On Your Mind with Dorsey Standish

Episode 8 -- Green Spaces, Healthy Minds (with Molly Morgan)

Dorsey Standish Season 1 Episode 8

On this episode of the "On Your Mind" podcast, host Dorsey Standish chats with Molly Morgan -- Texas State Director of Trust for Public Land -- about the significant impact of parks and green spaces on mental health and community well-being. Morgan highlights her work in Dallas, where she has helped to create 22 new parks and improved the city's park access score annually each of the last five years. She emphasizes the importance of accessible green spaces within a 10-minute walk, noting that this increases usage and mental health benefits. Morgan shares success stories, such as the Cool School Community Park Program and the Five Mile Creek Greenbelt, which have shown crime reduction and community engagement. She also advises starting with small outdoor activities, like a 20-minute walk daily, to reap mental health benefits.