I recently came across an article by Scottish economist and Outdoor Researcher, James Black. It struck a chord - the same chord I have been humming silently to myself for many years. I reached out to James to ask him if I could share his research findings with you all. James kindly obliged, and offered this introduction to his work. I hope you will take a few minute now or later to read his article...
"Spending time in the Great Outdoors is vitally important to our overall health and wellbeing. I used to feel like outdoorsy folk (myself included) probably bang on about it too much and start to sound a bit like a broken record.
But then I think things changed with the pandemic in 2020. I think most people began to realize how important spending time in natural environments was after a few weeks of being cooped up inside.
I started researching some of the benefits of being outdoors - I knew it made me feel better but I wondered if there were any studies to back it up (as an economist, I’m a glutton for stats!) After a little digging, I found that there was evidence spending time in the great outdoors could improve our immunity, help reset our sleep cycle to a more natural rhythm, and alleviate depression and anxiety.
I decided to set up Wilderness Redefined, a blog where I share articles that aim to make the great outdoors more accessible for all and promote sustainable enjoyment to preserve the environment for generations to come."
You can read more about the benefits of being outdoors here: