest Therapy: Using Your Senses to Connect to Nature

Brenda Spitzer, Certified Forest Therapy Guide, The Morton Arboretum

Through her training as a Certified Forest Therapy Guide, Brenda will discuss the

history humans have with nature and why we are optimized for forest environments.

As people become more connected to technology, they need more nature to achieve a

balance.

2018 DuPage Environmental Summit Presented By

The Conservation Foundation

11:20-11:55 Panel Discussion - Existing Health and Nature Programs

Jodi Trendler, co-founder of The Resiliency Institute

The Resiliency Institute offers Nature Therapy and Shinrin-yoku walks which are led by

guides certified through the Association of Nature and Forest Therapy. Walks are

attended with a specific intention to connect with nature for restoration and healing by

mindfully moving through the landscape in ways that cultivate presence, open all the

senses, and create opportunities for nature communication. The focus is on the

journey, not the destination with walks of typically a mile or less, ranging in duration

from one to three hours in various local wooded areas. You can find an example of an

invitation and register for a walk on our website http://www.theresiliencyinstitute.net/

learn/nature-therapy-shinrin-yoku/

Brenda Spitzer, The Morton Arboretum

(See description on previous page)

David Andrusyk, Forest Preserve District of DuPage County

Keriann Dubina, Forest Preserve District of DuPage County

The Forest Fitness Walk officially began in the spring of 2011. It took the place of a

similar program that was led by a Naturalist who left the Forest Preserve District. At

that time, the program was only led a Fullersburg Woods and was kept to only walking

a 3-mile distance. The purpose of the program is to promote healthy living through

walking. The program is for adults who want to walk outdoors, but want to be guided

and walk in a social setting. Over the years, the program has changed, where now the

group walks in various preserves throughout the county and each week the distance

increases culminating with a 10-mile hike.

11:55-12:00 Closing comments

Exhibit Area Remains Open

2018 DuPage Environmental Summit Presented By

The Conservation Foundation

Dr. Teresa Horton grew up in the foothills of the Cascade Mountains north of Seattle, Washington. A

childhood spent wandering in the woods led to a career in biology. As an environmental physiologist,

she combines the principles of ecology, evolution, and physiology to investigatet he mechanisms by

which environmental conditions alter physiology and behavior. Her early research was among the first

to show that environmental information transmitted by females to their fetuses results in significant

changes in development. She has continued to examine the effects of the environment, biological

rhythms, and stress on physiology and behavior. Since joining the Department of Anthropology at

Northwestern University she has applied those skills to investigating the hypothesis that spending time

in nature improves health and well-being. She lives in Evanston with her husband and the dog and

chinchilla left behind when their son went to college.

Jon Ashworth is known as a system leader, specializing in helping organizations, systems and

communities develop and implement health improvement initiatives, through a team-based, quality

improvement approach. Jon formerly served for over 10-years as the Social-Emotional Child

Development Specialist with Child and Family Connections, within the Illinois Early Intervention System.

Jon also currently serves as the Director of Organizational Development and Quality Improvement with

Consulting Partnerships, a consulting firm in the greater Chicago area. He also currently serves as a

Consultant and Improvement Facilitator with the Illinois Chapter of the American Academy of Pediatrics

and has served as a Professional Development Instructor and Consultant with Erikson Institute in

Chicago. Jon has specialized in working with children, adolescents and families (and professionals who

serve these populations) over the past 25 years. Jon and his wife love going for walks together in their

neighborhood and in local forest preserves and parks.

Dr. Kirsten Esposito Brendel is the founder of Per La Vita Wellness, LLC., a company located in Geneva,

Ill. That is devoted to mindfulness-based clinical interventions for holistic health and wellness. At Per La

Vita Wellness, Dr., Brendel facilitates individual, group, and corporate classes on mindfulness-based

stress reduction, as well as organizes mindfulness and yoga retreats abroad helping participants connect

with nature as a means of increasing happiness and reducing stress. Dr. Brendel also works as an

assistant professor of social work at Aurora University where she teaches, conducts research, leads

study abroad and immersion courses on mindfulness, and presents nationally and internationally the

benefits of mindfulness for mental and physical health.

2018 Speakers and Panelists

Brenda Spitzer has been a member and volunteer of The Morton Arboretum since 1993. She has a

Bachelor of Arts in Art Degree from Northern Illinois University. She has earned certificates in Natural

History and Botanical Art and Illustration from The Morton Arboretum and a certificate in Sustainable

Landscapes from College of DuPage. After attending a Forest Therapy Guide Training Workshop,

facilitated by The Association of Nature and Forest Therapy Guides and Programs in June 2015, she

completed a six-month practicum and became a Certified Forest Therapy Guide. She established the

“Nature Rx: Forest Therapy Walk” program at The Morton Arboretum and has been guiding walks there

since 2015. She also guides walks for adults with special needs who are members of The Western

DuPage Special Recreation Association. Brenda is a featured writer, contributing blog posts, for the

website of The Association of Nature Forest Therapy Guides and programs. She also assisted at The

Association’s 2017 Forest Therapy Guide Training Workshop that was held at The Morton Arboretum.

Brenda is also an avid gardener and member of The Conservation Foundation. Her home landscape has

earned ‘Conservation@Home” status. Brenda’s mission is to guide others to connect with and

rediscover the healing powers of nature. Facebook Page: Shinrin-yoku Nature and Forest Therapy-

Wheaton@shinrinyokuwheaton

Jodi Trendler is a co-founder of The Resiliency Institute. Jodi has worked to build community

sustainability through several non-profit and municipal organizations over her career. She has advanced

training in permaculture teaching as well as with several veteran permaculture designers, and became a

certified Forest Therapy Guide in 2015. The Resiliency Institute’s nature connection programming is a

foundational component to all programs. It is our philosophy that re-connecting people to nature is the

necessary leverage point to ensure the success of all other resilience building programs. Jodi always

welcomes the opportunity to share a walk in the woods or forest garden with everyone who will join

her.

David Andrusyk has worked for the Forest Preserve District of DuPage County for 19 years. He spent

five years of his career working in Natural Resource Management, doing restoration work in the Forest

Preserves throughout DuPage County. He then moved on into teaching school, scout and public

programs in the District’s forest preserves working first at James ‘Pate’ Philip State Park in Bartlett, then

at Fullersburg Woods in Oak Brook. He has his Bachelor of Science Degrees in Environmental

Management and Geography from Elmhurst College. Dave is an Eagle Scout and is still involved in

scouting as a leader and merit badge councilor. He has also been a member of the National Association

for Interpretation for over 15 years.

2018 Speakers and Panelists (cont’d)

Keriann Dubina has been a Naturalist with the Forest Preserve District of DuPage County

since 2009. She received her B.S. in Zoology and M.S. in Biology with a focus in Ornithology,

both from Western Illinois University. As a Naturalist, Keriann is involved in teaching school,

cout and public programs and events. Keriann is a certified Merit Badge Counselor for the Boy

Scouts of America and is currently a Master Naturalist Intern with U of I Extension. Some of her

favorite topic to educate on are birds and fish.

Bird walks began at FPDDC long before 2009. Beginning in 2011, I became a co-leader of the

walks and eventually took over the program called FullersBird Fridays. The early years of the

program involved walking at the same preserve for 8 weeks during the spring and fall migration

seasons. It has now evolved to travel to different forest preserves every week during those

migrations. In addition, there are feature walks peppered in throughout the year targeting

certain bird species or forest preserves. FullersBird Friday has a strong following of regular

attendees.

2018 Speakers and Panelists (cont’d)

2015 DuPage Environmental Summit

Presented By

The Conservation Foundation and

DuPage County Stormwater Management

Nature Rx: How Spending Time in Nature is Good for the Mind, Body, and Soul

January 25, 2018 7:30 AM-12:00 PM Exhibitors and Sponsors

Bedrock Earthscapes, LLC 1501 E. Harrison Ave Wheaton, IL 60187 (630) 428-11159

www.bedrockearthscapes.com

DuPage County Stormwater Management (sponsor) 421 N. County Farm Rd. Wheaton, IL 60187 (630) 407-6700

www.dupageco.org/swm

Cantigny 1S151 Winfield Rd. Wheaton, IL 60189 (847) 823-0500

www.cantigny.org

Faith in Place 70 E. Lake St., Suite 920 Chicago, IL 60601 (312) 733-4640

www.faithinplace.org

Christopher B. Burke Engineering (sponsor) 9575 West Higgins Rd. Rosemont, IL 60018 (847) 823-0500

www.cbbel.com

Forest Preserve District of Cook County 1140 W. Lake St. Oak Park, IL 60301 (312) 590-6361

www.fpdcc.com

Citizens Climate Lobby Email: [email protected] www.citizensclimatelobby.org

Forest Preserve District of DuPage County (sponsor) 3S580 Naperville Rd. Wheaton, IL 60189-8761 (630) 779-4893

www.dupageforest.org

Cool DuPage/DuPage County (sponsor) 421 N. County Farm Rd. Wheaton, IL 60187 (630) 407-6700

www.dupageco.org/CoolDuPage

Forest Preserve District of Kane County 1996 South Kirk Rd., Suite320 Geneva, IL 60134 (630) 232-5980

www.kaneforest.com

2018 DuPage Environmental Summit Presented By

The Conservation Foundation

Forest Preserve District of Kendall County 110 W. Madison St. Yorkville, IL 60560 (630) 553-4025

www.co.kendall.il.us/forestpreserve/

The Resiliency Institute 10S404 Knoch Knolls Rd. Naperville, IL 60565

(630) 447-9910

www.theresiliencyinstitute.net

Forest Preserve District of Will County 17540 W. Laraway Rd. Joliet, IL 60433 (815) 727-8700

www.reconnectwithnature.org

SCARCE 799 Roosevelt Rd. Building 2, Suite 108 Glen Ellyn, IL 60137 (630) 545-9710

www.scarceecoed.org

Hitchcock Design Group 225 West Jefferson Ave. Naperville, IL 60540 (630) 961-1787

www.hitchcockdesigngroup.com

Sierra Club, River Prairie Group Connie Schmidt (630)393-6276

www.sierraclub.org/illinois/river-prairie

Lake County Health Department 3010 Grand Ave., 2nd floor Waukegan, IL 60085 (847) 377-4881

www.lakecountyil.gov

Sustain DuPage

Andrew VanGorp

www.sustaindupage.org

The Morton Arboretum 4100 Illinois 53 Lisle, IL 60532 (630) 968-0074

www.mortonarb.org

The Conservation Foundation (sponsor) and Green Earth Institute 10S404 Knoch Knolls Rd. Naperville, IL 60565 (630) 428-4500

www.theconservationfoundation.org

www.greenearthinstitute.org

Nicor Gas/ Energy Efficiency Program Emily Rohan 630-388-3453 [email protected] www.nicorgasrebates.com