Richard Louv Prize for Innovation in Nature Connection Award Ceremony

Join us in celebrating Carol Peralta, the winner of the 2026 Richard Louv Prize for Innovation in Nature Connection!

As a program director and the future executive director of Wildwoods, a nonprofit that offers nature-based programs to urban communities in Los Angeles, Carol’s work centers on expanding equitable access to nature. Carol oversees a diverse portfolio of nature-based programs that collectively serve more than 10,000 participants annually, primarily from low-income and historically underserved communities across the Greater Los Angeles area. Her most recent programmatic endeavor is the innovative Rooted Resilience program, which she designed with an ecotherapist and launched in partnership with the La Linterna clinic at the AltaMed/Children’s Hospital Los Angeles. Rooted Resilience offers nature-based field trips for families affected by migration-related trauma, helping participants apply lessons from natural systems to cope with stress.

Carol also oversees the Paseo program, which connects families to outdoor spaces, as well as managing Wildwoods’ community garden in Pico-Union — one of Los Angeles’ most park-poor neighborhoods. The garden serves as both a green refuge and, at times, a safe haven for residents, while also supporting therapeutic visits through the LA Department of Mental Health.

In addition to celebrating our 2026 prize recipient, this virtual event will bring back past award winners, including CJ Goulding, Jason Stout and Luis Alberto Camargo. It will also feature remarks from author and Children & Nature Network co-founder Richard Louv, including a preview of his new book “Noticing,” available in June 2026.

Now in its fifth year, the prize highlights creative, impactful ways to ensure that kids can regularly experience the benefits of nature — everywhere they live, learn and play.

This event is FREE but registration is required. There is a suggested donation of $20. If you can’t join us live, register for the event and a recording will be sent to your inbox approximately two weeks after the event.