Nature Prescriptions: Plants in Healthcare

Nature Prescriptions… with Benefits!

“I have always subscribed to the idea of wellness in my own life, and nature has been a big part of it,” says Wanda Heimbecker, co-owner of Whistling Gardens, in Norfolk County, Ontario. [1]

The award-winning botanical garden, renowned for its serene walking trails and extensive conifer tree collection, is part of a growing list of gardens and nature reserves across all ten Canadian provinces that have joined the BC Parks Foundation nature prescription program (PaRx). First launched in November 2020, the programme is endorsed and supported by both Parks Canada and the Canadian Medical Association (CMA). When a visitor presents a prescription written by a certified health care professional to Whistling Gardens staff, they receive a 25% discount on their admission fee to the gardens [2].

Whistling Gardens is not alone. Similar initiatives around the world are also prescribing nature, both as a treatment and as a preventive measure for overall good health.

Nature Prescriptions a Proven Success

Doctors in New Zealand were among the first to issue green prescriptions in the late 1990s. These nature prescriptions function as a support service that includes coaching individuals to be more active, eat a nutritious diet, and live a healthy lifestyle [3].

Clinicians in Japan have been recommending ‘forest bathing‘ since 1982, advising patients to explore the country’s 3,000 miles of woodland walks [4]. Over ten years ago, Park Rx America (PAR) launched its nature prescriptions program, and now Canada is following along.

Any healthcare professional governed by a regulatory body or college in Canada, such as a medical doctor, nurse practitioner, psychologist, occupational therapist, pharmacist, or social worker, can write a PaRx prescription.

“We recommend that anytime a health care professional provides lifestyle counselling around diet, exercise, or sleep habits, add nature time as a key recommendation,” says Jennie McCaffrey, vice-president of health and education for BC Parks Foundation.

The barrier to qualify for a prescription is extremely low, which means most Canadians are eligible to receive one. Simply ask your health care provider on your next visit. Since the programme’s conception, 1.4 million prescriptions have been given across Canada. In the U.S., anyone wanting a prescription can write one for themselves by following the instructions on the PAR website.

Once prescribed, an individual in Canada, for example, goes to the parkprescription.ca website and follows the instructions to get a list of places offering discounted entry fees, parking passes, and other perks.

To become a prescription filler, such as Whistling Gardens, the process is equally streamlined.

“I submitted an application on their website form indicating where I had learned about the programme, of my excitement at seeing that they had advanced the conversation and formalised [it], let them know a little bit about how we would like to proceed and that’s where we’ve reached an agreement as to what we could afford to do,” Heimbecker says.

Many places that fill prescriptions include parks, nature reserves, and botanical gardens. However, some distributors are somewhat unorthodox, such as the Vancouver Art Gallery, which offers a free visit to the Emily Carr exhibition, “Navigating an Impenetrable Landscape” [6]. Simply looking at images containing nature can settle nerves, reduce anxiety, and stress [7].

Nature’s Benefits

“According to the evidence, nature time can benefit almost any health condition across the lifespan,” McCaffrey says.

John Chambers, Marketing and Communications Specialist for Kawartha Conservation in Lindsay, Ontario, can’t help but agree [8]. Established in 1979, the non-profit focuses on environmental conservation and stewardship within the natural boundaries of the Kawartha watershed – a total of 2,563 square kilometres.

“The overall mandate of our conservation authority and all conservation authorities is the protection of people and property,” he says. “I think that extends beyond the physical. We started seeing, especially since COVID, the mental health impacts people are experiencing.”

According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), one in eight people worldwide lived with a mental health disorder in 2019. Since COVID-19, that number has risen by as much as 25%, with depression and anxiety ranked as the most common mental health conditions people experience [9].

“We want to make nature as accessible for people and as easy for people as possible,” says Chambers. To that end, the conservation area offers 25% off an annual parking pass, making it easy for anyone to access nature and reap the benefits.

Spending two hours a week in nature, even if it’s just walking for 15 to 20 minutes in a city park, provides physical benefits such as improved cardiovascular health. When increased to 20 or 30 minutes, cortisol levels (the stress-enducing hormone) drop significantly. There is also ongoing evidence to support that exposure to nature improves cognitive function, such as memory, creativity, and sleep [10][11].

According to McCaffrey, testimonials from patients such as Philippe from Ottawa (whose last name is protected for privacy reasons) prove it. Since he started incorporating nature into his routine, he says he feels more relaxed, less stressed, and more connected to the world around him. Spending time outdoors has boosted his mood and energy levels, making him more productive and focused.

Alongside personal health benefits, there are cascading effects with dividends for the whole world. People who are more connected to nature do more to protect it and want to keep the planet healthy, researchers say [12].

Back at Whistling Gardens, their partnership with the PaRx programme enforces this and the garden’s mission to share knowledge in botany and horticulture. They cultivate an appreciation for our natural environment through education workshops, seminars, public events, and guided tours.

“I think our entire team truly feels honoured to know our gardens serve an increased, nuanced purpose for our guests, as we plant for others, not ourselves,” says Heimbecker.

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