Program

Symposium Program:

Webinar & Theme

Guest Presenters

Webinar #1
Indigenous Approaches 
Indigenous and place-based cultures have held nature at the centre of life and health for millennia. This theme recognises that continuing Indigenous traditions has a central role in outdoor healthcare of all kinds.

  • Aunty Verna Nichols – pakana/ bunurong elder
  • Uncle Ken Jones – Boandik man
  • Luke Mabb – Wakka Wakka man

Webinar #2
Nature-based Interventions Across the Continuum of Care 
Nature-based interventions build health and wellbeing with wide-ranging target groups. This theme recognises a role for outdoor healthcare in health promotion, from prevention through early intervention, treatment and continuing care. 

  • Dr Christine Norton (USA)
  • Dr Robert Zarr (USA)

Webinar #3
Trauma-informed Nature-based Interventions 
Evidence-informed nature-based interventions are safe and culturally appropriate. This theme recognises that safe outdoor healthcare is trauma-informed, and seeks to ‘do no harm’.

  • Dr Caroline (Carlie)  Atkinson
  • Dr Gregory P. Smith

Webinar #4
Coming Together to Strengthen our Work 
While nature-based interventions may look different on the outside, they are likely more similar than different. This theme recognises the connections between nature-based practices of all kinds, and the shared bodies of research that underpin outdoor healthcare of all kinds.  

  • Kylie Peters 
  • Kerryn Coombs-Valeontis

Webinar #5 – Session 1
Human-Nature Connections 
While nature-based interventions may look different on the outside, they are likely more similar than different. This theme recognises the connections between nature-based practices of all kinds, and the shared bodies of research that underpin outdoor healthcare of all kinds.  

  • Judy Atkinson
  • Costa Georgiadis
  • Dr Robert Zarr

Webinar #5 – Session 2
Restoring People and Planet 
Most natural environments and most species around the world are experiencing a deterioration in living conditions. This theme recognises a role for outdoor healthcare in restoring humans and natural environments, for the health of all. 

  • Ruth Langford 
  • Samantha Strong
  • Prof Tony Capon

Webinar #5 – Session 3
Lunchtime ‘Stories of Practice’
Around Australia and the world, nature-based interventions come in many forms. This theme invites ‘stories of practice’ from practitioners of various outdoor healthcare modalities.

  • Wayne Enright
  • Liz Everard
  • Graham Pringle
  • Rachael Millsom
  • Jennifer McCormack
  • Narell Neville
  • Kit Kline

Webinar #5 – Session 4
Outdoor Health
Humans are drawn to nature for health, wellbeing and healing. This theme recognises the benefits of going outdoors together – for human health and healthcare.

  • Tony Varcoe, Anthea Dee, Shauna Jones & John Cartwright (Parks Victoria)
  • Dr Pauline Marsh
  • Dr Anita Pryor, Ben Knowles & Kylie Peters

The “Nature & Health” Symposium Program consisted of 4 x weekly 90min webinars and 1 whole-day event held at the following times (Australian Eastern Standard Time):

  1. Webinar #1: Tue 2nd June (90min) 12pm-1.30pm AEST
  2. Webinar #2: Tue 9th June (90min) 7.30am-9am AEST
  3. Webinar #3: Tues 16th June (90min) 12pm-1.30pm AEST
  4. Webinar #4: Tue 23rd June (90min) 7.30am-9am AEST
  5. Webinar #5: Fri 26th June (whole-day) 9.30am-4.30pm AEST.

The 4 x weekly webinars presented examples of evidence-informed nature-based health interventions in action. These lead-in webinars were designed to be experiential in nature, and nourishing for attendees. Each 90min webinar included 2 x 20min presentations and a facilitated conversation between presenters and attendees.

The whole-day Symposium showcased the work of guest speakers who drew links between human and environmental health and the importance of Indigenous approaches, within a framework of ‘Nature for health’. This day involved a series of four themed sessions. Each session shared presentations by guest speakers, followed by a facilitated conversation between presenters and attendees.

All registered attendees were emailed a link to each event 1 day prior to the event, and can view all webinars at their leisure until 31st July 2020. All new registrants receive access to video recordings of all events until the same date.