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Blog Entries - mental health

A group of kids gather around a counselor holding a turtle
Photo courtesy of Camp Fire

New Report Sheds Light on Gender Affirming Practices for Youth

NRF knows that outdoor recreation is a powerful tool for positive youth development. We also know that this can only be successful when everyone feels welcome and safe in every sense of the word – mentally,

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A group of young people stand in the street holding signs

The Link Between Environment and Mental Health

Many traditional indicators of youth well-being are showing positive trends. Drug use, smoking, and pregnancy rates are down among teenagers and high school graduation rates are on the rise. This is good news, but the

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A person stands with the back to the camera in a wooded area

Forest Therapy Shows Promise as a Well-Being Practice

Extensive scientific research now supports the idea that spending time in nature has positive impacts on our physical and mental health. Forest therapy builds on this idea to offer the healing benefits of nature in a

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A young child stands on the beach staring at the camera.

Overcoming Bias in our Understanding of Nature and Mental Health

There’s a lot of research supporting the idea that time in nature has a positive effect on our mental health. Exposure to greenspace decreases stress, boosts mood, and helps our bodies’ systems reset and rejuvenate.

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