East Side Park Resources

Why Nature For Everyone?

Cited Sources for Accessibility in Nature at East Side Park

... Alabama’s standing as one of the most biodiverse states in the U.S.

1) Bruce A. Stein. 2002. States of the Union: Ranking America’s Biodiversity. Arlington, Virginia: NatureServe.

Outdoor time improves people’s mental and physical health, including people with disabilities...

2) Assessing the value of urban green and blue spaces for health and well-being. wwwwhoint. https://www.who.int/europe/publications/i/item/WHO-EURO-2023-7508-47275-69347.

3) Foderaro L, Klein W. 2023 May 24. The Power of Parks to Promote Health. Trust for Public Land. https://www.tpl.org/parks-promote-health-report.

4) de Jong K, Albin M, Skärbäck E, Grahn P, Björk J. 2012. Perceived green qualities were associated with neighborhood satisfaction, physical activity, and general health: Results from a cross-sectional study in suburban and rural Scania, southern Sweden. Health & Place. 18(6):1374–1380. doi: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.healthplace.2012.07.001.

5) Maddock JE, Frumkin H. Physical Activity in Natural Settings: An Opportunity for Lifestyle Medicine. Am J Lifestyle Med. 2024 May 11;19(1):73-87. doi: https://doi.org/10.1177/15598276241253211. PMID: 39554918; PMCID: PMC11562474.

6) Molina-García J, Menescardi C, Estevan I, Queralt A. Associations between Park and Playground Availability and Proximity and Children's Physical Activity and Body Mass Index: The BEACH Study. Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2021 Dec 27;19(1):250. doi: https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph19010250. PMID: 35010510; PMCID: PMC8750605.

7) Saitta, M., Devan, H., Boland, P., & Perry, M. A. (2018). Park-based physical activity interventions for persons with disabilities: A mixed-methods systematic review. Disability and Health Journal, 12(1), 11–23. doi:https://doi.org/10.1016/j.dhjo.2018.07.006

8) White MP, Alcock I, Grellier J, Wheeler BW, Hartig T, Warber SL, Bone A, Depledge MH, Fleming LE. 2019. Spending at least 120 minutes a week in nature is associated with good health and wellbeing. Scientific Reports. 9(1). doi: https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-019-44097-3. https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-019-44097-3.

9) Zhang G, Poulsen D, Lygum V, Corazon S, Gramkow M, Stigsdotter U. 2017. Health-Promoting Nature Access for People with Mobility Impairments: A Systematic Review. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health. 14(7):703. doi: https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph14070703.

... natural topography and design often limit outdoor communal experiences

10) Alexander, K., O'Grady, J., and Herb, J. Focus Group Synthesis for Increasing Access to Nature for People with Disabilities. 2023. New Jersey State Policy Lab. New Brunswick, NJ: Rutgers University.

11) Terefe, A. E., & Hou, Y. (2024). Determinants influencing the accessibility and use of urban green spaces: A review of empirical evidence. City and Environment Interactions, 24, 100159. doi: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cacint.2024.100159.

12) Shields N, Synnot A. Perceived barriers and facilitators to participation in physical activity for children with disability: a qualitative study. BMC Pediatr. 2016 Jan 19;16:9. doi: https://doi.org/10.1186/s12887-016-0544-7. PMID: 26786677; PMCID: PMC4717582.

... A.D.A. requirements

13) ADA National Network. 2025. What is the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA)? ADA National Network. https://adata.org/learn-about-ada.