Nature Walks for Mental Health Recovery: A Study Protocol

Jenn Hoskins
22nd August, 2025

Nature Walks for Mental Health Recovery: A Study Protocol
Pixabay

Key Findings

  • This Australian study investigates whether Nature Walking Groups (NWGs) can be successfully integrated into existing mental health services in Orange and Wollongong, New South Wales
  • Participating in weekly, hour-long nature walks with guided mindfulness and stress reduction exercises may improve mental wellbeing alongside usual treatment
  • Researchers will measure stress hormones (cortisol and DHEA) and gather participant experiences to understand how NWGs impact mental health and identify challenges for implementation
Australia’s mental health services are under increasing strain, with a growing number of people experiencing mental health disorders. Traditional treatments are often insufficient, and there’s a need for innovative, accessible interventions. Nature-based interventions, specifically Nature Walking Groups (NWGs), are showing promise, but their integration into standard mental healthcare remains limited, particularly within the Australian context[1]. Researchers at Charles Sturt University are now investigating the feasibility and effectiveness of implementing NWGs within two New South Wales community mental health services, located in Orange and Wollongong. The study employs a mixed-methods approach, meaning it combines numerical data with qualitative insights. This design is structured around the RE-AIM framework, a tool used to evaluate the reach, effectiveness, adoption, implementation, and maintenance of health interventions. Three groups are involved: 40 participants will take part in the walking groups (the intervention), 40 will continue with their usual treatment (the control group), and 10 individuals will act as NWG facilitators. The intervention involves four NWGs running over a 12-month period. Participants in the walking group will attend one weekly 1-hour walk in nature for 12 consecutive weeks, alongside their existing treatment (Treatment as Usual, or TAU). The walks aren’t simply about physical exercise; trained facilitators will guide participants, focusing their attention on specific natural features and leading them through short stress reduction and mindfulness exercises – lasting between 3 and 10 minutes each session. The control group continues with their standard care, providing a baseline for comparison. A key aspect of the study is the measurement of biological markers of stress. Researchers will collect saliva samples at the beginning of the study, immediately after the 12-week intervention, and again at a 3-month follow-up. These samples will be analyzed for levels of cortisol – a hormone released in response to stress – and DHEA, a hormone associated with resilience to stress. This objective data will complement self-reported measures of mental wellbeing. Furthermore, researchers will conduct ethnographic observations of the walking groups, and in-depth interviews with both participants and facilitators to understand their experiences and perceptions. This qualitative data will help explain how the NWGs might be impacting mental health, and identify any challenges or facilitators to implementation. The rationale behind this approach is rooted in a growing body of evidence demonstrating the restorative effects of nature[2]. Exposure to natural environments has been shown to reduce physiological stress, improve emotional wellbeing, and restore cognitive function. This is thought to occur through multiple mechanisms, including calming responses elicited by natural sights and sounds, and the opportunity for attention restoration – allowing the mind to recover from the demands of everyday life.[3] found that even simply attending group walks in nature showed a positive association with mental health, suggesting an ‘undoing’ effect of stressful life events. However,[3] didn’t find that nature walks moderated the effects of stress, meaning they didn’t lessen the impact of stressful events. This new study, by actively incorporating mindfulness and stress reduction techniques during the walks, aims to go further – not just buffering the effects of stress, but actively building resilience. The inclusion of cortisol and DHEA measurements adds another layer of understanding, providing objective evidence of physiological changes. Importantly, the study acknowledges the broader context of mental healthcare.[4] highlights the significant global burden of mental disorders and the inadequate access to effective treatment. Implementing low-cost, accessible interventions like NWGs could address this gap, particularly when considering the increased interest in public mental health initiatives spurred by the COVID-19 pandemic.[5] demonstrated significant improvements in mental health indicators following a six-week wetland-based intervention, emphasizing the potential benefits of nature-based therapies. This study builds on this work by specifically examining the feasibility of integrating NWGs into established mental health services, and evaluating their impact within the Australian community mental health setting. The ethnographic observations and interviews are crucial for understanding the practical challenges and opportunities associated with this implementation, ensuring the intervention is tailored to the needs of the local community.

EnvironmentHealthMental Health

References

Main Study

1) Implementing nature walking groups in mental health services as a transdiagnostic approach to promote recovery: a study ​protocol for a non-randomised trial

Published 19th August, 2025

https://doi.org/10.1186/s12913-025-13135-4

Related Studies

2) The role of nature in coping with psycho-physiological stress: a literature review on restorativeness.

https://doi.org/10.3390/bs4040394

3) Growing Resilience through Interaction with Nature: Can Group Walks in Nature Buffer the Effects of Stressful Life Events on Mental Health?

https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph16060986

4) Public mental health: required actions to address implementation failure in the context of COVID-19.

https://doi.org/10.1016/S2215-0366(21)00199-1

5) Wetlands for Wellbeing: Piloting a Nature-Based Health Intervention for the Management of Anxiety and Depression.

https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph16224413


Related Articles

An unhandled error has occurred. Reload 🗙