Nature champions

The Inova Fairfax Hospital for Children, located in Northern Virginia, is partnering with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service in an initiative where health care providers are trained as Nature Champions. Nature Champions are healthcare providers and caregivers trained to prescribe visits to wildlife refuges and other nature centers as additional means of preventing and treating a wide range of childhood ailments including obesity and mental illness. The initiative fosters an appreciation for nature while improving the health of children. TR Bear, Blue Goose, and refuge staff use playtime and room visits to encourage the young patients and their parents and introduce pediatric doctors and hospital staff to the National Wildlife Refuge System.