Published by the U.S. Forest Service Northern Research Station and the nonprofit Meristem, the book explores the multifaceted relationship between human health and the urban environment, drawing attention to sites and programs fostering creative design, connection to nature, civic stewardship, and sustainability. The volume includes academic writing of researchers in the fields of medical history, evolutionary psychology, and urban design. It couples this with practitioners’ experiential knowledge presented as case studies, thought pieces, and interviews. The book is suited for use in graduate and undergraduate education in a variety of disciplines including public health, urban planning, architecture, design, environmental studies and ecology.

The book is a collective effort, with a collection of 18 articles, 278 pages, full color with 100 photographs and 12 illustrations. It is currently available as a download for free through the Forest Service website http://www.nrs.fs.fed.us/pubs/8810.