Natural Learning Initiative

Creating Biophilic Cities in Favor of Children and Families presented by Tim Beatley
Coming up soon, October 7, 2026 at 12:00pm - 1:00 pm EST

Case studies from the Biophilic Cities Network will explore strategic approaches across climate, culture, partnerships, policy, and politics. The session will highlight keys to success, methods of measuring impact, and lessons that may inform Raleigh’s role as a Biophilic Cities Network member.

Don't forget to register and submit questions online at:
naturalearning.org/design-institute-2025

NLI welcomed Executive Vice Chancellor and Provost Dr. Jim Pfaendtner to tour our new workspace and discussed our mission of fostering nature connectedness through research, design, and community engagement.

Happy Fall Everyone!

Find out more about Provost Pfaendtner at:
provost.ncsu.edu

The Brooklyn Bridge Park book frames an amazing 40-year story of community persistence in regenerating the East River waterfront and the 23-year design and phased construction process led by Michael Van Valkenburg Associates (MVVA), with NLI on the team, to become a celebrated urban park and a model of community-driven landscape architecture’s regenerative power to create public places integrating people and nature – otherwise known as biophilic design.

Find out more at:
naturalearning.org/brooklyn-bridge-park-mvva

NLI virtually joined the Rhode Island Department of Health for the Rhode Island Farm and Sea to School Institute in Narragansett, Rhode Island. The full-day institute brought together early childhood and school-age professionals to explore how outdoor learning environments, gardening, and nature connection can support children’s health, learning, and development.

Find out more at:
naturalearning.org/ri-farm-and-sea

The Natural Learning Initiative has officially moved!
Our new space provides a bright, open design studio in a more central location of the NC State College of Design, creating new opportunities for research, collaboration, and the continued design of nature-rich environments where children and families can learn, play, and connect with nature.

After 25+ years of advancing nature-based design and outdoor learning, we’re excited to begin this next chapter from our new home.

Find us at:
Brooks Hall, Room 117
50 Pullen Rd, Raleigh, NC 27607

Come visit us!

Achieving Nature Play and Learning On and In the Ground presented by Matt Urbanski
Coming up soon, August 5, 2026 at 12:00pm - 1:00 pm

For over 25 years, MVVA partners Matt Urbanski and Michael Van Valkenburgh have invited NLI to collaborate on projects supporting children and families. MVVA’s portfolio shows expertise in the field of landscape architecture as a health-promoting intervention. In this presentation, Matt will share MVVA’s evolving approach to designing for free play, including Gipson Play Plaza.

Don't forget to register and submit questions online at:
naturalearning.org/design-institute-2025

The Nature Playscape at Conestee Nature Preserve, with NLI as the lead designer, received a Merit Award in the General Design Category from the American Society of Landscape Architects (ASLA) Southeast Regional Conference (SERC). The award recognizes excellence in landscape architectural design throughout the Southeast and highlights NLI’s leadership in creating innovative outdoor environments that connect children and families through nature play, exploration, and learning.

Find out more at: naturalearning.org/conestee-award

At the 2026 Grow Outdoors South Carolina Convening, more than 100 early childhood professionals, educators, designers, and community partners came together to explore how thoughtfully designed, nature-rich outdoor learning environments can support children's healthy development, play, and learning.

Through hands-on workshops, site visits to local outdoor learning environments, and collaborative discussions, participants experienced practical strategies for transforming outdoor spaces into places where children can explore, discover, and thrive.

Learn more about the 2026 Convening: https://growoutdoorssc.org/2026-convening/

We were honored to welcome Fariha Tariq to the Natural Learning Initiative office. A former student of Robin Moore, Tariq now serves as Dean at the University of Management and Technology located in Lahore, Pakistan. Her visit focused on fostering future collaboration and strengthening connections between North Carolina State University and UMT.

On April 8, the Natural Learning Initiative (NLI) took part in NC State’s first-ever Extended Reality (XR) Showcase—an interactive “playground” where faculty and staff explored the future of learning.

Instead of a traditional presentation, attendees moved freely between stations, experiencing immersive tools developed through a 2023–2024 DELTA Exploratory grant. From virtual reality (VR) to augmented reality (AR), participants got hands-on with technologies transforming how we teach and learn. 🎮🌱