Oregon

Even if your favorite parks are closed to help slow the spread of COVID-19, you can still find nature in your neighborhood—and you can even help care for the planet from your own backyard or balcony.

During the coronavirus pandemic, nature has taken on a whole new meaning for many of us, becoming a vital respite from anxiety, grief, and cabin fever. But not everyone has safe, equal access to the outdoors: parks may be too few and far between, sidewalks too narrow or nonexistent, and open space restricted by locked gates and “No Trespassing” signs (even before officials started to make difficult decisions to close parks to protect public health).

Conservationist, environmental lawyer, transportation expert, scholar, athlete, outdoorswoman … Gail Achterman was many things, but her family and friends tend to describe her the same way: a force of nature.