Resources

• Organization: David Suzuki Foundation http://www.davidsuzuki.org/
• Date Published: May 7, 2013

In May 2013, over ten thousand Canadians joined the David Suzuki Foundation’s second annual 30 x 30 Nature Challenge. They took to the great outdoors and shared countless great photos and inspiring stories about getting outside. And participants helped measure the impact of their green time by participating in surveys before and after the challenge.

http://30×30.davidsuzuki.org/

• Organization: Childhood Obesity Foundation http://www.childhoodobesityfoundation.ca/
• Date Published: January 2, 2014

Communities can help in the reduction of childhood obesity by promoting the 5-2-1-0 rule. Every day, eat 5 fruits and vegetables, have 2 hours or less of screen time (no screen time under the age of 2), 1 hour or more of physical activity and 0 sugar-sweetened drinks.

https://childhoodobesityfoundation.ca/elementary-high-schools/

• Author(s): Susan Herrington, et al

• Organization: Consortium for Health, Intervention, Learning and Development http://childcarecanada.org/

• Date Published: January 2, 2013

“Seven Cs is an informational guide for early childhood educators, designers, administrators,
and parents.The goal of Seven Cs is to help people design outdoor play spaces that
support the development of young children and integrate the unique qualities of playing
outdoors.”

https://sala.ubc.ca/sites/sala.ubc.ca/files/documents/7Cs.pdf

• Author(s): The Trust for Public Land

• Organization: The Trust for Public land

• Date Published: August 14, 2014

This digital booklet discusses the latest research demonstrating the connection between parks and health in a concise manner that is easy to read and share with others. The authors encourage the readers ti share 8 Ways Parks Improve Your Health with their friends and neighbors, and anyone else who might enjoy learning about all the ways that parks boost the health of the whole community. An excellent resource to share with all.

8 ways that parks improve your health

• Author(s): Jules Pretty, Morris Griffin, Jo Peacock, et al.

• Organization: Countryside Recreation Network

• Date Published: February 1, 2005

The presence of nearby nature, and active participation with nature. The evidence suggests that nature can make positive contributions to our health, help us recover from preexisting stresses or problems, have an immunising effect by protecting us from future stresses, and help us to concentrate and think more clearly.

http://www.docs.hss.ed.ac.uk/education/outdoored/health_wellbeing.pdf

• Author(s): Canadian Parks Council

• Organization: Canadian Parks Council

• Date Published: September 1, 2014

In this statement, “CONNECTING Canadians with Nature: An Investment in the Wellbeing of our Citizens,” Canada’s Parks Ministers affirm and strengthen the fundamental bond the people of Canada have with nature. The statement outlines their committments on behalf of the people of Canada, for a shared vision, to innovating, diversifying and adapting park offerings, and to working across government and with Aboriginal leaders and to collaborating with other sectors of society.

http://www.parks-parcs.ca/english/CCN-Ministers_Statement%28En%29.pdf

A study of community design, greeness, and physical activity in children using satellite, GPS and accelerometer data

• Author(s): Estela Almanza, Michael Jerrett, Genevieve Dunton, Edmund Seto, Mary Ann Pentz

• Organization: Elsevier

• Date Published: September 16, 2011

This study examined relationships between greeness, exposure and free-living physical activity behaviour of children in smart growth and conventionally designed communities.

• Author(s): Emma Cohlmeyer

• Organization: Toronto Cycling Think & Do Tank

This report, a product of the social and civic infrastructure research stream, synthesizes academic behaviour change literature with the pragmatic application of cycling programs to present an adaptable, evidenced-based guide to the development of a “toolkit” to accelerate the adoption of cycling for transportation.

It explores the social infrastructure supporting cycling for transportation, introducing a new “toolkit” as an evidence-based method for cycling adoption. This model, suited to adaptation to accommodate local contexts, can foster substantial change in cycle use among diverse target groups, with different partners delivering the program, and diverse related barriers to cycling adoption. Based on a comprehensive review of scholarly literature and practitioner-based sources, this innovative toolkit provides an original, evidence-based analysis of the barriers and opportunities where cycling behaviour interventions and behaviour change theory intersect.

http://www.torontocycling.org/uploads/1/3/1/3/13138411/behaviour_change_report_final_16_april_2013.pdf