Overton Park Conservancy is planning a special month-long event to share the park’s restorative power with the community. Throughout October, NatureZen Month will celebrate what the park, and nature as a whole, can do to improve mental and physical health.
“October is the perfect month to showcase all that Nature has to offer at Overton Park, since the weather is usually beautiful,” says Tina Sullivan, executive director at Overton Park Conservancy. “Visitors will enjoy new opportunities and find wonderful new ways to enjoy the park throughout NatureZen Month. We’ll have something for everyone!”
With a cherished Old Forest and open green spaces, Overton Park has been a constant in Memphis for more than a century. Open year-round and free to the public, Overton Park offers 342 acres of recreation, relaxation, culture, and nature.
Melissa McMasters
Overton Park Conservancy
The NatureZen Month calendar of events introduces a new monthly happy hour called Science Café, which brings people together to learn about ecology over drinks, along with a host of other events each week such as Nature Journaling, Yoga in the Formal Gardens, Mindfulness Walks, and more.
When it comes to healing, nature can play a beneficial role in improving mental and physical health.
As Overton Park Conservancy shapes our public programming to connect our community to nature, we’ve been influenced by Florence Williams’ book The Nature Fix: Why Nature Makes Us Happier, Healthier, and More Creative,” says Melissa McMasters, director of communications at Overton Park Conservancy. “The book presents research showing that humans exposed to nature exhibit reduced cortisol levels and blood pressure, stronger and more active immune systems, and even reduced blood glucose levels in Type 2 diabetes patients. By activating the parasympathetic nervous system (the “rest and digest” function) and quieting the sympathetic nervous system (the “fight or flight” function), time in nature can reduce feelings of anxiety and depression and lead to increased feelings of calm and creativity.”
Founded in 2011, Overton Park Conservancy works to protect, preserve, and improve Overton Park. The organization strives to foster a beautiful, welcoming, and safe park that encourages the diverse Memphis community to explore, learn, create, socialize, and play.
Melissa McMasters
Overton Park Conservancy
“The Conservancy believes that our greatest assets in Overton Park are the people who visit and the incredible Old Forest State Natural Area, one of only three urban old-growth forests in the entire country,” says McMasters. “Connecting visitors with the forest benefits both the people and the wildlife that call the forest home, by offering health and recreation benefits to visitors and by investing them in the future of the forest.”
This year, Overton Park Conservancy began offering regular public programs, including mindfulness walks, guided Nature 101 hikes to introduce people to the different species in the woods, and regular science-based walks covering different aspects of forest ecology. Visitors can also participate in art and social activities, such as paint parties, waterslide events, and monthly happy hours.
“Such a diverse array of events brings people together from all over the city,” says McMasters. “One of our specific goals in hosting these events is that everyone who attends meets someone new. People come to parks and bring their most curious, most relaxed selves—by facilitating these gatherings, we hope to create connections that enrich people’s relationships to both nature and each other.”
Melissa McMasters
Overton Park Conservancy
Overton Park Conservancy wants to become the go-to organization for offering a personable experience of nature right in its backyards. “We’ve really tried to create events that would appeal to a wide range of participants, and to offer free or pay-what-you-can admission so that everyone has an opportunity to attend,” says McMasters. “It’s so special and unique that Memphians have 126 acres of old-growth forest right here in the city. Many city-dwellers have to travel to state or national parks to get this kind of experience, but Overton Park puts it right at our fingertips.”
For a full calendar listing of events for NatureZen Month, visit overtonpark.org/naturezenmonth.