May 7, 2019, Tuesday - Next Generation of Parks - Dr. Robert Zarr

Time: 6:30 PM – 8:00 PM

Location: The Trailhead, Wirth Park, 1221 Theodore Wirth Pkwy

Next Generation of Parks - Dr. Robert Zarr

Instead of popping a pill, pediatrician Dr. Zarr often recommends popping over to your neighborhood park. In this talk, you’ll discover how a daily dose of nature is sometimes the best medicine for a range of increasingly common illnesses like depression and pre-diabetes, along with how Dr. Zarr is working with other physicians to make prescribing parks more accessible.

Parks Rx America research indicates obesity costs the United States $190 billion each year, some 29 million Americans suffer from diabetes, and 15.7 million American adults reported having at least one major depressive episode in the past year. While improving health outcomes for adults can save lives and unburden the health care system, giving children access to nature sets them up for success before chronic illness takes root. According to Park Rx America, “being outside in a park or close to trees … increases physical activity, improves children’s school grades and behavior, and helps children become more social and resilient.”

“There’s no more critical time than now to elevate the role parks and urban nature plays in individual and community health,” says Tom Evers, Executive Director of the Minneapolis Parks Foundation. “It’s estimated that more than 60% of Minnesota’s population lives in the Twin Cities. Creating opportunities for metro communities to spend time outdoors – consistently and across all seasons – should be a priority for human health and wellbeing.”

Who Should Attend

Park lovers, urban dwellers, parents, teachers, care givers, physicians, mental health professionals, planners, designers, nature lovers, wellness-seakers, and anyone who feels the benefit of being able to get outside.

About DR. ZARR

Dr. Robert Zarr is a board-certified pediatrician at Unity Health Care, located in Washington, DC, where he cares for low-income and immigrant populations. He is Founder and Medical Director of Park Rx America, a community health initiative to prescribe nature to patients and families to prevent and treat chronic disease and promote wellness. He previously served as the Park Rx Advisor to the National Park Service in his national advocacy to connect people to parks.