Information and Education

The list below aggregates information on various nature-focused topics and the Bay Area businesses and nonprofits working on those issues. Use this page to find the people working on the nature topic you’re researching, or to find out about projects your readers might be interested in.

Gardens and Nature Programs for Building Community

Experiencing and caring for nature can help groups of people build community. The organizations or gardens below are great examples of community-oriented, nature-focused programs:

Gardens or Nature Programs for Relaxation

More and more research is showing the detriments to our wellbeing of all our time spent on our electronic gadgets and screens. As these things have come to dominate our waking hours, time spent outdoors is increasingly important as a counterbalance. And outdoor spaces that instill a sense of peace are crucial for mental and physical health. The businesses or non-profits below are involved with creating or promoting natural spaces for relaxation and rejuvenation.

Therapeutic Gardens or Nature Programs for Health and Healing

Time spent outside among plants has been shown to lower stress hormones, improve academic performance, aid in physical and mental healing, and more for our bodies and minds. Healing gardens can range from simply a place to observe plants to spaces that are specifically designed to promote healing of some kind. The businesses or non-profits below are dedicated to creating or promoting gardens that are therapeutic:

 

Edible Gardening

Growing food in an urban setting can improve diets, help folks save money, and build community. Edible and ornamental plants can be integrated to maximize the physical and mental benefits of the space. The businesses, non-profits and community gardens below are involved with creating food gardens, teaching gardening skills, and/or providing a space for food gardens.

Community and Connected Natural Spaces

A garden doesn’t stand alone. It’s intimately connected to surrounding gardens by water, air, insects, pollen, and people. Thinking of the garden as just a part of a network opens huge possibilities for human connection and collaborative beautification. And if we can use our outdoor spaces both to unwind and connect with others, the combination can be powerfully restorative. The businesses and non-profits below help create green connections throughout SF to benefit the public and our local ecology:

San Francisco Native Plants and Ecology

The businesses and non-profits below are experts in native San Francisco plants and ecology:

Gardens and Nature Programs for Youth and Adult Education

Gardens and outdoor spaces offer many opportunities for learning and can provide experiential learning in all the school subjects. The businesses and non-profits below provide or promote nature-focused education in the form of events, classes or one-on-one lessons.

 Garden/Nature Speakers and Teachers

If you have an event that would benefit from a knowledgable speaker on gardening or nature, check here for qualified people.