My research investigates how the planning and design of cities can promote healthy child and youth development. This involves two main areas of attention. One seeks to understand effective practices to engage children and youth in processes of urban planning and design, with particular attention to young people from low-income families. A dimension of this work relates to education for sustainability, when schools engage students in the investigation of local issues and action to improve school grounds and urban public places. Another area of my research explores children's experience of natural areas in local communities and the impact of access to nature on health and well-being. Because the experiences of young people need to be understood in the broader context of research on adults, I also review and synthesize research on the contributions of contact with nature for adult health and well-being.
keywords
environmental psychology, conservation psychology, benefits of access to nature for children and adults, participatory planning and design, youth participatory action research
