Outdoor Health: Caring for People and Planet

This Open Access book serves as a guiding resource for the growing Outdoor Health Sector. It contributes new knowledge, sound theory, mature practices and examples of impact across four key areas: 1) Practice & Quality; 2) Research & Evidence; 3) Community & Engagement; and 4) Policy & Advocacy. This edited book supports practitioners, providers, researchers, students and policy makers as we continue to build a respected, vital evidence‑informed nature‑based health field.

The narrative woven throughout this scholarly work acknowledges past, present and future contributors. It provides continuity of people, place and purpose, capturing the values and ethics enacted within the professional Outdoor Health community, with guidance for the field as it matures. Grounded in Indigenous and cross-cultural perspectives, this book is inclusive and diverse, and presents a road map for a future in which outdoor and nature-based services are valued across health, mental health and wellbeing fields.