Nature Everywhere

Let’s connect kids to nature where they live, learn and play

More than 80% of the world’s children live in urban areas and this trend continues to grow. Increasing safe, equitable access to nature is a strategy that enhances children’s well-being—and supports city priorities for public health, academic achievement, employment, quality of life, sustainability, and more.

In 2023, the National League of Cities (NLC), its partners Children & Nature Network (C&NN), and KABOOM! welcomed 19 new sites – including Madison Region – into the Nature Everywhere Communities initiative. Nature Everywhere succeeds the highly successful Cities Connecting Children to Nature (CCCN) initiative which Madison was a part of from 2016-2023.

These 19 sites are part of a new national joint initiative called Nature Everywhere Communities. The initiative aims to increase equitable access to nature everywhere children live, learn and play in 100 communities by 2025. Longstanding systems of inequity create disparities in the design, distribution and programming of green spaces and natural areas.

Through Nature Everywhere Communities, city leaders and their partners will be supported in dismantling these systems to improve the health and well-being of children through daily connections to nature. Madison Parks is a partner in this county-wide initiative along with Public Health Madison and Dane County, Aldo Leopold Nature Center, Madison Metropolitan School District, and many other stakeholders.

Email Nature Everywhere Madison to learn more about this initiative and to join the work.

Madison Hosts 2024 Conference

Madison is hosting the Children and Nature Network International Nature Everywhere Conference, May 28-31,2024 at Monona Terrace Community and Convention Center. This conference brings together cross-sector leaders from around the world to advance programs, practices, and policies for advancing equitable access to nature everywhere children live, learn, and play. To learn more and register, see Nature Everywhere Conference, to learn more and to register.

Nature Everywhere Day: June 1, 2024

As part of the Nature Everywhere Conference, Madison is hosting Nature Everywhere Day on Saturday, June 1, 2024. This special event celebrates all the ways Madison connects children to nature throughout the Madison region. All local organizations that work with children in nature are invited to participate. Email Nature Everywhere Day, to learn more.