How UNLV Public Health Students Map Outdoor Trails Using the Neon to Nature App
Bridging Classroom Theory and Community Health at UNLV
Traditional public health education often relies heavily on textbook theories, statistical models, and case studies. While these foundational elements are necessary, the University of Nevada Las Vegas USA recognizes that true proficiency in public health requires practical, hands-on experience. To address this, faculty members are increasingly moving students out of the lecture halls and directly into the community. This experiential learning approach allows students to apply theoretical concepts to real-world scenarios, yielding a deeper understanding of how environmental factors influence population health.
One of the most prominent examples of this educational strategy involves undergraduate students working directly with local health organizations. By participating in fieldwork that benefits the broader Las Vegas Valley, these students gain practical skills while simultaneously providing a valuable service to the community. This synergy between academic institutions and public health departments creates a sustainable model for community improvement and workforce development.
Understanding the Neon to Nature Initiative
In a region known for its sprawling urban development and intense desert climate, finding accessible spaces for physical activity can be a challenge for residents. To mitigate this, the Southern Nevada Health District, in partnership with Get Outdoors Nevada, operates the Neon to Nature app. This digital tool is designed to help residents locate walking and biking paths in their immediate neighborhoods as well as in the more remote federal lands surrounding the city.
The Las Vegas Valley boasts an impressive network of over 1,000 miles of outdoor trails. However, maintaining accurate data on such a vast infrastructure is difficult. Trail conditions can change rapidly due to weather events, maintenance schedules, or natural erosion. Additionally, many older trails lack comprehensive photographic documentation, leaving potential users unsure of what to expect regarding terrain steepness, shade availability, or overall safety. The Neon to Nature app relies on continuous, accurate data inputs to remain a reliable resource for the public.
How UNLV Students Assess and Document Outdoor Trails
To keep the Neon to Nature database current, the Southern Nevada Health District partnered with UNLV’s School of Public Health. Students enrolled in PBH 455—formally titled Active Transport, Physical Activity, and Health—took on the responsibility of auditing and updating trail information. This coursework requires students to examine how the built environment impacts physical activity rates.
The methodology for this project was straightforward but labor-intensive. Students were tasked with visiting specific trails identified within the app. Upon arrival, they conducted thorough assessments of the current conditions. This included taking updated photographs of the trailheads, pathways, and surrounding environments. Furthermore, students evaluated the presence of specific amenities that influence a trail’s usability, such as shade structures, resting benches, water fountains, and public exercise equipment.
For example, senior public health student Clarisse Andrada visited Exploration Peak Park, a location she was familiar with from her childhood. However, her approach to the park had fundamentally changed. Instead of simply using the space for recreation, she critically analyzed its infrastructure to determine how well it supported active transportation. Her documentation will directly assist the health district in providing accurate, actionable information to residents planning their outdoor activities.
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The Direct Impact on Southern Nevada Public Health
The work performed by these UNLV students addresses a critical metric in public health: physical inactivity. Across the United States, low physical activity rates contribute significantly to chronic diseases such as obesity, cardiovascular disease, and type 2 diabetes. Mindy Meacham, a chronic disease prevention health educator at the Southern Nevada Health District, emphasized that accurate trail data is a foundational component of chronic disease prevention.
When residents have access to reliable information—such as the steepness of a trail or the availability of shade—they can better plan their outings to match their fitness levels and comfort zones. This removes common barriers to exercise, particularly the fear of encountering an unexpectedly difficult route. By making outdoor trails more approachable and less intimidating, the updated Neon to Nature app encourages residents to incorporate more physical activity into their daily routines.
Promoting Active Transportation in Las Vegas
A central theme of the PBH 455 course is the concept of active transportation. This term refers to any form of human-powered transportation, primarily walking and cycling, but it can also include using public transit. Designing communities that facilitate active transportation is a proven strategy for improving public health outcomes.
In a car-dependent city like Las Vegas, integrating active transportation requires deliberate urban planning. Students in the class learn to evaluate how well a neighborhood’s infrastructure supports pedestrians and cyclists. Are there continuous sidewalks? Do traffic signals allow adequate time for pedestrians to cross? Are bike lanes protected from vehicle traffic? By assessing the outdoor trails that feed into these larger transportation networks, students gain a comprehensive understanding of how to make communities more conducive to physical activity.
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Student Perspectives on Experiential Learning
The transition from passive learning to active fieldwork has a profound effect on student engagement. Sheila Janofsky, the associate professor-in-residence who teaches PBH 455, notes that community-based projects consistently yield higher-quality work. When students know their assignments will be used by real organizations to help real people, their motivation increases significantly. They are no longer completing a hypothetical exercise; they are contributing to a live public health initiative.
For Clarisse Andrada, the project provided a tangible sense of accomplishment. Knowing that her photographs and assessments would be integrated into the Neon to Nature app reinforced the practical value of her degree. Furthermore, the fieldwork had personal health benefits. Andrada noted that her coursework, including a prior stress management class, had motivated her to adopt healthier habits, such as going to the gym and spending more time outdoors. The trail mapping project solidified these lifestyle changes, demonstrating that public health principles are most effective when applied to one’s own life.
Why Hands-On Fieldwork Matters for Public Health Degrees
The partnership between UNLV and the Southern Nevada Health District illustrates a broader shift in higher education. Employers in the public health sector increasingly seek candidates who possess not only academic knowledge but also practical experience in community engagement, data collection, and program evaluation. Fieldwork projects like the Neon to Nature audit equip students with a competitive edge in the job market.
Students learn how to navigate logistical challenges, such as coordinating site visits, using mobile technology for data collection, and communicating their findings to external stakeholders. These are the soft and hard skills that define a competent public health professional. By graduating with this type of experiential learning on their resumes, UNLV students are better prepared to enter the workforce and immediately contribute to health improvement initiatives.
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Exploring the Future of Community Health Partnerships
The success of the Neon to Nature project serves as a blueprint for future collaborations between the University of Nevada Las Vegas USA and local government agencies. As the Las Vegas Valley continues to grow and evolve, the need for accurate, up-to-date environmental data will only increase. Expanding these auditing projects to include more students, more trails, and additional metrics—such as air quality or noise pollution—could provide even deeper insights into the environmental determinants of health.
Furthermore, this model can be replicated in other regions. Universities across the country can partner with their local health districts to turn public health students into a reliable workforce for community data collection. This not only alleviates the resource constraints often faced by public health agencies but also ensures that academic institutions remain deeply connected to the health needs of their surrounding communities.
Conclusion
Integrating academic coursework with community service creates a highly effective educational environment. By mapping and assessing outdoor trails for the Neon to Nature app, UNLV public health students have directly contributed to the health and well-being of Southern Nevada residents. They have learned to evaluate the built environment, promote active transportation, and understand the practical challenges of implementing public health initiatives. This hands-on approach ensures that the next generation of public health professionals is prepared to design, evaluate, and sustain programs that encourage physical activity and prevent chronic disease.
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