As the world’s population becomes increasingly urban, the importance of healthy and economically secure cities becomes paramount. All too often, the quality of life in cities is diminished by deteriorating inner cities and urban sprawl. A new ecologically based approach to urban land use is urgently needed to address the negative and cumulative consequences of urbanization on human and environmental health. Cities are human-dominated but function as complex ecosystems subject to natural laws. For a sustainable planet, we must reverse the continuing decline of urban environments through innovative planning and design. Although planting trees and managing cities as functioning watersheds provide ecological services, such as carbon reduction, stormwater management, and climate control, it is the will of citizens that ultimately makes a difference. This symposium features speakers who, through innovative and strategic collaborations, have changed the actions and priorities of the people who live, work, and raise families within cities. They will share their unique experiences and perspectives on science education, organizing and mobilizing communities, and media policy that have helped to heal cities through adaptation, restoration and design inspired by natural systems. A panel discussion, with highlights from a new PBS Series "Designing Healthy Cities," will emphasize the benefits of scientists working with the media and community groups to green cities.