"Research increasingly finds that human health is improved by spending time in nature. Whether exercising, birdwatching, or spending quiet, mindful time outdoors, a host of physical and mental health benefits have been confirmed. As a physician, I have experienced the healing benefits of nature firsthand and have been prescribing, writing, and speaking about nature for several years. In a collaborative effort with Hartman Reserve Nature Center, we have created the Hartman Reserve Trail Prescription, or Trail Rx. The Trail Rx program offers a framework to accomplish a user’s wellness goals outdoors on Hartman trails. We hope you use Trail Rx principles regularly so that it becomes part of your life. Enjoy the trails, doctor’s orders!" - Suzanne Bartlett Hackenmiller, MD
There are five Trail Rx trails at Hartman Reserve. Each trail offers various physical and mental benefits. A map of those trails can be found in a Trail Rx brochure, available at the Nature Center, or view it on this web page. Physical health prescriptions: Each Trail Rx trail has been measured and assessed for physical benefits at various levels of effort. Click here to learn about the physical benefits for each trail, then determine the Trail Rx trail, level of physical exertion, and number of repetitions that is right for you. Discuss your prescription with your healthcare provider. Mental health prescriptions: On each of the Trail Rx trails, you'll find one or more Trail Rx stops marked with signage. Use your mobile phone camera to scan the QR code on each sign to access Trail Rx stop links listed on this page. Behind those links are mental health prescriptions, also referred to as forest therapy invitations. The invitations will help you to connect to your senses, slow down, relax, and quiet your mind. If you're curious about the science regarding the health benefits you are achieving with Trail Rx, check out the research notes listed below the map on this page. We wish you wellness as you explore Hartman Reserve and other Black Hawk County Conservation parks! |
Trail Rx StopsEach Trail Rx Stop is marked with a sign that displays a QR code within a numbered water bottle icon. The color and number of a water bottle sign correspond to one of the five Trail Rx trails. Scan the QR code on the sign with your mobile phone camera, tap on the link that appears, navigate to the list displayed below, and then tap on the link for that particular stop.
Trail Rx Stop 1 - Turkey Trail Trail Rx Stop 2 - Maple Loop Trail Trail Rx Stop 3 - Mary Kay Eakin Bridge on 2 Bridges Trail Trail Rx Stop 4 - Scenic Overlook on 2 Bridges Trail Trail Rx Stop 5 - Prairie Loop Trail Trail Rx Stop 6 - Hartman Station on Highway to Health Trail Trail Rx Stop 7 - Bench near Manatt Lake Shelter on Highway to Health Trail Trail Rx Stop 8 - Cropper Overlook on Highway to Health Trail Click here to see a video demonstration on how to access this page from a Trail Rx Stop with a mobile phone. Notes and press:
~ Hartman Reserve staff do not offer medical advice. ~ Click here to see a video for more information and to learn about the development and launch of the Trail Rx program. ~ Click here to read more about Trail Rx in an article by the Waterloo-Cedar Falls Courier. ~ Click here to listen to an interview with Dr. Hackenmiller about Trail Rx on a Iowa Public Radio Talk of Iowa broadcast (starting at 31:48). |
Sources
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Bowler, Diana, Lisette Buyung-Ali, Teri Knight, Andrew Pullin. “A systematic review of evidence for the added benefits to health of exposure to natural environments.” BMC Public Health 10, 456 (2010). https://doi.org/10.1186/1471-2458-10-456
Bratman, Gregory, J. Paul Hamilton, Kevin S. Hahn, Gretchen C. Daily, James J. Gross. “Nature reduces rumination and sgPFC activation.” Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences 112, no. 28 (2015): 8567–8572. https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.1510459112
Coon, J. Thompson, K. Boddy, K. Stein, R. Whear, J. Barton, M.H. Depledge. “Does Participating in Physical Activity in Outdoor Natural Environments have a Greater Effect on Physical and Mental Wellbeing than Physical Activity Indoors? A Systematic Review.” Environ.Sci.Technol. (2011) 1761-1772. https://doi.org/10.1021/es102947t
Hunter, Mary Carol, Brenda W. Gillespie, Sophie Yu-Pu Chen. “Urban Nature Experiences Reduce Stress in the Context of Daily Life Based on Salivary Biomarkers.” Frontiers in Psychology 10 (2019): 722. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2019.00722
Li Q, Otsuka T, Kobayashi M, et al. Acute effects of walking in forest environments on cardiovascular and metabolic parameters. Eur J Appl Physiol. 2011;111(11):2845-2853. https://doi:10.1007/s00421-011-1918-z
Mitchell, Richard. “Is physical activity in natural environments better for mental health
than physical activity in other environments?” Social Science and Medicine. 91 (2013): 130–134. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.socscimed.2012.04.012
Mitten, Denise Mitten, Jillisa R. Overholt, Francis I. Haynes, Chiara C. D’Amore, Janet C. Ady. “Hiking: A Low-Cost, Accessible Intervention to Promote Health Benefits.” American Journal of Lifestyle Medicine. (2016): 303–310. https://doi.org/10.1177%2F1559827616658229
Neill, Callum, et al. “Nature Contact and Mood Benefits: Contact Duration and Mood Type.” J Pos Psych 14, no. 6 (2018): 756-757. https://doi.org/10.1080/17439760.2018.1557242
Park BJ, Tsunetsugu Y, Kasetani T, Kagawa T, Miyazaki Y. The physiological effects of Shinrin-yoku (taking in the forest atmosphere or forest bathing): evidence from field experiments in 24 forests across Japan. Environ Health Prev Med. 2010;15(1):18-26. https://doi:10.1007/s12199-009-0086-9
Pretty, Jules, Jo Peacock, Martin Sellens, Murray Griffin. “The mental and physical health outcomes of green exercise.” Int Jour Env Health Research 15 (2006). 319-337. https://doi.org/10.1080/09603120500155963
Shanahan, Danielle F., Robert Bush, Kevin J. Gaston, Brenda B. Lin, Julie Dean, Elizabeth Barber, Richard A. Fuller. “Health Benefits from Nature Experiences Depend on Dose.” Scientific Reports 6 (2016): 28551. https://doi.org/10.1038/srep28551
Ulrich, Roger. “View Through a Window May Influence Recovery from Surgery.” Science 224, no. 4647 (1984): 420-421. https://doi.org/10.1126/science.6143402
Wen, Ye, Qi Yan, Yangliu Pan, Xinren Gu, Yuanqiu Liu. “Medical empirical research on forest bathing (Shinrin-yoku): a systematic review.” Environmental Health and Preventive Medicine 24 (2019): 70. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12199-019-0822-8
Ward Thompson, Catharine, Jenny Roe, Peter Aspinall, Richard Mitchell, Angela Clow, David Miller. “More green space is linked to less stress in deprived communities: Evidence from salivary cortisol patterns.” Landscape and Urban Planning 105, no. 3 (2012): 221-229. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.landurbplan.2011.12.015
White, Matthew P., Ian Alcock, James Grellier, Benedict W. Wheeler, Terry Hartig, Sara L. Warber, Angie Bone, Michael H. Depledge, Lora E. Fleming. “Spending at least 120 minutes a week in nature is associated with good health and wellbeing.” Scientific Reports 9 (2019): 7730. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-019-44097-3
Bowler, Diana, Lisette Buyung-Ali, Teri Knight, Andrew Pullin. “A systematic review of evidence for the added benefits to health of exposure to natural environments.” BMC Public Health 10, 456 (2010). https://doi.org/10.1186/1471-2458-10-456
Bratman, Gregory, J. Paul Hamilton, Kevin S. Hahn, Gretchen C. Daily, James J. Gross. “Nature reduces rumination and sgPFC activation.” Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences 112, no. 28 (2015): 8567–8572. https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.1510459112
Coon, J. Thompson, K. Boddy, K. Stein, R. Whear, J. Barton, M.H. Depledge. “Does Participating in Physical Activity in Outdoor Natural Environments have a Greater Effect on Physical and Mental Wellbeing than Physical Activity Indoors? A Systematic Review.” Environ.Sci.Technol. (2011) 1761-1772. https://doi.org/10.1021/es102947t
Hunter, Mary Carol, Brenda W. Gillespie, Sophie Yu-Pu Chen. “Urban Nature Experiences Reduce Stress in the Context of Daily Life Based on Salivary Biomarkers.” Frontiers in Psychology 10 (2019): 722. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2019.00722
Li Q, Otsuka T, Kobayashi M, et al. Acute effects of walking in forest environments on cardiovascular and metabolic parameters. Eur J Appl Physiol. 2011;111(11):2845-2853. https://doi:10.1007/s00421-011-1918-z
Mitchell, Richard. “Is physical activity in natural environments better for mental health
than physical activity in other environments?” Social Science and Medicine. 91 (2013): 130–134. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.socscimed.2012.04.012
Mitten, Denise Mitten, Jillisa R. Overholt, Francis I. Haynes, Chiara C. D’Amore, Janet C. Ady. “Hiking: A Low-Cost, Accessible Intervention to Promote Health Benefits.” American Journal of Lifestyle Medicine. (2016): 303–310. https://doi.org/10.1177%2F1559827616658229
Neill, Callum, et al. “Nature Contact and Mood Benefits: Contact Duration and Mood Type.” J Pos Psych 14, no. 6 (2018): 756-757. https://doi.org/10.1080/17439760.2018.1557242
Park BJ, Tsunetsugu Y, Kasetani T, Kagawa T, Miyazaki Y. The physiological effects of Shinrin-yoku (taking in the forest atmosphere or forest bathing): evidence from field experiments in 24 forests across Japan. Environ Health Prev Med. 2010;15(1):18-26. https://doi:10.1007/s12199-009-0086-9
Pretty, Jules, Jo Peacock, Martin Sellens, Murray Griffin. “The mental and physical health outcomes of green exercise.” Int Jour Env Health Research 15 (2006). 319-337. https://doi.org/10.1080/09603120500155963
Shanahan, Danielle F., Robert Bush, Kevin J. Gaston, Brenda B. Lin, Julie Dean, Elizabeth Barber, Richard A. Fuller. “Health Benefits from Nature Experiences Depend on Dose.” Scientific Reports 6 (2016): 28551. https://doi.org/10.1038/srep28551
Ulrich, Roger. “View Through a Window May Influence Recovery from Surgery.” Science 224, no. 4647 (1984): 420-421. https://doi.org/10.1126/science.6143402
Wen, Ye, Qi Yan, Yangliu Pan, Xinren Gu, Yuanqiu Liu. “Medical empirical research on forest bathing (Shinrin-yoku): a systematic review.” Environmental Health and Preventive Medicine 24 (2019): 70. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12199-019-0822-8
Ward Thompson, Catharine, Jenny Roe, Peter Aspinall, Richard Mitchell, Angela Clow, David Miller. “More green space is linked to less stress in deprived communities: Evidence from salivary cortisol patterns.” Landscape and Urban Planning 105, no. 3 (2012): 221-229. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.landurbplan.2011.12.015
White, Matthew P., Ian Alcock, James Grellier, Benedict W. Wheeler, Terry Hartig, Sara L. Warber, Angie Bone, Michael H. Depledge, Lora E. Fleming. “Spending at least 120 minutes a week in nature is associated with good health and wellbeing.” Scientific Reports 9 (2019): 7730. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-019-44097-3