Canadian Physicians Can Prescribe Free National Park Passes As Treatment For Depression & Anxiety

A Canadian nationwide nature prescription program (PaRx) allows participating licensed health care professionals to prescribe Parks Canada Discovery Passes to adults with depression or anxiety. The Discovery Pass provides unlimited admission for a full year at over 80 Parks Canada national parks, national historic sites, and national marine conservation areas that typically charge a daily entrance fee.

The PaRx program is based on research which indicates that spending self-directed meaningful time in nature decreases cortisol levels, which improves immune function, and reduces the risk of heart disease, depression, and anxiety. The goal is that the consumer spends up to . . .