Biophilia Network
Join Pittsburgh’s new network of creative minds working together to strengthen the bond between people and the natural world.
Biophilia: Pittsburgh is the pilot chapter for a global Biophilia Network. Read on to learn about our next event!
Virtual Biophilia: Getting Outdoors in Pittsburgh
Join us Thurs., Aug. 1 at 6 p.m. as we hear from different organizations in the Pittsburgh area who are focused on helping all of us get outdoors! Local leaders will join us to talk about their organization’s goals and programs and share about how we can all get safely involved in spending more time in nature.
Register in advance for the meeting here. The Zoom meeting will begin promptly at 6 p.m. (EST), 3 p.m. (PST). After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the meeting.
Meet the Speakers:
Kimberly Refosco, M.S. Ed
Kimberly is an educator and leader in both the classroom and the outdoors. In addition to teaching high school, she is the Pittsburgh community leader for Outdoor Afro – a not-for-profit national organization dedicated to connecting and celebrating Black people in the outdoors. She organizes and leads participants in activities such as hiking, fishing, kayaking and all things outdoors. Kim also works in diversity, equity, and inclusion, leading organizations to implement change and strive for justice. In her spare time, you will find her reading or spending time with her children
Molly Campe, M.S.
Molly is the Community Programs Manager for Venture Outdoors, heading up the Age 50+ programming, including hiking (urban and nature), paddle sports, fishing and more! Through the lens of her Master's degree in Exercise Science and Physical Education she curates programming that capitalizes on the physiological and cognitive benefits of outdoor experiences. She lives near Schenley Park with her husband and two kids.
Sara Klingensmith
Sara joined Allegheny Land Trust in May 2023 as the organization’s first Education Associate. She will manage school and education partner relationships, outreach program coordination, and internal material supplies. Most recently, Sara worked as an Environmental Educator at Powdermill Nature Reserve. She also serves on the Board of Directors of the Pennsylvania Association of Environmental Educators and is the Western Pennsylvania Mushroom Club’s Photography Chair.
Meetings are free to attend; however, advance registration is required. To R.S.V.P., please use this link.
Designed as a series of posts on the Phipps blog and a hashtag for use on Twitter and Instagram, #bioPGH is a new social call-to-action for people throughout the region to more closely examine the beauty and importance of the nature around them.
The Biophilic Mind is a blog focused on presenting primary-source articles at the intersection of human health and the natural world. The Biophilic Mind aims to highlight high quality, recent research about the connections between well-being and nature.
Inspired by the Biophilic Cities initiative, the Biophilia: Pittsburgh Directory seeks to present an overview of the biophilic organizations, events, activities and projects in Pittsburgh, to aid the public in enhancing their connections to nature and discovering collaborative opportunities.
In this archive, you may access presentation materials and video recordings from previous installments of our monthly Biophilia: Pittsburgh meeting series. Additions will be made often, so visit regularly for the latest materials to deepen your Biophilia: Pittsburgh experience.
Biophilia: Pittsburgh meets monthly at Phipps Conservatory and Botanical Gardens where, over delicious small-plates and light refreshments, an expert guest speaker discusses ways of connecting people to nature and showing how these connections can improve our lives in the interest of sharing ideas and identifying opportunities.
Our Goals
• To welcome and inspire others with the concept and principles of biophilia
• To foster collaboration and learning between professionals from a wide variety of disciplines
• To communicate biophilic principles in action-oriented ways to a wider audience for exponential and regional impact
What Is Biophilia?
The term “biophilia,” which literally means “love of life,” was coined by social psychologist Erich Fromm and popularized by biologist E.O. Wilson, who defined it as “the innately emotional affiliation of human beings to other living organisms.”
The implications of biophilia extend across a vast array of disciplines including design and engineering, nutrition, psychology, public health, education, biology and the humanities. Biophilia is expressed all over the world every day, through complex collaborations such as the design and construction of buildings and landscapes; and intimate, personal encounters including nature hikes and home gardening.
Photo © Paul g. Wiegman, Phipps staff
