Life Course Nature Exposure and Mental Health Outcomes: A Systematic Review and Future Directions

Recently, an emerging body of literature has examined the relationships between early life nature exposure and mental health in later life; however, no critical synthesis yet exists regarding the extent and strength of these relationships. This study presents the first systematic review of studies in this growing area. Following the PRISMA framework, we searched six databases (i.e., Scopus, Web of Science, MEDLINE, Embase, PsycINFO, and CINAHL); conducted identification, screening, eligibility, and inclusion analyses; and identified a final set of 29 articles. The review set comprises primarily longitudinal studies, with several cross-sectional studies using retrospective measures of childhood nature exposure. The majority of included studies were published between 2016 and 2020 and conducted in Europe and North America. Five domains of mental health outcomes are associated with early-life nature exposure: incidence of mental disorders, psychiatric symptoms and emotions, conduct problems in children, cognitive function, and subjective well-being. The evidence lends support to an overall beneficial role of early nature exposure on mental health, although inconsistencies are reported. Taken together, the evidence does not suggest that exposure at any given life stage is more saliently associated with mental health outcomes than at others. We discuss the validity concerns and methodological remedies and offer directions for future research

Planning and Design for the Levee Green and Historical Downtown District, Wharton, Texas

During the spring semester of 2021, Master of Landscape Architecture (MLA) students developed design concepts in the LAND 621 studio. Students build on the local knowledge and community feedback collected by the City in December 2020. Further, they participated in a virtual community engagement design charrette with community leaders and residents who provided the community vision and direction for the designs. The final ideas were presented to the public using a virtual platform, Social Pinpoint, where community members engaged and provided community feedback. Students explored designs for the greenway corridor along the Colorado River to address flooding mitigation and stormwater management while meeting the community's recreational needs by connecting the riverfront and existing parks by a trail system. The designs aim to restore shared outdoor gathering spaces and to establish long-needed connectivity to other parts of the City. Based on the community priority and future development potential, students focused on enhancing existing assets like the downtown, Fulton Street Corridor, Guffey Park, Milam Street, Elm Street Promenade, Railroad Greenway, and Sunset Street, Riverside Nature Park, and West-end Community Health Park.The City of Wharton partnered with TxTC to develop a Master Plan and Landscape Improvement Design for the Levee Green and Historic Downtown District. The City reached out to TxTC to help plan a levee green space overlay project, which includes an $80 million the US Army Corps of Engineers levee project that will span approximately 6 miles through Wharton and along the banks of the Colorado River. The levee will be adjacent to communities that have been repeatedly impacted by flooding events and run along the southern border of the historically registered downtown business district and preserved courthouse.City of Wharton, Texas; Texas Target Communities (TxTC); Texas A&M University (TAMU