Biophilic Summit explores health for people and nature

Biophilic design, biophilic cities, re-wilding cities, urban ecological restoration, nurturing nature,
nature-based solutions, biomimicry, water sensitive design and sponge cities, biophilic thinking on food and transport systems, transforming school outdoor spaces, mātauranga Māori and public health - these were all topics of discussion at the first Bay of Plenty and Lakes Biophilic Summit held in Tauranga in New Zealand on the 20th June 2019.

Hosted by Toi Te Ora Public Health, the public health service for the Bay of Plenty and Lakes, the theme of this one-day event was connecting people with nature.

The summit brought together leaders, experts and representatives from across the community (such as from local government, education, academia, health, tourism, community groups and Iwi)
to discuss and develop our understanding of biophilic thinking and about how adopting biophilic
approaches in the Bay of Plenty and Lakes districts can provide benefits for people, nature and the
planet.

The summit included local, national and international experts. Professor Tim Beatley from Biophilic
Cities gave a presentation ‘Biophilic Cities: Cities that love nature’ via video. Dr Jana Soderlund from
Biophilic Solutions presented ‘Integrating nature and the built environment through biophilic design’. A local example of biophilic schools was presented by the founders of Te Puna Taiao, Erin Green and Hannah Simmonds. They spoke about healthy resilient children and communities through transformed school spaces which provide for more connection to nature for children and communities. Eugene Berryman-Kamp from Te Arawa River Iwi Trust spoke about ‘Ko au te awa, ko
awa te au’ – I am the river, the river is me. Eugene provided an iwi perspective on the connection
between his iwi and nature.

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Dr Neil de Wet, Medical Officer of Health for Bay of Plenty and Lakes, led the team organising the summit, and spoke about the history of ideas, principles and practice in biophilic theory, biophilic design and biophilic cities that inspired and informed the concept of biophilic public health, the re-shaping of public health thinking to be about 'Health for All - both people and nature'  and centred on our innate 'love, awe and respect' for nature.

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See the progamme below - with speakers and topics.

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