Researchers put a value on national parks’ impact on mental health

January 6, 2020

National parks worldwide are worth about $8.7 trillion a year in the improved mental health of their visitors, according to initial estimates published by a team of Griffith University researchers.

Griffith ecologists, psychologists and economists led the peer-reviewed Perspective Economic value of protected areas via visitor mental health, which has been published in the prestigious journal Nature Communications.

The Perspective study was jointly funded by Griffith University, Queensland Parks and Wildlife Service and Parks Victoria.

The team included Professor Ralf Buckley, Professor Paula Brough, Professor Chris Fleming, Associate Professor Neil Harris, Dr Ali Chauvenet, Leah Hague, Elisha Roche and Dr Ernesta Sofija from across Griffith’s School of Environment and Science, Centre for Work Organisation and Wellbeing, Environmental Futures Research Institute, Griffith Business School and School of Medicine.

Using a concept called quality-adjusted life years, which measured a person’s ability to carry out the activities of daily life free from pain and mental disturbance, the researchers estimated the economic value of national parks using data collected from a representative sample of the Australian population in the states of Queensland and Victoria (19,674).

They used these data to estimate the value for the whole of Australia and globally and found a direct link between visits to protected areas and individual mental health.

For Australia, the team estimated the annual health services value of Australia’s national parks was around $145 billion ($US100 billion) a year.

Lead author Professor Buckley stated “the article suggests several ways to calculate health services value, and these numbers are from just one of those methods - now we need to extend that research to other methods and other countries.

“Protected areas are there for conservation, which gives us a liveable planet and underpins our entire economy, but conservation is not very powerful politically. People and politicians pay more attention to health, because it affects them personally.”

“This value already exists, it just was not recognised. People already visit parks to recover from stress. In healthcare terms, it’s patient-funded therapy. Without parks, costs of poor mental health in Australia would rise by $145 billion a year.”

Currently, the costs of poor mental health in Australia amount to approximately 10% of GDP, and the researchers’ estimates indicate that these costs could be 7.5% higher without protected areas such as national parks.

The economic costs of poor mental health include treatment, care and reduced workplace productivity and affect individuals, families, employers, insurers and taxpayers.

The health-related benefits of spending time in nature are thought to include improved attention, cognition, sleep and stress recovery, but the economic value of national parks is in terms of their impact on the mental health of their visitors has been previously unknown.

Dr Chauvenet added “the next step will be to test how mental health benefits depend on individual personalities, and on particular aspects of park visits.

“It’s possible that park visits could then become a routine part of the healthcare system, prescribed by doctors and funded by insurers.

“From a park management perspective, it means that maximum economic return to government treasuries may be from investing in low-key hiking tracks, lookouts, and other visitor facilities, to attract people to visit with their children as often as possible.”

The team stated the findings were based on calculations from pilot studies and more detailed analysis would be required to refine the estimates.

Click here to go to the Nature Communications website.

Images: The splendours of Queensland's Lamington National Park (top, courtesy of Bevin Rijkaart), Parks Victoria (middle) and Girringun National Park (below, courtesy Robert Ashdown/Queensland Department of National Parks, Sport and Racing).

11th November 2019 - NSW declares state-wide national park closures due to extreme fire conditions

5th November 2019 - Parks Australia proposes rise in entry fees to Uluru-Kata Tjuta National Park

11th October 2019 - YMCA aids young people during mental health month

11th July 2019 - Traditional Owners partnership delivers new way forward for Cape York’s national parks

15th May 2019 - Parks and Leisure Australia report focuses on health and wellbeing challenges

12th March 2019 - YMCA Victoria partners with Parks Victoria to deliver training for inclusive outdoor recreation program

8th January 2019 - Parks Victoria combats anti-social activities at Wilsons Promontory National Park

9th November 2018 - Parks Victoria announces $1.2 million infrastructure facelift for popular open spaces

29th October 2018 - Environmental groups concerned at Queensland Government plans for 60 year commercial leases in national parks

9th August 2018 - Study shows regular exercise improves mental health

24th February 2018 - Research suggests bouldering can help combat mental health issues

18th June 2017 - $40 million budget commitment to revitalise Queensland’s national parks

5th April 2017 - Queensland park rangers working to reopen cyclone-damaged national parks

8th February 2017 - Parks Week to highlight the value of parks and open spaces

14th June 2016 - EarthCheck and Griffith University partner on sustainable tourism

10th April 2015 - Deakin University study into the health benefits of parks

28th March 2014 - Griffith University tourism research institute launched

20th February 2014 - Griffith Institute for Tourism backs Myanmar project

Asking a small favour
We hope that you value the news that we publish so while you're here can we ask for your support?

The news we publish at www.ausleisure.com.au is independent, credible (we hope) and free for you to access, with no pay walls and no annoying pop-up ads.

However, as an independent publisher, can we ask for you to support us by subscribing to the printed Australasian Leisure Management magazine - if you don't already do so.

Published bi-monthly since 1997, the printed Australasian Leisure Management differs from this website in that it publishes longer, in-depth and analytical features covering aquatics, attractions, entertainment, events, fitness, parks, recreation, sport, tourism and venues management.

Subscriptions cost just $90 a year.

Click here to subscribe.