Have you heard of Nature Prescriptions?

I am working hard to transform human relationships with nature and as I continue to learn and grow something that I often encounter is the Nature Rx movement. I believe it may have started with Park Rx America with Dr. Robert Zarr. He hopes to encourage other doctors to prescribe nature as they would other medications to improve wellbeing.

According to Merriam-Webster dictionary online, Rx is short for medical prescription. Rx comes from the Latin recipe which means “take.” The movement talks about the health benefits of time outside.

Park RX America has a downloadable poster that mentions how time in nature can improve physical activity, sleep, energy levels, stress, wellbeing, connection to others, weight, and mood. And all these things are true. However, if the effort is only about taking, then nature (and we) will lose eventually.

Some mention of reciprocity must be encouraged at the onset. Parks, whether part of Park Rx America or not, should notify users of the staff, budget, and projects needed to manage parks. The “parking lot fee” is not enough to keep parks vital.

Whenever I go to parks, I always imagine a two-way sign. On the way in, the sign provides the usual information about trails, areas of interest, and any rules. I would add an encouragement for people to pause and set an intention for the time there.

As Carver Park Reserve here in Minnesota does, it might also provide a brochure on a meditation trail to help people be more present. On the way out, the other side of the sign could remind people to be grateful for what they just experienced. It may also provide an updated project needs list and specific ways to practice reciprocity.

Promoting the benefits of nature, the way the Nature Rx movement does may entice people to go outside. This is especially helpful for people who are far removed from a direct relationship with nature. In addition to talking about benefits, though, we must remind people of impact:

? Going off-trail tramples plants and potentially cuts habitat through disturbance.

? Pavement is nice for ease of use, but results in more habitat being removed from the system.

? Any movement through a space is a potential disruption to animal behavior.

? Rock piling and other forms of nature art, growing in popularity, can also cause a disturbance, in addition to turning unsightly when overdone.

Any effort to improve people’s relationship with nature should encourage being mindful and purposeful in that exchange. If you are coming for exercise, stay on trails and do your best to be the least disturbing.

If you are coming for solitude, enter and exit silently; focus your attention on your senses to become aware of your place within nature. If you are coming for rest, turn off or leave electronic devices behind and make yourself present to the awe and wonder around you.

Set your intention and then minimize your impact. Don’t you want to make sure that these places are here for us in the future and for future generations?

If you are interested in my workshop series called Human Nature Connection: Building Ecowellness, Stewardship, and Inclusion, send me an email at [email protected].?

See the full blog post here !