Over a decade ago, the City of Madison became one of the first cities to participate in the Nature Everywhere Initiative, a national movement aimed at ensuring that every child has equitable access to nature where they live, learn, and play.
Madison and its surrounding region are often recognized for their abundance of green space. However, despite plentiful parks, trails, lakes, and rivers, not everyone has equal access to nature. Disparities in income, transportation, school facilities, and nature-based programming opportunities reflect historical patterns of exclusion and disinvestment. The Nature Everywhere Initiative addresses these inequities by invigorating spaces, building programs, and supporting policies that integrate nature into the daily lives of children in the community.
Madison’s journey in this work has been powered by community collaboration and local leadership. During the early years of the initiative, youth leaders surveyed their peers to understand barriers to nature access. They taught summer school students about the benefits of time outdoors, and helped create outdoor play spaces for early learners. Then, in partnership with Madison City Parks, the community designed a nature play area at Brittingham Park on Monona Bay. In 2024, Madison hosted the National Nature Everywhere Conference, bringing together Nature Everywhere communities from across the country to share ideas and inspiration.
Currently, the Nature Everywhere Initiative is building nature-based programs in public libraries, supporting teachers through grants and resources to embed nature in their classrooms, and advocating for more nature play spaces across the region. Through education, community-based programming, and nature exploration opportunities, we hope the Madison region can be a community where every child has rich and meaningful experiences in nature every single day.
