Active Learning About Health and Conservation

Bringing health and climate conversations directly to the community

Group from the Suffolk County Office of Minority Health’s Nature Walk program cheering at the Makamah Nature Preserve entrance.

June Nature Walk participants. Photo credit: Sumayyah Uddin.

Walking and Learning

Since 2024, the Suffolk County Department of Health Services Office of Minority Health (OMH) and the Long Island Sound Partnership have been leading a Nature Walk program to encourage communities to visit State and County parks across Suffolk County. These walks begin with short talks about health and conservation followed by a guided walk by other partners including local Audubon Society chapters or park rangers.

HECMR joined this partnership in 2026 to bring Stony Brook clinicians and researchers to lead the talks. OMH and HECMR received a grant from the New York State Association of County Health Officials to engage our community in conversations about tick safety and nutrition. 

As part of the partnership, we:

  • Did three walks across Suffolk County;
  • Provided Tick Kits so our neighbors had easy access to care tools;
  • Instruction on how to use the kits and how to report ticks to care providers; and
  • Led a community conversation in Riverhead about Stony Brook’s SuperMovers research and the importance of building a sense of belonging in Suffolk County’s public access spaces.

Partners

Suffolk County Department of Health Services Office of Minority Health:

Office of Minority Health; Long Island Sound Partnership; Sea Grant New York