May 2025
Recommended by Anabel Livengood, Senior Educational Developer
While we have books, articles, and podcasts en masse that we could recommend, we thought we would change it up a bit this month to give you space to breathe and connect with nature at the end of the semester (your to-read pile is not going to run away!).
The cliff notes on the positive impact from the American Psychological Association are as follows: spending time in nature or feeling connected to nature are linked to cognitive benefits and improvements in mood, mental health, and emotional well-being.
Did you know that a certified forest therapy trail is just a short drive away from campus?
You can walk the trail by yourself anytime or attend an event hosted by the Friends of the Jackson County Greenways. They offer Nature Journaling in May, Summer Solstice Shinrin-Yoku in June, and Macroinvertebrates along the Jackson County Greenway in July. If you rather want to explore the greenway by yourself, you might find the 7-page self-guided forest trail brochure put together by the Friends of the Jackson County Greenways helpful.
Living and working in this region, we are all privileged to have access to many green spaces, and we hope you will use this summer to get out more and enjoy nature’s beauty around you.
To access the full collection of teaching-related recommendations,
visit CFC’s We Recommend.