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Nature

Landscape, sunrise view

From oceans to forests, nature plays an essential role in the well-being and livelihoods of all species.

The Nature program addresses the importance of preserving and restoring the Earth’s ecosystems and biodiversity. It aims to build a deeper connection between humans and nature and examine our role in building a better natural world for the future.

Here are some resources to help you learn more:

Read

Gisel Garza: Seed hunter

Garza is a seed hunter. And even though the survival of the forests and their wildlife depends on her efforts, few people do what she does, and there are not enough seeds in nurseries. That’s a big problem. Seedlings are desperately needed to restore the 85,000 acres of thornforest in the Valley that have been identified as a high priority for reforestation.

5 Truths about U.S. Forests for Climate

The global urgency for “all of the above” climate action, driven by the acceleration of climate impacts, is fueling unprecedented interest in forests as a climate change solution. But this increased interest has brought increased scrutiny. These five truths, grounded in science, can provide a common foundation for the public and decision-makers to shape America’s efforts on forests and climate change.

What Happens When We Reconnect With Nature

Humans have long intuited that being in nature is good for the mind and body. From indigenous adolescents completing rites of passage in the wild, to modern East Asian cultures taking “forest baths,” many have looked to nature as a place for healing and personal growth. Science suggests we may seek out nature not only for our physical survival, but because it’s good for our social and personal well-being.

California Seeks to Reduce Inequity in Access to Nature

"Access to nature provides measurable physical and psychological benefits—or, as the American Psychological Association puts it: “green is good for you.”  Green space can play a particularly important role in urban areas, where it can help mitigate the effects of climate change. Unfortunately, the history of racial discrimination in the United States has created substantial disparities in access to nature for communities of color and economically disadvantage communities. California's legislature is poised to take action to reduce these disparities and ensure access to nature for all its citizens by enacting AB3030 and establishing a state policy and goal to protect 30% of nature in the State."

What Rural Jamaican Livelihoods Taught Me About Environmentalism

"Romantic notions of life in the countryside have no home here; it was a hard life and a short one—you were fortunate to reach 60. But this respect for the land and its richness never left me, even though I never knew the land itself."

Watch

Tree inequity magnifies the dangerous inequities that we have in our cities. We need the benefit of trees and forests more now than ever.
Watch this short documentary from Conservation International for a look at how a community in Colombia respects and relies on the natural world.

With their traditional culture now threatened by oil extraction and climate change, two Gwich'in women are continuing a decades-long fight to protect their land and future. The Arctic Refuge is home to lands and wildlife vital for the subsistence way of life of Alaska Native communities; and it serves a vital role as a remaining link with the unspoiled natural world and a source of hope for future generations, even for those who may never set foot there.

The fight to protect the Arctic Refuge. For hundreds of generations, the Gwich'in people of Alaska and northern Canada have depended on the caribou that migrate through the coastal plain of the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge.
Explore what makes trees a vital part of cities, and how urban spaces throughout history have embraced the importance of trees.

Act

Join The Largest Network Of Coastal Defenders In The World

Volunteers are the lifeblood of the Surfrider Foundation. Join the Surfrider Foundation's network and help tackle the issues that face our ocean, waves and beaches.

Volunteer with The Nature Conservancy

Each year thousands of TNC volunteers plant, pull, guide, count, collect, monitor and otherwise help keep nature healthy and wild. 

Nature graphic
One tree in a forest infographic
Gisel Garza: Seed hunter
Gisel Garza, Seed Hunter
American Forests Logo
American Forests is the Nature Program Sponsor for Climate Week NYC 2022