A Guide to the Healthy Parks Healthy People Approach and Current Practices

19
The transformational power of
nature-based experiences
Being in nature can evoke wonder and awe and
give people truly transformational experiences
that can positively affect our communities and
the environment.
This session brought together a variety of
perspectives and disciplines that highlight the
interplay between ecosystem function and
human health. Participants gained new insights
into the power of nature experiences — from star
parties and night skies, to the psychological
benefits of multisensory contact with nature.
Methodologies and tools for protecting these
valuable resources, and evaluating and
monitoring visitor experience, were also explored.
Summary of session and discussion
Well-being is inextricably linked to natural
sounds. Natural sounds, such as the sound of
songbirds, can have restorative effects; whereas
anthropogenic noises interrupt restoration,
measured in terms of heart rate and cortisol
levels. Natural sounds are vital.
‘Dark sky’ practices should be considered by park
managers to reduce pollution from nearby
communities, reduce energy use, and enhance
visitor experience. Dark skies are considered by
some as a symbol of a pristine environment.
Wilderness experience, night walks, night
sounds, and stargazing are opportunities for
connecting people to nature through various
methodologies, such as stories of cultures and
lore. Dark skies can also be a new marketing tool
to increase visitation to parks.
Ecological impacts of light pollution include
interference of natural flight paths, reproductive
behaviour, and predator/prey relationships. Dark
skies protect Aboriginal and other cultural
traditions, past and present. There are
classifications of dark skies available, and almost
all of the dark sky protected areas are in North
America and Europe.
Session manager
Diana Allen, United States National Parks Service, USA
Session contributors
– Julia Townsend, Independent consultant, USA
– Isabelle Wolf, New South Wales National Parks & Wildlife
Service, Australia
– Ursula Trewhitt, Queensland of University of Technology,
Australia - An in-depth investigation into how naturebased
experiences provide positive psychological health
benefits
– Peter Newman and Derek Taff, Pennsylvania State
University, USA - Conserving acoustic environments in
protected natural areas
– Robert Dick, Royal Astronomical Society of Canada,
Canada - Requirements and benefits of dark sky practices
– Jeff McNeely on behalf of David Welch, Dark Skies Advisory
Group, IUCN, Canada - Dark Sky Parks: where astronomy,
ecology and visitor experiences come together
50