Incubation Station Spotlight: NatureQuant

By: Angel Garibay

As part of our Incubation Station series, we’re excited to spotlight one of our fiscally sponsored organizations: NatureQuant.

Incubation Station is an interview-style series where we highlight the impactful work of our sponsored organizations through short, recorded conversations. These interviews give our community a closer look at the people, ideas, and community-driven solutions shaping a more sustainable future.

In this latest feature, we sat down to explore how NatureQuant is transforming the way we understand nature’s value in our everyday environments. Their platform empowers city planners, students, researchers, and community members to collect and visualize data related to urban heat islands, air quality, biodiversity, real estate trends, and the social and economic benefits of green space.

NatureQuant bridges the gap between environmental science and real-world decision-making. Through accessible mapping tools and open-data platforms like NatureQuant Open, they make it easier to measure how nature impacts our health, climate resilience, and communities. Whether you’re analyzing a neighborhood’s tree canopy coverage or exploring environmental equity, their tools help turn complex environmental data into actionable change.

NatureQuant also offers specialized tools including NatureScore, NatureDose, and the Urban Heat Index, each designed to measure different aspects of environmental conditions. NatureScore evaluates access to nature and environmental quality at the neighborhood level, NatureDose examines nature exposure and its connection to public health outcomes, and the Urban Heat Index analyzes localized heat exposure and urban heat island intensity. Once you explore the NatureQuant platform, you’ll see that each tool site provides unique datasets, mapping features, and research applications offering layered ways to understand climate resilience, environmental equity, and community well-being.

Watch the full interview here!
Explore NatureQuant here!
Try the open data platform here!

More Incubation Station highlights coming soon!

Climate Solutions Now: Virtual Conference on Solutions for Climate Change February 23–27  Are you interested in sustainability, climate action, and green careers? Join Cal Poly’s Initiative for Climate Leadership and Resilience for the fifth annual Climate Solutions Now (CSN) conference: a five-day, fully virtual event featuring over 80 sessions across multiple tracks focused on real-time climate solutions being implemented across sectors. From climate justice and regenerative design to political psychology, sustainable business strategy, and climate-focused careers, CSN brings together leading voices from academia, industry, policy, and media. Featured speakers include Michael Grunwald (New York Times), Matthew St. Clair (UC Office of the President), Janice Lao (Bard College), Nikki Reisch (Center for International Environmental Law), Amanda Smith (Project Drawdown), and many more. This year’s conference places a strong emphasis on actionable pathways, exploring how institutions, companies, governments, and individuals can scale meaningful climate solutions today. Students Can Attend for Free: Students from any university may receive free access if their instructor incorporates conference participation into a class assignment. Instructors can request access through the provided form and will receive a password for complimentary registration. Recordings will remain available through May 20. Get tickets, view the agenda, and explore the speaker list here or by clicking on the flyer above!

Six Bowls: A Grief Tending Ceremony Sunday, March 15 | 1–5 PM | San Luis Obispo Join facilitators Joan Judson and Donna Helete for Six Bowls: A Grief Tending Ceremony, an afternoon experience designed to gently explore and honor the many ways grief lives within us. Held at The Barn at Eagles Landing in San Luis Obispo, this gathering introduces the “Gates of Grief.” A framework for understanding how personal and communal grief can surface in our lives. Through guided reflection, shared presence, and intentional ceremony, participants are invited to pause at these emotional thresholds and tend to what they carry. The facilitators bring both personal experience and formal training in acknowledging, embracing, and holding space for grief in its many forms. This offering is open to those navigating loss, transition, climate grief, or simply seeking a supportive space for reflection and connection. Registration is sliding scale ($60–$120 based on ability to pay), with limited space available. Registration closes March 8. For details and RSVP, contact: j_judson@sbcglobal.net donnahelete@gmail.com