In recent years, a quiet revolution has been taking place in healthcare. Doctors and healthcare professionals are beginning to prescribe something surprisingly simple: time in nature. Through PaRx Ca https://www.parkprescriptions.ca/nada, the country’s national nature prescription program, spending time outdoors is increasingly recognized as a powerful tool for improving both physical and mental health.
The science behind this approach is compelling. Research shows that spending as little as two hours per week in nature can significantly improve well-being. Time outdoors reduces stress, anxiety, and depression while boosting mood, energy, immune function, and sleep quality. PaRx equips healthcare professionals with the tools to formally prescribe nature as part of everyday care, encouraging patients to step outside and reconnect with the natural world—one prescription at a time.
A Growing Movement in Canada
The nature prescription movement reflects a growing recognition that modern lifestyles often disconnect people from the environments humans evolved within. According to environmental psychologist Marc G. Berman, whose upcoming book Nature and the Mind explores the science behind these benefits, our brains function best when they interact with natural environments.
Berman’s research has shown that even a 50-minute walk in nature can improve attention by about 20 percent compared with a walk in dense urban surroundings. Nature helps restore what psychologists call directed attention—the mental resource we use to focus, plan, and regulate emotions. When that resource becomes depleted through work, screens, and constant stimulation, a simple walk among trees can help restore it.
Nature, Berman argues, should not be viewed as a luxury or amenity but as a necessity.
Prescribing Nature in Saskatoon
In Saskatoon, the philosophy behind PaRx aligns closely with the mission of Friends of the Saskatoon Afforestation Areas, a community group dedicated to strengthening the connection between people and nature.
Their motto—“Come to Nature, Come to Life”—captures the essence of what nature prescriptions aim to achieve. It serves as both an invitation and a reminder: when people step into nature, they encounter vibrant ecosystems while also revitalizing their own health and wellness.
Saskatoon’s afforestation areas offer a unique urban sanctuary where visitors can explore woodlands, meadows, and wetlands rich with biodiversity. These landscapes provide an ideal setting for the type of nature exposure encouraged by PaRx prescriptions.
Wellness Traditions Rooted in Nature
Spending time in these urban forests also connects visitors with wellness philosophies from around the world. Practices such as Shinrin-yoku, the Japanese tradition of “forest bathing,” encourage slow, mindful immersion in woodland environments. Similarly, the Nordic concept of Friluftsliv—meaning “open-air living”—celebrates spending time outdoors as a central part of daily life.
Other cultural ideas reinforce the same principle:
- Hygge, which encourages comfort and contentment in simple experiences.
- Wabi-sabi, which finds beauty in imperfection and natural cycles.
- Kaizen, emphasizing small, positive lifestyle changes.
Together, these traditions highlight how connecting with nature supports a holistic approach to wellness.
Indigenous Perspectives on Interconnection
The philosophy of the Friends of the Saskatoon Afforestation Areas also draws inspiration from Indigenous knowledge. The Cree concept of Wahkohtowin recognizes the deep interconnectedness between humans, animals, plants, the land, and future generations.
This worldview emphasizes that people are not separate from nature but part of a living network of relationships. Caring for the land is therefore inseparable from caring for community health and well-being.
Nature for Mind, Body, and Community
The health benefits of nature extend far beyond relaxation. Studies have linked time outdoors to:
- Reduced risk of hypertension and heart disease
- Stronger immune function
- Improved mood and reduced symptoms of depression
- Better sleep quality
- Increased feelings of vitality and connection
Some research even suggests that neighborhoods with greater access to parks experience lower levels of aggression and crime, highlighting the broader social benefits of green spaces.
Reconnecting with the Natural World
Programs like PaRx demonstrate how healthcare and environmental stewardship can work hand in hand. By encouraging people to spend time outdoors, physicians and community groups alike are helping individuals build healthier habits while deepening their appreciation for the natural world.
For Saskatoon residents, the message is simple but powerful: a walk among trees, the sound of birds in a wetland, or quiet reflection along a forest path can be more than recreation—it can be medicine.
And sometimes, the most meaningful prescription may simply be to step outside and breathe in the living world around us.
Part SE 23-36-6 – Richard St. Barbe Baker Afforestation Area – 241 Township Road 362-A
Part SE 23-36-6 – SW Off-Leash Recreation Area (Richard St. Barbe Baker Afforestation Area ) – 355 Township Road 362-A
S ½ 22-36-6 Richard St. Barbe Baker Afforestation Area (West of SW OLRA) – 467 Township Road 362-A
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