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Natural Learning Initiative

Nature, play and learning every day!

The Natural Learning Initiative (NLI) was founded in 2000 with the purpose of promoting the importance of the natural environment in the daily experience of all children, through environmental design, action research, education, and dissemination of information.

We aim to help communities create stimulating places for play, outdoor learning, and environmental education – places that recognize human dependence on the natural world. We collaborate with educators, play leaders, environmental educators, designers, planners, politicians, and all professionals working for and with children.

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Soolyeon Cho, Ph.D.

Associate Dean of Research, Doctoral Programs and Global Engagement; Professor of Architecture; Director of Building Energy Technology Lab (BETlab)

Nilda Cosco, Ph.D.

Research Associate Professor, Director of Programs for the Natural Learning Initiative