Take the Nature Challenge at Ontario Parks this August

July 28, 2015

Ontario Parks wants to challenge you to reconnect with nature this August.

Credit: https://www.flickr.com/photos/36871124@N04/

Ontario Parks wants to challenge you to reconnect with nature this August.

Research has shown that just 30 minutes a day in a natural setting can make people happier, reduce blood pressure, anxiety and stress levels and boost immunity. From August 1 to 30, take part in the Healthy Parks Healthy People Nature Challenge and get outdoors.

The nature challenge, which has been adapted from the David Suzuki Foundation’s 30×30 Challenge, provides the perfect opportunity to visit Ontario Parks this August.

For a look at what there is to see and do, visit the parks Calendar of Events. More than 40 provincial parks across Ontario have Natural Heritage Education programming too. Led by knowledgeable park leaders, most of these programs are free with a valid park permit. To locate which parks have NHE, use the Park Locator and search NHE locations by clicking on the NHE category under “Things to Do.”

If you’re curious to know how 30 minutes of nature a day for 30 days can affect your overall well-being, join Ontario’s Trent University study on the benefits of reconnecting with nature. The study will explore the changes participants report in their daily activities, well-being, and connectedness with nature. Pre- and post- surveys will be released one week prior to and just after the 30-day challenge respectively. To participate, sign up for the Ontario Parks 30×30 Challenge at http://ofsys.com/T/WF/1568/Ffb8mE/Start/en-CA/Form.ofsys.