Parks for Community Health
Take an active role in improving your community’s health by partnering with wellness groups. Running groups, yoga classes, or forest bathing classes might be a visitor’s gateway to your site. Engage local health providers as advocates for nature’s medicine through presentations, educational literature, or a follow this approach to launching local park prescription program:
Find Your Champions - A friendly advocate is a good start. Who are the medical professionals in your network that could help you navigate a park prescription program? Do you or your team have personal connections with health-care professionals? Perhaps someone on your board of directors, a volunteer, or a regular park user.
No Network Connections? Identify Other Partners. Locate healthcare providers near your park(s): find family practices, clinics, hospitals, and/or wellness centers. Consider their patient demographics, specialties, and interest in holistic health approaches as you prioritize. Here is a template letter to healthcare professionals you can customize to start the conversation.
Share the Evidence with Health Care Providers
Research shows significantly better health and wellbeing people who spend at least 2 hours in nature each week. The most mental-health benefits of nature come 20-to-30-minutes in when cortisol levels drop.
With this research in mind, Parks RX Canada is a strong believer in prescribing “2 hours a week, 20+ minutes at a time.” This short video tells their story well.
Specific research to support nature’s impact on common American health concerns:
Obesity - Time outdoors is associated with decreased BMI.
Blood Pressure - Exercising outside has better outcomes on blood pressure than indoor exercise. Even low-activity time in nature can lower blood pressure.
Heart Disease - Access to natural areas reduces deaths from all causes and heart-related issues among people with lower incomes.
And a lot more - Visit the Children in Nature Research Library to find more.
Share the The Five-Part Park Prescription Plan for Patients (As pdf here)
Nature - the 4th Pillar of Health. Include nature time as a key component of lifestyle advice, alongside diet, exercise, and sleep.
Emphasize Written Prescriptions. Studies like this show the effectiveness of written prescriptions for lifestyle changes, including spending time in nature. Our customizable Nature Prescription Pads make it easy and professional to share resources with healthcare professionals.
Offer a What, When, Where. Listen for what activities will connect with patients. Encourage integrating nature into their daily life, like family outings in parks or exercising on trails. Encourage patients to schedule their nature time as they would any important appointment, enhancing commitment and regularity. Suggest nearby green spaces that are easy to reach from their home or workplace. Address and help reduce any barriers to accessing nature, catering to varying physical abilities and living situations.
Monitor Progress. Follow up on their nature engagement during subsequent appointments to track and encourage their progress.
Lead by Example. Share your own experiences with nature and how it benefits your health, inspiring patients through your actions and personal stories.
Host Outreach Events and Special Programs for Medical Professionals
Educate on Access - Prescription pads should have QR codes with helpful websites for patients to plan their park time. But that doesn’t replace taking the time to help medical professionals understand the landscape of greenspace access available to their patients.
Organize Park Visits for Medical Professionals. Arrange guided tours, workshops, or special events in the park for healthcare providers to experience first-hand the benefits of the natural environment.
Feedback and Engagement: Use these events as opportunities for healthcare providers to provide feedback on the program and discuss ways to improve patient engagement.