I’ll be in sidekick mode on WNRN this Sunday … this is a paragraph written by Kate White, the "star" of this weekend’s show. I’ll be adding my input here and there, but I will primarily be discussing some of the neighborhoods in the Charlottesville and Albemarle areas that seem to be most nature-accessible as well as some that are close to parks, hiking and some of the other outstanding nature attractions in the area. Candidly, I’m looking forward to listening and learning.

"Join realtor Jim Duncan and Belvedere resident Kate White in a discussion with Rick Moore of The Wake-Call on Children and Nature in Development. White is a nature-based education teacher, pre and perinatal specialist, massage and craniosacral therapist. She says that her specialty is the developing nervous system and sees play in nature as a way to increase health on every level from the individual to family to community. Part of her educational platform includes designing communities that include free time in nature for children.

There has been an explosion of research and programs about the impact of living in connection with nature since the publication of Last Child in the Woods. White has been teaching nature-based classes since 2001. She will be going over the data on why free play in nature is important, especially for communities that emphasize nature in their design like her Belvedere neighborhood. Jim Duncan has observed Charlottesville real estate trends for years. Their comments together will invite discussion for this great call-in radio program. Give it a listen! WNRN 91.9 FM Sunday at 11 am.

Main points:
Play in nature increases cognitive ability, peace and well-being in children;
Close-knit communities that are multi-generational in nature also increase health in people;
Connection to nature can encourage the wonder of childhood in children of all ages, and it can help reinforce family cohesion;
Connection to nature is a great antidote to the fast paced culture we live in, why not have it in your neighborhood?
Charlottesville offers excellent opportunities to connect with nature that are mostly free and plentiful.
If nature connection is so good, why aren’t we doing it more rather than less?"

If you can’t listen the show live, you can listen to the podcast on Charlottesville Podcast Network or comment/email/tweet/send me in some way your questions.