Partnership Hosts Success Community Wellness Summit

On Friday, May 1st, the South Mountain Partnership convened partners and community members with expertise in outdoor recreation, local food systems, community design, and health & wellness for a day-long conversation on how natural, agricultural and built environments are an important Front Line in individual and community wellness. Dr. William Sullivan (Professor of Landscape Architecture) launched the day’s conversation with an inspiring and insightful presentation on the impacts that access and views of the outdoors and natural spaces have on individuals’ abilities to focus attention and handle stress. A morning plenary session utilized two case studies from the local landscape – one from an urban setting (Eat, Play, Breathe York) and one from a rural setting (Mercersburg Area Council for Wellness) – to explore comprehensive, integrative efforts to consider how our surroundings impact health and wellness. Breakout sessions structured around three themes – outdoor recreation & physical activity, local food & healthy nutrition, and community design & the built environment – then allowed participants to delve deeper into specific topics. The Summit was supported by lead partner Partnership for Better Health. Additional funding was provided in part by the Pennsylvania Recreation and Park Society and the Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources’ Pennsylvania Recreational Trails Program funded through the Federal Highway Administration.