Wetlands for well-being
Authored by Rachel Buxton on November 16th, 2022
The chorus of frogs croaking, the slow ambling of a turtle, these sounds and sites of wetlands delight Ontarians. It turns out, experiences in wetlands are more than delightful – they’re good for our health.
Experiencing nature has a range of health benefits, from boosting memory retention to increasing life span. Nature does not require our direct attention, like the constant stimulation of being in a city, allowing recovery from stress. Connecting with nature makes us happy. Also, nature was central to getting many people through the COVID-19 pandemic, buffering mental health during stressful experiences.
Wetlands have unique features that make experiences in them particularly good for our well-being. They house high numbers of species, particularly those that sing (birds) and croak (frogs). This results in an environment rich in natural sounds, which are known to be a big contributor to nature’s health benefits. A recent study that spanned 18 countries showed that visiting natural spaces like wetlands decreased mental distress and increased feelings of positive well-being. Some health care professionals have even started prescribing their patients time in wetlands to treat anxiety and depression. Importantly, wetlands save us health care costs. For example, in the UK, London’s natural spaces alone are estimated to save £950 million a year in physical and mental health costs.
As the global prevalence of mental health continues to increase, we won’t have enough primary care to meet growing demand. Why not let nature, the ultimate healer, do its job! Wetlands protect our health – it’s our responsibility to protect their health and save Ontario wetlands.
Experiencing nature has a range of health benefits, from boosting memory retention to increasing life span. Nature does not require our direct attention, like the constant stimulation of being in a city, allowing recovery from stress. Connecting with nature makes us happy. Also, nature was central to getting many people through the COVID-19 pandemic, buffering mental health during stressful experiences.
Wetlands have unique features that make experiences in them particularly good for our well-being. They house high numbers of species, particularly those that sing (birds) and croak (frogs). This results in an environment rich in natural sounds, which are known to be a big contributor to nature’s health benefits. A recent study that spanned 18 countries showed that visiting natural spaces like wetlands decreased mental distress and increased feelings of positive well-being. Some health care professionals have even started prescribing their patients time in wetlands to treat anxiety and depression. Importantly, wetlands save us health care costs. For example, in the UK, London’s natural spaces alone are estimated to save £950 million a year in physical and mental health costs.
As the global prevalence of mental health continues to increase, we won’t have enough primary care to meet growing demand. Why not let nature, the ultimate healer, do its job! Wetlands protect our health – it’s our responsibility to protect their health and save Ontario wetlands.