Community Benefits
Community:
- Integrate the local community with the local environment – build a sense of place, a sense of belonging; appreciate the beautiful surroundings and what makes this habitat special (reduces fear, makes people more comfortable)
- Gathering place - indoors and out - place to connect with each other and the environment
- Access to and education about wild spaces people may not have access to otherwise (e.g. many can't get away to parks or "up north" or are fearful of the unknown or different) and thus can then get the benefits that nature has to offer for well being (physical, mental, cognitive). e.g. Kids's Camp, Environmental Learning Center
- Build community in gathering and caring for the space/natural environment/gardens
- Example: Mears Park (design by Weiming Lu) natural spaces, "adopt a garden", brought in the birds, animals, people... people felt ownership and community. Really boosted the living environment downtown.