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2006 AHTA Conference Recap
The AHTA's 34th annual conference, Gardens in Healthcare: Restoring Health and Wellness, proved to be a stimulating and fun event for the more than 250 people who attended. Guests included horticultural therapists, students, garden designers, educators, researchers, and other health professionals from the U.S. and abroad.
Dr. Roger Ulrich provided a wonderfully inspiring keynote address. Dr. Ulrich, Director of Health Systems and Design at Texas A & M University, is well known as a leader in the field of evidence-based healthcare design, and one whose work has influenced the architecture, interior design, and site planning of major hospitals in many countries.
Dr. Ulrich's talk kicked off two days full of presentations, workshops, and special interest networking group meetings. The conference also featured social events that allowed members and others to get to know one another, as well as the annual awards luncheon and tours of local therapeutic gardens.
The conference program focused on therapeutic garden development and programming, development of horticultural therapy competencies, critical thinking for the future of the profession, involvement in research and publication, and evidence-based practice and outcomes.
A highlight of the conference was the tour of several gardens developed by Legacy Health Systems, the conference's co-sponsor. Legacy's Oregon Burn Center garden, which was part of the tour, was given the 2006 Therapeutic Garden Design Award at the awards luncheon. Other awards given this year may be seen on the awards page.
AHTA extends its sincere thanks to everyone who made this year's conference a success, including our co-sponsor Legacy Health Systems; our educational co-sponsors, the University of Minnesota and the Minnesota Landscape Arboretum; and our other sponsors and exhibitors, including Kurisu International, Hitchcock Design Group, Quatrefoil, ASLA Oregon, J. Frank Schmidt and Son, Inc., and Zimmer-Gunsul-Frasca Partnership.
The entire conference program may be downloaded here.
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