People-Plant
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Linking Horticulture with Human Well-Being
Volume 7
Summer 1997
Issue 2
Plan Now to See Sydney
PPC Forms Working Group
Are you interested in traveling together at a group rate
to the PPC symposium in Sydney? Let me hear from
you. If there is enough interest, I’ll put together a group
for a significant savings.
Diane Relf (Department of Horticulture, Virginia Tech,
Blacksburg, VA 24061-0327; e-mail: pdrelf@vt.edu)
The People-Plant Council has recently formed the Working
Group for International Collaborative Research. The function
of this group will be to facilitate the development of research
teams around the world to address shared issues or areas of
research under the umbrella of human issues in horticulture.
International People-Plant Symposium
Towards a New Millennium in
People-Plant Relationships
19-22 July, 1998
Sydney, Australia
WRITE OR E-MAIL TODAY
The initial membership consists of individuals affiliated with
departments of horticulture or plant sciences who are conducting research to explore perceived and physical response to the
maintained environment and to environmental quality, youth
development through integration of horticulture in the classroom, horticulture as a therapeutic tool, and similar topics.
The first meeting will be held at Virginia Tech, Blacksburg,
Virginia, October 2-5, 1997.
Members of the working group are:
Grounds for Celebration
An International Conference about
School Grounds
Grounds for Celebration: An International Conference about
School Grounds will be held in Winchester, England, September 21-24, 1997. An aim of this conference is to agree on and
adopt a declaration about the international importance of school
grounds. For more information, contact Denise Slater, Research and Training Unit, Learning Through Landscapes, P.O.
Box 283, Elton, Peterborough, PE8 6SZ, England; Phone:
01832-280659; Fax: 01832-280002; e-mail: kb1163@
dial.pipex.com.
Meg Burchett - Sydney, Australia
Aino-Maija Evers - Helsinki, Finland
Tony Kendle - Reading, England
Virginia Lohr - Pullman, Washington, USA
Eisuke Matsuo - Hakozaki, Japan
Diane Relf - Blacksburg, Virginia, USA
Candice Shoemaker - Glencoe, Illinois, USA
Woo Kyung Sim - Seoul, Korea
Jane Stoneham - Bath, England
Ron Woods - Kenthurst, Australia
Jayne Zajicek - College Station, Texas, USA
Activities of the group will be published in the next newsletter.
ACGA Conference
Take Note! The American Community Garden Association
Annual Conference will be held in Indianapolis, September 2428, 1997. Workshops for the 1997 conference are “Growing”
Sustainable Programs from the Ground Up, Community Garden Participatory Design Process, The Business of Community Gardening: Developing and Managing Your Community
Greening Organization, Getting Your Hands Dirty, plus So You
Want to Work in Neighborhoods?!
For more information, contact Tom Tyler, Purdue University
Cooperative Extension (Phone: 317-848-7351; Fax: 317-8487229; e-mail: tom@marion.ces.purdue.edu) or Ben Long, Civic
Garden Center of Greater Cincinnati (Phone: 513-221-0991;
Fax: 513-221-0961).
We've added to the web site. Come visit:
http://www.hort.vt.edu/human/human.html
Indoor Plants May Increase Worker
Productivity
Pullman, Wash. — Treat that forgotten Boston fern in the corner of your office with a little more respect. A new study at
Washington State University shows for the first time that live
interior plants may increase worker productivity and reduce
stress. The study, published in the Journal of Environmental
Horticulture, reports that productivity increased 12 percent
when people performed a simple task on a computer in a windowless room with plants compared to workers who performed
the same task in the same room without plants.
The task was stressful. Blood pressures for both groups rose
during the task, but only two points for people tested with plants,
while it rose four points for people tested without plants. The
average blood pressure for both groups before the test was
roughly the same. Additionally, people tested in the presence
of plants reported feeling about 10 percent more attentive after
the task than those tested without plants.
“We have not been
worker productivity
ginia Lohr, a WSU
the effects of plants
able to find other studies that document
in the presence of live plants,” said Virhorticulturist whose research focuses on
on people.
The WSU study was conducted by Lohr; Caroline PearsonMims, a research technologist; and Georgia Goodwin, a graduate assistant. “Since the 1960s, office planners have claimed
that productivity is higher in landscaped offices,” Pearson-Mims
said. “It was not clear whether the benefits were from plants or
new designs with modern furniture and lighting. We think this
study starts to answer that question.”
This experiment was conducted in a university computer laboratory with plants present and absent. Ninety-six university students and employees participated. Blood pressure and pulse were
measured when participants entered the room, midway through
the computer task, and at the task’s completion. Before and
after, participants recorded their feelings in response to such
statements as “I feel attentive.”
At the beginning of the experiment, both groups reported the
same level of attentiveness, but those who were tested in the
presence of plants reported feeling more attentive after completing the task, which required some concentration. People
tested in the absence of plants reported no increase in attentiveness.
The productivity task consisted of identifying common symbols that randomly appeared on a computer screen. Participants
quickly pressed a key corresponding to each symbol when it
appeared. The computer recorded their performance. “There was
no difference in number of errors,” Lohr said. “The big difference was reaction time -- how quickly they pressed the correct
key when plants were present.”
The researchers can’t explain how plants help people relax and
perform better. “There are two major theories I’m aware of that
could account for this,” Lohr said. “One relates to reduced blood
pressure. A number of studies have documented that plants or
nature can lower blood pressure. By somehow causing us to be
more relaxed, plants help us be more productive and focused.”
2
She said other people think that plants may reduce mental fatigue. “One of the things that happens when you suffer mental
fatigue is that you no longer are able to make good decisions.”
Lohr said one major study found that walking in a garden helps
restore a person’s ability to make good decisions. “Plants are
not just fluff,” she said. “We have felt, and many people who
work with plants intuitively believe, that having plants around
us is vital to our well-being.”
The study was funded by the American Floral Endowment and
the Horticultural Research Institute. (Press Release, Washington State University News, College of Agriculture & Home
Economics, Pullman, WA 99164-6244)
[Lohr, Virginia L., Caroline H. Pearson-Mims, and Georgia K.
Goodwin. 1996. Interior Plants May Improve Worker Productivity and Reduce Stress in a Windowless Environment. Washington State University. Journal of Environmental Horticulture 14(2):97-100.]
Research Abstracts
Lohr, Virginia L. and Caroline H. Pearson-Mims. 1996.
Particulate Matter Accumulation on Horizontal Surfaces in Interiors: Influence of Foliage Plants. Washington State University. Atmospheric Environment
30(14):2565-2568
Particulate matter accumulation on horizontal surfaces was
measured gravimetrically, at one week intervals, in two interior
spaces. Interior plants were added to or removed from the rooms
on a random schedule. Particulate matter accumulation was
lower in both rooms when plants were present than when plants
were absent. The location of particulate matter deposition was
unaffected by the presence or absence of plants: collection
dishes located near the corners of a room consistently accumulated less particulate matter than dishes in other locations,
regardless of treatment. In addition, relative humidity was higher
when plants were present.
Marni Barnes. 1996. The Healing Art of Landscape
Architecture in Design for Change: Vision, Value,
Community, the 1996 Annual Meeting Proceedings of the
American Society of Landscape Architects. ASLA
Bookstore, PO Box 753, Waldorf, MD 20604-0753;
Phone: 1-800-787-2665.
The sights, sounds, and smells that surround us have a tremendous impact on our emotions. The appearance of a rainbow
gives rise to a smile; memories are triggered by fragrances;
cleansing and releasing are assisted by a stiff breeze or a plunge
into a cool lake. As increasing numbers of people are living in
urban and suburban environments, our society is becoming increasingly divorced from its natural surroundings. People are
turning to their accessible, designed landscapes to provide the
stress reduction and emotional healing that contact with the
outdoors brings. By attending to the impact of our surroundings on our emotions, landscape architects can dramatically
increase the therapeutic benefit derived from our environment.
To do this effectively, the relationship between our environment and its influence on the process of stress reduction and
emotional restoration need to be understood. This research elucidates the connection between emotional restoration and environmental settings specifically chosen by individuals to assist their healing process.
Position: Horticultural Therapist
The Chicago Botanic Garden, located 30 miles north of Chicago in Glencoe, seeks a Horticultural Therapist to promote
the utilization of horticultural therapy by the social service network and to implement self-reliant, year-round horticultural
therapy programs and training in the Chicago region aimed to
improve the quality of life for people with disabilities by involvement in horticulture.
Grants
Turf
The ITPF Research Committee and Board of Directors encourage you to submit a research proposal for consideration in the
1997-98 fiscal year. Write to the International Turf Producers
Foundation, 1855-A Hicks Road, Rolling Meadows, IL 60008;
Phone: (847) 705-9898.
Arboriculture
The International Society of Arboriculture Research Trust announces the John Z. Duling Grant Program. For successful applicants, grant awards will vary depending on the adjudged value
of the project to the needs of the arboricultural industry. However, no single award will receive more than $5,000. Please
note that funds cannot be used to pay for overhead expenses.
Candidate must have a degree in Horticultural Therapy or Horticulture or similar program, with additional course work in
health care professions including recreational therapy, occupational therapy, physical therapy and/or nursing; or a degree in
recreational therapy, occupational therapy, physical therapy or
nursing and a minimum of a two-year degree in Horticulture or
Horticulture Therapy. Candidate must have current registration
with the American Horticultural Therapy Association at the level
of HTR or HTM. In addition, certification as OTRN or Recreational Therapist preferred. Candidate must have two years previous experience working with at least two of the following
special populations in the therapeutic setting: developmentally
disabled, physical disabled, older adults, or psychiatric clients.
Candidate must have strong oral and written communication and
computer skills.
Research funded by the Trust must be in keeping with its mission and the Priority Areas and Critical Issues for Research and
Technology Transfer:
- Ecological Benefits of the Urban Forest
- Economic Benefits of the Urban Forest
- Innovative Tree-care Techniques and Practices
- Urban Tree Genetics
- Impact of the Urban Forest on Energy Consumption
- Basic Tree Biology
Please submit resume with cover letter to Carol Chaney, Chicago Botanic Garden, 1000 Lake Cook Road, Glencoe, IL
60022. EOE.
Resources
Russian Roofs Bloom!
Small Grants Program Created for
Nonprofit Organizations
Eighty St. Petersburg rooftops have sprouted vegetable gardens
as a result of CCI’s Rooftop Gardening Project. 1996 saw incredible growth in the project, largely due to the 2,000 visitors
who visited CCI’s booth at the spring “City Flowers & Design”
exhibition.
In recognition of their work, St. Petersburg’s Downtown Gardening Club will represent Russia at the European Support Group
on Urban Agriculture (an EU initiative based in the Netherlands).
In 1997, the Agricultural Initiative is launching a “small grants”
program to improve food security at nonprofit institutions serving the disadvantaged. They are also testing the application of
RTG techniques in horticultural therapy and rehabilitation
projects.
[The Agricultural Initiative Center for Citizen Initiatives (CCI),
3268 Sacramento Street, San Francisco, CA 94115. Phone: 415346-1875; Fax: 415-346-3731; e-mail: cciusa@igc.apc.org;
Web site: www.igc.org/cci]
For copies of the grant application and information, write to
the ISA Research Trust at P.O. Box GG, Savoy, IL 61874. Or
you can download it electronically from the Web site:
http://www.ag.uiuc.edu/~isa/. No phone calls please.
10 Timely Tipsheets
Thanks to a grant from the National Tree Trust, the following
packet of Citizen Forestry Support System (CFSS) tipsheets is
available free for the asking when you call (800) 323-1560 or
e-mail cfss@amfor.org. Better yet, look under Citizen Forestry
Support System on American Forests’ homepage:
www.amfor.org. Most include books, periodicals, and other
resources to help you implement the suggestions made. Please
allow two weeks for delivery, or request a fax-back if your need
is immediate. If, after reading a tipsheet, you’re ready for more
help, call again!
- Starting a Nonprofit - First Steps
- Finding Funding
- The Care and Feeding of Volunteers
- The Making of Leaders
- Raising Money Through Membership
- Developing Media Savvy
- Avoiding Burnout
- How to Run an Effective Meeting
- Plan Now - Or Pay Later
- Assessing Your Organization
(From Lean & Green, A Resource for Tree Groups, Volume 2 Number 3, Summer 1997)
3
New Books
Resources Available from PPC
Horticultural Therapy
BOOKS
The 1998 Journal of Therapeutic Horticulture, “Horticultural
Therapy and the Older Adult Population,” is now available from
the American Horticultural Therapy Association. Copies may
be purchased by members at the discounted price of $15 plus
$3 postage and by non-members at the publisher’s price of
$25 plus $3 postage. Interested individuals should contact Jane
at the AHTA office (301) 948-3010 x16.
Prepublication Announcement
Horticulture as Therapy: Principles and Practice, edited by
Sharon P. Simpson, PhD, Lecturer and Adjunct Professor, University of Maryland, and Martha C. Straus, HTM, Horticultural
Therapy Coordinator, The Forbush School at Sheppard Pratt,
Baltimore, Maryland.
Horticulture as Therapy establishes, integrates, and communicates a foundation of knowledge for horticultural therapists,
health care professionals, horticulturists, students, research
scientists, gardeners, and those interested in this special and
unique kind of therapy. By reading Horticulture as Therapy,
you will see how you can make a difference in the health and
well-being of so many people, today and tomorrow. Date available: Fall 1997. Prices: $79.95 hard. ISBN: 1-56022-859-8
(Outside US/Canada/Mexico: $96). Text price (5+ copies):
$29.95. Pages: 520 pp with Index. Categories: Agriculture/
Horticulture, Horticultural Therapy, Mental Health.
Editor: Diane Relf
Chair, People-Plant Council
Assistant Editor: Melissa Williams
The People-Plant Council Newsletter (ISSN 1061-03460) is a quarterly
publication of the People-Plant Council. Address correspondence to Dr.
Diane Relf, Chair, People-Plant Council, Department of Horticulture,
Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA 24061-0327. FAX: 703-231-3083.
Telephone: 540-231-6254.
The Role of Horticulture in Human Well-Being and Social Development.
Diane Relf, Editor. 1992. Timber Press. 254 pages. $54.
People-Plant Relationships: Setting Research Priorities. Joel Flagler and
Raymond P. Poincelot, Editors. 1993. Food Products Press. 368 pages.
$54.
The Healing Dimensions of People-Plant Relations: A Research Symposium. Mark Francis, Patricia Lindsey, and Jay Stone Rice, Editors. 1994.
498 pages. $39.
COMPUTERIZED BIBLIOGRAPHIES $15 each.
People-Plant Interaction (1305 citations) and Horticulture Therapy (1184
citations) bibliographies are available on 3.5-inch, DS/HD diskettes
containing the citations in WordPerfect 5.0. The material also can be
ordered on 3.5-inch diskettes as DOS text files. Updates - return original
diskette and $5.
VIDEOTAPES $15 each.
1) Role of Horticulture in Human Well-Being and Social Development reflections of Jules Janick, Charles Lewis, Roger Ulrich, Russ Parson,
and Diane Relf.
2) The Art of Rhonda Roland Shearer.
**** All prices include shipping and handling. Make checks
payable to Treasurer, Virginia Tech. ****
PPC Affiliation and Contributors
The PPC is not a membership organization, rather a link or affiliation between
organizations. Affiliation is open to all organizations within the horticulture
and social science communities and allied or interested organizations.
Affiliates of PPC (between 1990-1997)
American Society for Horticultural Science
Associated Landscape Contractors of America
Wholesale Florists and Florist Suppliers of America
American Horticultural Therapy Association
Society of American Florists
American Association of Nurserymen
Contributors to PPC (between 1990-1997)
Horticulture Research Institute
Florida Nurserymen and Growers Association
Please Copy The purpose of this newsletter is to increase people-plant interaction awareness. Please share its information with
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Virginia Polytechnic Institute & State University
Department of Horticulture
Blacksburg Virginia 24061-0327