A Sustainable Revenue Model for Nature Contact: The Evidence

A growing body of evidence indicates nature-rich interventions involving outdoor recreation can have positive impacts on health outcomes while lowering medical costs. Problematically, funding for such interventions relies predominantly on sources that are unsustainable, for example philanthropic or governmental support that can disappear in economic downturns.

This think tank, a follow-up to 2018’s Nature Rx workshop, will explore the development of a sustainable revenue model for nature contact that would incentivize insurance companies, businesses and municipalities to invest in getting people outside.

The think tank will be broken into three three-hour sessions:

• Part 1, which will be held Th., Oct. 17, at 9 a.m., will explore the evidence for nature as a social determinant of health
• Part 2 (Th., Oct. 17, from 2-5 p.m.) will focus on case studies and current funding mechanisms for nature-rich interventions
• Part 3 (Fri., Oct. 18, 9 a.m.-12 p.m.) will synthesize the observations of the preceding two elements into a framework for a sustainable revenue model

Part 1: The Evidence

Moderator: Brenda Schmidt, Founder/CEO, Solera Health (2019 SHIFT Award Official Selection)

Panelists:

• Michael Tutty, PhD, Group Vice President of Professional Satisfaction and Practice Sustainability, American Medical Association
• Aruni Bhatnagar, PhD, Director, The Christina Lee Brown Envirome Institute
• Teresa Horton, PhD, Associate Professor of Research, Northwestern University
• Byron Crowe, MD, Associate Medical Director of Market Innovation, Solera Health