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

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Inspiring young people in nature
conservation
This session examined how to inspire the next
generation of park leaders through health,
conservation and recreation activities.
Topics included how Eco-clubs are being used as
a means to ensure future sustainable development,
how to incorporate environmental education into
school curriculum, how global research is
informing park managers about the importance
of nature for young people’s health and how the
Australian Aboriginal connection to country can
be used to to spark interest in young people and
the community in the value of spending time
outdoors for their health and well-being.
Summary of session and discussion
The earlier children become involved in nature, the
better their long term use and respect for nature.
Therefore nature-based education is very important.
A global network of universities is being established
that provides teacher training at all levels with
the aim of including nature, sustainability and
health and well-being in their entire curriculum.
A Canadian study on children’s use of parks
found that:
– Boys are more active in parks than girls
– Rural areas showed more activity than urban
areas
– Linear paths were not used much but paths to
activities were well used
– Children were more active when other
children were active
The Korean National Parks Service has recently
been implementing a large program of
environmental education for all levels of school.
Early evidence suggests it is performing well. The
Service provides educational resources such as
text books, interpreters and facilities specifically
for education. The program has strong support
from the private sector.
There are a number of diverse programs in
Australia for young Aboriginal people and for
recently arrived refugees. The participants are
immersed in nature and guided to make healthier
choices. Activities include camping, trekking,
culture and environmental interpretation, guest
speakers, surfing and abseiling. The benefits
include receiving helpful information for decision
making, work experience, exposure to life
opportunities, outdoor skills and community
resilience.
Evidence also indicated that empowering women
in ‘at risk’ communities through the provision of
education and information can greatly assist in
improving the health and well-being of the
broader community.
Session manager
Deborah Prentice, Parks Victoria, Australia
Session contributors
– Marie Rutza Flavieene Vincent and Jude Francois,
Ecoclubes, Haiti - Ecoclubs: inspiring the next generation of
park advocates through health and conservation
– Guylaine Chabot, Universite Laval, Canada - What works
- a summary of the performance of interventions designed
to promote human health through tourism and recreation
in terrestrial and marine parks: a systematic review of
research
– Deborah Prentice, Parks Victoria and John Clarke, Parks
Victoria , Australia - Meerteeyt Marrang, An Aboriginal
cultural program for all youth
– Kim Sang-beom, Korea National Park Service, Korea
– Environmental education in national parks alongside
school curriculum
– Claire Warden, Mindstretchers, United Kingdom (Scotland)
– Embedding nature, sustainability and health and
well-being into the education sector
Note: session 33 is the closing plenary for the
stream, refer to page 82
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