Nature’s Rx: How Time Outdoors Heals the Mind, Body and Community

Casting a fishing line into the fresh waters of the Fox River or walking beneath a canopy of leaves, a dose of nature can be a great cure for calming one’s mind, improving moods and even getting a better night’s sleep.

“In the world we live in, it’s good to get away from the television, unplug and be able to get out and spend time outside,” said Ryan Solomon, Ecological Restoration Supervisor for the St. Charles Park District.

In his day job, Solomon’s unofficial office is the outdoors, working throughout the park district’s natural areas. He and his crews are the ones cleaning up a trail, tackling restoration and even growing the park district’s newest arboretum.

For Solomon, spending time in nature, whether as part of his work, fishing after a busy day or enjoying a family camping trip, he finds the time he spends in nature help him clear his mind.

“It gives you such a different perspective on life,” Solomon said. “I feel totally rejuvenated, refreshed to get out in nature, to connect with nature.”

Turns out it’s more than a feeling. There’s scientific evidence to support a prescription to spend time in nature, or Nature’s Rx, can have cognitive health benefits. The Conservation Foundation, a not-for-profit land and watershed conservation based in northern Illinois, promotes Forest Therapy as a way to reconnect with nature and improve one’s mental and physical health. The Conservation Foundation cites studies that show the benefits of forest therapy, from reducing stress and helping with focus, concentration and memory.

There are many benefits to making time for a walk, whether it’s outside one’s front door or during a lunch break at the office. Finding time to walk in one of the many natural areas and parks in the community can boost those benefits.

“I often see parents drop their children off for a class at Hickory Knolls Discovery Center and take off on hike,” said Emily Shanahan, manager of the nature programs at the St. Charles Park District’s Hickory Knolls Discovery Center.

The three-mile trail adjacent to the nature center is a great spot for a healthy walk in nature as it winds through multiple habitats including a prairie and a wetland formed from a glacier that was at one time, located on the land, Solomon said.

The vast wildlife and plant life in nature, engages the senses and ensures no two walks through the trail will look the same.

“The best part about nature is it’s always changing,” Solomon said. “There’s a different bird to spot, you might hear the frogs, you never know what you’ll see.”

Also located near Hickory Knolls is one of the newest additions to the natural areas, an arboretum. The multi-year project to replace non-native plants with native species of trees and plants continues to take shape as it progresses to its official certification as an arboretum, a botanical area devoted to trees. Patrick Bochenek, ecological restoration technician with the St. Charles Park District is the advocate who led the project.

For those like Solomon, who are working to support the area’s development, it’s a labor of love that will provide enjoyment for future generations. Those 5-foot trees take time to take root, but it’s a project that inspires. This spring, the St. Charles Park District Staff discovered a kildeer, a species of shorebirds, nested in the area right off the trail. Yet another sign of wildlife discovering and settling into the habitat.

“Being able to watch it grow, it’s almost like cheering for them,” he quipped.