Are you stressed, frustrated, feeling down, anxious, having a hard time sleeping? Then look no further, the remedy you’ve been awaiting is here to soothe and comfort you, to bring relief, calmness, and happiness. And the best part? It’s absolutely free and available to all whenever you want it. If you didn’t already know, or just need a refresher, I’m talking about the great outdoors. Here is a new study that has actually put a dollar value on the improvement in well-being simply from visiting the park.
Researchers from Griffith University, Australia have concluded that that time spent in national parks and protected areas saves approximately $6 trillion globally in mental health care costs. Lead author of the study Ralf Buckley feels that although this is a conservative estimate, it is still “10 times greater than the global value of park tourism and 100 times greater than the global value of park agency budgets.”