Healthy by nature: Getting outside for the benefit of nature and ourselves
The personal experiences we have with nature help us form a lifelong connection to the environment. (Photo by NCC)
We’ve all been there and felt the negative effects of stress. With the pace of the world today, stress is a familiar companion for many of us.
Though stress is a normal physical reaction, it can have negative effects on your health, especially when it lasts for long periods of time. Whether it's fatigue, anxiety, irritability or social isolation, stress symptoms can affect your body, thoughts, feelings and overall well-being.
In a world where information comes at us from every direction, expectations are high that we’ll be able to keep up. Yet too often, we’re left feeling like we have no breathing space. So how do we manage stress in a modern world?
Cue the birdsong, babbling brook and soft scent of pine trees.
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Nature may not be able to solve all of our problems, but the benefits of getting outside cannot be denied. A growing body of evidence shows that spending time outside can reduce stress, improve blood pressure, reduce anxiety and support our overall physical health. When you throw volunteering into the mix, the benefits increase — not just for ourselves, but for nature too.
A growing body of evidence shows that spending time outside can reduce stress, improve blood pressure, reduce anxiety and support our overall physical health. (Photo by Pat Smith)
That’s why the Nature Conservancy of Canada (NCC) is encouraging Canadians to be “healthy by nature,” by getting outside this year and contributing to hands-on conservation work through our Conservation Volunteers program.
Studies have shown that volunteering can help you feel more socially connected and that using your skills and talents in support of a cause can improve your self-esteem. In a 2013 health and volunteering study conducted by UnitedHealth Group, 96 per cent of participants said volunteering enriched their sense of purpose in life.
Using your skills and talents in support of a cause can improve your self-esteem. (Photo by NCC)
NCC’s Conservation Volunteers program, which is in its 12th year, brings people from all walks of life together in support of a shared cause.
With a wealth of volunteer events taking place in all 10 provinces throughout the year, we are showing that we are not only committed to land conservation but also to connecting people to that land and fostering a love of nature.
“The personal experiences we have with nature help us form a lifelong connection to the environment,” says Erica Thompson, NCC’s director of conservation engagement. “Through our Conservation Volunteers program, we work to provide hands-on opportunities for people of all ages and fitness levels to get out and contribute to nature’s health, while reaping the personal, mental, physical and social benefits of being outside.”
NCC's Conservation Volunteers program provides hands-on opportunities for people of all ages to contribute to nature's health. (Photo by NCC)
Whether it’s cleaning up plastics and marine debris at a shoreline cleanup in Newfoundland, improving fence-line visibility for endangered greater sage-grouse in Saskatchewan or planting native wildflowers as part of local restoration efforts on Vancouver Island, NCC's Conservation Volunteers program offers many opportunities to get outside, get (or stay) healthy and give back to nature this year. In the process, you might just find the breathing space you need.
To view NCC’s full calendar of events and find one in your area, visit conservationvolunteers.ca.
NCC’s Conservation Volunteers program has been made possible thanks to the support of Great-West Life, London Life and Canada Life, the program's national sponsor.
About the Author
Kailey Setter is the national manager of conservation engagement at the Nature Conservancy of Canada.
