Does perceived ecological integrity affect restorative health outcomes? An examination of visitor experiences in diverse environments in an Ontario Protected Area

The human health and well-being benefits associated with nature contact is well established. Parks and other forms of protected areas contribute significantly to these benefits by providing access to nature. However, limited research has been done on how different environments within protected areas (e.g., forests, coasts, areas being restored) and the perceived quality (i.e., ecological integrity) of these environments affect the health and well-being outcomes of visitors. This study builds on previous work to better understand how visitor experiences provided by diverse natural and built environments in Pinery Provincial Park affect perceived restorative outcomes as one aspect of health and well-being, using a self-reported in-situ survey. Tablet computers were used to capture visitor responses at intercept points in different ecosites, identified using Ecological Land Classification (ELC) data. The survey included a modified Restorative Outcome Scale (ROS) to measure participant’s well-being and mood as well as scale questions concerning perceived ecological integrity and species richness, socio-demographics, and overall health factors. Results revealed high overall restorative outcomes from contact with nature in the park. The type of environment and length of stay had little influence on visitor’s perceived restorative outcomes. However, restorative outcomes were perceived to be greater by women than men. Visitors reported high restorative outcomes irrespective of their self-reported state of mental and physical health. The perceived integrity of the environment had the greatest impact on reported outcomes. Visitors who perceived an environment to have higher ecological integrity, species richness, or naturalness also reported higher restorative outcomes. These results underscore the important links between human health and ecological integrity and point to a need to better understand the synergies between managing for ecological integrity and visitor experiences in protected areas. Key Words: restorative outcomes; ecological integrity; environmental quality; parks and protected areas; park management; perception

The \u27Healthy Parks-Healthy People\u27 Movement in Canada: Progress, Challenges, and an Emerging Knowledge and Action Agenda

In this article, we outline progress and challenges in establishing effective health promotion tied to visitor experiences provided by protected and conserved areas in Canada. Despite an expanding global evidence base, case studies focused on aspects of health and well-being within Canada’s protected and conserved areas remain limited. Data pertaining to motivations, barriers and experiences of visitors are often not collected by governing agencies and, if collected, are not made generally available or reported on. There is an obvious, large gap in research and action focused on the needs and rights of groups facing systemic barriers related to a variety of issues including, but not limited to, access, nature experiences, and needs with respect to health and well-being outcomes. Activation of programmes at the site level continue to grow, and Park Prescription programmes, as well as changes to the Accessible Canada Act, represent significant, positive examples of recent cross-sector policy integration. Evaluations of outcomes associated with HPHP programmes have not yet occurred but will be important to adapting interventions and informing cross-sector capacity building. We conclude by providing an overview of gaps in evidence and practice that, if addressed, can lead to more effective human health promotion vis-à-vis nature contact in protected and conserved areas in Canada