The benefits of sylvotherapy or forest bathing, the wellness practice of immersing oneself in a forest setting, are known.

Scientific studies have shown that it has positive effects on stress. It has been observed as having a relieving effect on nervous tension while helping to improve concentration and focus.

So perhaps it’s not surprising that Canada, known internationally for its diverse natural settings and counting no fewer than 48 national parks, is allowing doctors to prescribe free entrance tickets in the form of a Parks Canada Discovery Pass to these protected spaces.

The PaRx initiative was launched in 2020 in British Columbia, and is now spreading to other Canadian provinces, as CBC News reported.

It is not, of course, a question of seeing the prescription as a miracle cure for anxiety disorders or depression, but rather to help patients combat stress.

According to the PaRx site, the recommendations concern a walk of at least 20 to 30 minutes, the time for the stress hormone, cortisol, to effectively drop.

Nature time is beneficial in more ways than one: not only does it help individuals recharge their batteries and breathe cleaner air but after nearly two years of pandemic, it also helps stimulate local tourism!