Blog
- 2022
- May
- April
- March
- February
- January
- 2021
- December
- November
- October
- September
- August
- July
- June
- May
- April
- March
- February
- January
- 2020
- December
- November
- October
- September
- August
- June
- April
- March
- February
- January
- 2019
- December
- November
- October
- September
- August
- April
- March
- January
- 2018
- September
- August
- July
- May
- March
- February
- January
- 2017
- December
- November
- September
- August
- July
- June
- May
- April
- March
- February
- January
- 2016
- December
- November
- October
- March
- February
- January
- ABC Park (1)
- access to nature (1)
- adolescence (1)
- adolescent recreation (1)
- adolescent wellbeing (1)
- agricultural education (1)
- agricultural literacy (2)
- Air Alliance Houston (1)
- antiracism in the outdoors (1)
- arts education (1)
- Asheville (1)
- athletic surfaces (1)
- Atlanta (1)
- Atlanta Track Club (1)
- Atlanta Youth Rugby (1)
- Atlanta Youth Tennis (1)
- audubon texas (2)
- Bakeyah Nelson (1)
- Bearings Bike Shop (1)
- benefits of recreation (1)
- Beyond the Game (1)
- biological anthropologist (1)
- Black outdoor recreation (1)
- black outside (1)
- Blue Sky Funders Forum (1)
- Bob Crawford (1)
- Boys & Girls Clubs of Puerto Rico (1)
- Caitlin Reilly (1)
- camp counselors (1)
- camper education (1)
- center for native american youth (1)
- CETA Foundation (1)
- challenge (1)
- challenge course (1)
- Charles E. Hartsoe Fellow (1)
- Chicago CRED (1)
- Children & Nature Network (3)
- children & nature network (2)
- children and nature network (1)
- children's forest of central oregon (1)
- children's screen time action network (1)
- citizen science (2)
- City Kids Wilderness Project (1)
- civic engagement (1)
- Climate Change (1)
- climate change (2)
- coach training (2)
- cold weather fun (1)
- College of Natural Resources (1)
- communication (1)
- community nature connection (1)
- community programming (1)
- competitive jump rope (1)
- connection to nature (3)
- cooking with kids (1)
- cool learning experience (1)
- coronavirus (4)
- CourtBuilders (1)
- COVID safety (1)
- COVID-19 (6)
- covid-19 (1)
- Cranbrook (1)
- Crawford Prize (4)
- crawford prize (1)
- cultivating community (1)
- Darryl Taylor (2)
- Davidson College (1)
- Day of Sport (1)
- deficit thinking (1)
- Department of Parks, Recreation and Tourism Management (1)
- Department of Parks, Recreation, and Tourism Management (1)
- Detroit (1)
- digital tools (1)
- disabled hikers (1)
- diversity equity and inclusion (1)
- diversity in nature (1)
- diversity in the outdoors (1)
- drowning (1)
- early adulthood (1)
- Eco-Health (1)
- eden place nature center (1)
- Elliott Donnelley Youth Center (1)
- Elsie McCabe Thompson (1)
- Emerson Collective (1)
- empathy (1)
- English Avenue (1)
- EnviroAtlas (1)
- environment (1)
- Environmental Activism (1)
- environmental activism (1)
- environmental education (4)
- environmental justice (1)
- environmental learning for kids (1)
- environmental literacy (1)
- EPA (1)
- equity (2)
- equity in the outdoors (1)
- every kid outdoors (1)
- experiential education (1)
- explore fund (1)
- family fun (1)
- family holidays (1)
- family recreation (1)
- family relationships (1)
- Family Time (1)
- Fernando Lloveras (1)
- Finding Nature (1)
- food literacy (1)
- food systems (1)
- Gang Rescue and Refinement Passages (1)
- Gary Hall (1)
- Georgia FIRST Robotics (1)
- get into nature (1)
- get outside (1)
- girl scouts (1)
- girls in STEM (1)
- girls on the run (1)
- girlventures (1)
- Grantee Highlight (1)
- grantee spotlight (1)
- grants (1)
- greater newark conservancy (2)
- green camps (1)
- green infrastructure (1)
- green schoolyards (1)
- greening youth foundation (1)
- greenspace (2)
- greenspace access (4)
- group cohesion (1)
- Hartsoe Fellow (1)
- health (1)
- health benefits of nature (1)
- healthy families (1)
- healthy kids (2)
- healthy living (1)
- healthy relationships (1)
- Horizons-Upward Bound (1)
- Howard University (1)
- IMC Charities (1)
- inclusivity in recreation (1)
- Indigenous Leaders (1)
- IPCC report (1)
- John McCarter (1)
- Jose Gonzalez (2)
- josé gonzález (1)
- jose gonzalez (1)
- jubilee consortium (1)
- jubilee jump (1)
- Julia Lankford (1)
- justice outside (1)
- k-12 education (1)
- Karen Stewart-Ramos (1)
- kids health (1)
- kids in nature (2)
- kids in summer (1)
- Kids Outside (1)
- kids outside (6)
- Kim Moore Bailey (1)
- Last Child in the Woods (1)
- Latino Outdoors (1)
- latino outdoors (2)
- Laureus (2)
- Laureus Sport for Good Foundation (1)
- Lawrence Hall of Science (1)
- LBC Action (1)
- leadership at camp (1)
- leadership development (1)
- Lee Storey (1)
- LGBTQ+ outdoor summit (1)
- LGBTQ+ youth (1)
- Lila Leff (2)
- los angeles (1)
- Mandela (1)
- marine debris (1)
- Martin LeBlanc (1)
- mental health support (1)
- Mercedes Benz (1)
- million coaches challenge (1)
- Montreat College (1)
- mountain sports (1)
- move mountains (1)
- Muddy Sneakers (1)
- music in schools (1)
- music teachers (1)
- Myron Floyd (2)
- myron floyd (1)
- Nadja West (3)
- National Recreation and Park Association (1)
- National Recreation and Park Association Forecasts (1)
- National Recreation Foundation (7)
- national recreation foundation (2)
- Native American Heritage Month (1)
- nature (5)
- Nature Books (1)
- nature deficit disorder (1)
- nature deprivation (1)
- nature education (1)
- nature observation (1)
- Nature, Culture and Human Health Network (1)
- NC State University (1)
- nc state university (1)
- nearby nature (2)
- Nike (1)
- non-profit organizations (1)
- North Carolina (1)
- North Carolina State University (3)
- north carolina state university (1)
- Northwestern University (1)
- NRF (4)
- NRPA (2)
- Our Wild Calling (1)
- out there adventures (1)
- outdoor access (1)
- outdoor activity (1)
- outdoor adventure (1)
- outdoor alliance for kids (1)
- outdoor education (2)
- outdoor equity (1)
- outdoor grants (1)
- outdoor industry (1)
- outdoor learning (1)
- outdoor play (3)
- outdoor recreation (6)
- outdoor recreation grants (1)
- outdoor science education (1)
- outdoors (2)
- outdoors empowered network (2)
- Outdoors for All (1)
- outward bound adventures (1)
- Pace Center for Girls (1)
- pandemic (4)
- pandemic kids (1)
- pandemic mental health (1)
- pandemic wellbeing (1)
- pandemic with kids (1)
- Para La Naturaleza (1)
- paradox climbing (1)
- park access (1)
- park activities (1)
- participatory evaluation (1)
- physical activity (4)
- player development (2)
- positive coaching alliance (2)
- positive youth development (4)
- Power Game+ (1)
- pride outside (1)
- Pritzker (1)
- program evaluation (1)
- public lands (1)
- queer mountain quest (1)
- queer nature (1)
- Reading with Kids (1)
- recreation (3)
- recreation research (3)
- recreation safety (1)
- recreational programming (1)
- Rethink Outside (1)
- Rethink Outside Fellowship (1)
- Richard Louv (2)
- richard louv (1)
- rippleffect (2)
- risk and resilience (1)
- risk management (2)
- rocking the boat (1)
- rosario dawson (1)
- Ryan Zwart (1)
- Sarah Milligan-Toffler (2)
- school budget cuts (1)
- science learning (1)
- science literacy (1)
- scistarter (1)
- screen time (2)
- shannon danks (1)
- shelter-in-place (1)
- Siebert Williams Shank (1)
- sierra club (1)
- skin protection (1)
- Soccer in the Streets (1)
- social emotional learning (3)
- social-emotional learning (1)
- Sophie Twichell (5)
- sos outreach (1)
- soul trak (1)
- Soul Trak Outdoors (1)
- sport based youth development (1)
- Sport Court (1)
- Sport for Good (1)
- STEM gender gap (1)
- stress (1)
- summer camp (2)
- summer camps (1)
- summer fun (1)
- summer jobs (1)
- summer recreation (1)
- summer with kids (1)
- summertime (1)
- sun safety (1)
- sunscreen (1)
- sustainability (1)
- swim lessons (1)
- swimming (1)
- Teach-A-Child to Fish (1)
- technology (1)
- Teresa H Horton (1)
- thanksgiving (1)
- the north face (1)
- the trauma foundation (1)
- Tim Richardson (2)
- time in nature (1)
- time outside (4)
- tom's of maine (1)
- toms of maine (1)
- Tony Mobley (1)
- trauma epidemic (1)
- trauma-informed practices (1)
- tree street youth (1)
- trekkers (1)
- Trust for public lands (1)
- trustee (1)
- TSL Law Group (1)
- Tyrhee Moore (1)
- tyrhee moore (1)
- Umoja (1)
- Umoja Student Development Corporation (1)
- usa swimming (1)
- venture out project (1)
- Vine City (1)
- Virtual Training Camp (1)
- Washington Park (1)
- water safety (1)
- Westside (1)
- wild diversity (1)
- wilderness inquiry (1)
- winter outdoor activities (1)
- Winter Reading (1)
- working with kids (1)
- yes nature to neighborhoods (1)
- youth (2)
- youth activism (1)
- youth athletes (1)
- youth climate action (1)
- youth coaches (2)
- youth coaching (1)
- youth development (9)
- youth engagement (1)
- youth mental health (4)
- youth mentors (1)
- youth opportunities unlimited (1)
- youth outdoor recreation (1)
- youth outdoors (2)
- Youth Outside (1)
- youth outside (1)
- youth recreation (17)
- youth resilience (2)
- youth sports (6)
- youth voices (1)
Intertwined Outcomes: Connection to Nature, Mental Health, and Outdoor Activity

It’s no secret that the pandemic is having adverse effects on youth, especially adolescents. Youth benefit from stable routines, and the habits they develop as young people as part of those routines are likely to carry into adulthood. The continuous change of the past two years has disrupted almost every aspect of our lives. Research shows that as a result, adolescents are increasing participation in sedentary activities, decreasing participation in outdoor activities, and demonstrating signs of declining wellbeing. These trends among adolescents could have implications for their health and wellbeing for years to come.
.jpeg)
In part, this is because adolescents are at a developmental stage in which they are particularly susceptible to stress. Past studies tell us that participating in outdoor activities can boost adolescent wellbeing, even in the context of a global pandemic. A newly published scientific paper provides additional insights into what’s happening with changes in adolescents and outdoor activity as the pandemic continues to shape our behaviors. The study, conducted by researchers at North Carolina State University, tells us that declines in outdoor activity participation are connected to declines in connection to nature. Connection to nature is an important metric because it not only supports healthy habits related to being active outside, but it is also linked to lifelong pro-environmental behaviors and mental wellbeing.
.jpeg)
Interestingly, the researchers found that although adolescents are participating in less outdoor activities during the pandemic, the positive impacts of those activities have increased for those who do participate. This is likely due to both the intensity of stress that many people are experiencing right now and the importance of natural settings for boosting mood and promoting mental health. Although indoor, sedentary recreational activities can be relaxing and healthy, in a time when many people, especially students, are spending more time at home and in front of computers, it is especially important to go outside, spend time in greenspace, and move our bodies. As other recreational opportunities shifted or were cancelled as a result of the pandemic, outdoor activities became an essential self-care strategy for many people. All adolescents in the study experienced declines in wellbeing and decreased participation in outdoor activities. However, participants in more urban areas demonstrated greater levels of stress and trauma and more significant withdrawal from outdoor activities and connection to nature. This is likely tied to the issue of access to nearby greenspace.

As we head into 2022, we’re still collectively navigating caring for ourselves and our communities in a time of global crisis, and we’re trying to establish best practices for maintaining physical and mental health amid social conflict. The situation is constantly evolving as we learn more about the corona virus and its many variants, but one thing that is very clear is that outdoor recreation is an essential tool for safeguarding the mental and physical health of our youth. In particular, efforts need to focus on accessibility to the outdoors for all youth and on the wellbeing of youth who are especially vulnerable to the mental health effects of the pandemic. While NRF has been committed to promoting youth wellbeing through outdoor recreation for a long time, the findings of this new research emphasize the importance of our mission in the current moment. As we look towards the new year at NRF, we are more passionate than ever about supporting young people through the power of recreation.