MAPPING ACCESS: ANALYZING ACCESS TO NATURE OPPORTUNITIES FOR WISCONSIN’S SCHOOLCHILDREN

Abstract

The benefits of nature experiences for youth development are well documented, and include improved mental and physical health, reduced stress, increased achievement levels, as well as bolstered resilience in coping with adversity. However, barriers to nature experiences have increased in recent years, particularly as a result of greater access to electronic media. Furthermore, socioeconomic factors restrict opportunities for disadvantaged sectors of the population. I provide a framework for spatial analysis that quantifies opportunities for Wisconsin’s schoolchildren to access nature by leveraging school districts as discrete policy units. The framework includes spatial measurements of a variety of landscape features, including proximity to federal lands, DNR managed lands, public parks, waterways, and school forests. Additionally, the framework includes measures of the tree cover of school grounds, along with the density of developed land within a school district and overall walkability. I combine these indicators to produce an Access to Nature Index (ANI). The results of the ANI allow for the identification of several trends in access to nature. Statewide, school districts in the north tend to have greater access to nature while districts further south tend to exhibit less overall access. The results of this study document the current state of youth access to nature at school where children spend a large portion of their time.