A New Era of Nature Rx
Seeking Nature During Unprecedented Times
May 2021
The UC Davis Arboretum and Public Garden was one of only seven botanic gardens across the nation to remain open at the start the pandemic. New regulations prompted many state and national parks and natural areas to become overrun with visitors, and the Arboretum was no exception. We have experienced a huge surge in visitors, many of which stop and share their appreciation with us for remaining open. While people have always thanked us for our work, I must say that there is clearly a different tone and depth of gratitude we’re hearing now. People say things such as “this has been my sanctuary,”, “you have no idea,” and “I don’t know what I would have done without this place."
It’s extraordinarily gratifying and humbling to be a part of – knowing that you’re helping to steward a critical resource for our community during this difficult time is truly an honor. The gardens continue to be enjoyed by many, and the power of the Arboretum to connect people to the value and wonder and beauty of native plants is alive and well.
-Stacey Parker, GATEways Horticulturist
If you Google things to do in Davis, it’s not surprising to find that time and again the Arboretum and Public Garden is at the very top of the list. One of my very favorite things about my job is that the Arboretum is free and open to the public every single day of the year, and as such, we get to share the beauty of this unique place with so many. Visitors from both near and far have no limit as to how many times a day, month or year they can come and enjoy the unfolding of the seasons, the wildlife, taking a walk, taking a nap or having a picnic in a beautiful outdoor setting.
The UC Davis Chancellor’s plan, "To Boldly Go," calls on us “...to address the needs and challenges of a diverse and changing world,... in support of a healthy planet and the physical and societal well-being of its inhabitants.” Fortunately, the Arboretum and Public Garden recognizes the critical role we play in the health of our community. In study after study, researchers have shown that people spend more time indoors looking at screens than they do outside enjoying nature and that our health (mental, emotional and physical) is suffering as a result.
In a time of unprecedented change, we are more aware than ever of the deep and abiding value the Arboretum and Public Garden provides, not only in supporting the University’s mission of research, teaching and public engagement, but also in serving as a significant resource for health and well-being. With the well-being of our community in mind, we have been broadening and expanding the reach of Nature Rx, a theme of programming that aims to connect the campus and local communities to the healing power of nature. We were thrilled that our work with Nature Rx was featured in Nature Rx: Improving College-Student Mental Health, a book by Don Rakow and Gregory Eells.
Fortunately, we are not alone in this work. First of all, we are so grateful for the seed funding provided by the Excelerate Foundation to expand our Nature Rx programming. Then, two years ago, we joined forces with others at UC Davis working to foster a renewed culture of health and well-being. Healthy UC Davis (HUCD) is a network of campus partners formed out of a UC-wide initiative with the aim of making UC Davis the healthiest place to work, learn and live. Finding innovative and impactful partnerships to contribute to this mission has been inspiring and uplifting as we work towards such a lofty and worthy goal.
We’re honored to get to work alongside so many that make this place better each and every day. In particular, we love supporting and inspiring people to rediscover their relationship with the natural world and the sense of well- being that comes from doing so. We look forward to sharing many more exciting accomplishments of our work with Healthy UC Davis in the months and years to come.