FACTS

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• According to the United Nations Population Division, 75% of the world’s people live in cities.

• The average urban dweller in the US spends 93% of the time indoors, and some ten hours a day on social media—more than they spend asleep- resulting in a nature deficit.

• Science based studies proof the human costs of alienation from nature negatively impact our health,

• Research has shown that people do better physically and emotionally when they are in green spaces, benefiting from stress reduction and the attention restoration nature engenders

• Forest bathing is the practice of immersing yourself in nature in a mindful way, using your senses to derive a whole range of benefits for your physical, mental, emotional, and social health. It is also known as Shinrin-yoku. ‘Shinrin’ means forest and ‘Yoku’ stands for bathing. The idea took birth in Japan.

• Forest Bathing is proven to positively impact our health through contact with phytoncides which are chemicals emitted by trees and that help reduce stress hormone production, lower heart rate and blood pressure, boost the immune system as well and improve feelings of happiness.

• Evergreens—pine, cedar, spruce, and conifers—are the largest producers of phytoncides, so walking in an evergreen forest seems to have the greatest health benefits.

• When we breathe in phytocides, our bodies respond by increasing the number and activity of a type of white blood cell called natural killer cells or NK which fight infections, cancers, and tumors. 

• 20 to 30 minutes of relaxed time among trees provides you with multiple health benefits. 3 hours a week of nature exposure allows our body to function at its optimum, sustaining health benefits for up to a week. Spending a long weekend in a forest, and connecting to nature extends health benefits  to a month 

RESOURCES

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• Forest Bathing Research Spotlight

• Medical empirical research on forest bathing (Shinrin-yoku): a systematic review

• Can forest therapy enhance health and well-being?

• New research compares forest bathing and mindfulness

• A Review of the Benefits of Nature Experiences: More Than Meets the Eye

• Prescribed time in nature linked to improvements in anxiety, depression and blood pressure

• Nature and Neurodevelopment: Differences in Brain Volume by Residential Exposure to Greenness

• Visiting green spaces deters mental health drug use

• Prescribing nature: the restorative power of a simple dose of outdoors

• A comparative study of the physiological and psychological effects of forest bathing (Shinrin-yoku) on working age people with and without depressive tendencies

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INCLUSION NEEDS

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• The Running Industry Diversity Coalition (RIDC) recent studies reveal issues of structural racism within the running industry.

• BIPOC communities report not feeling "safe," "welcome," or "invited" in running series events, highlighting a lack of inclusivity.

• Runners of color face barriers to access, safety concerns during trail competitions, unaddressed product needs, and unfavorable comparisons to road running experiences.

• Statistics show that 47% of BIPOC runners engage in running for functional benefits, while white runners are more focused on emotional advantages (21% citing "connecting with nature" as their primary reason).

• Runners of color feel significantly less safe during race events, with 46% always feeling safe at trail races compared to 80% of white runners.

• There are unmet needs regarding product relevance and function, as 16% of respondents noted that current footwear offerings do not meet their trail running needs, and 23% said the same for current apparel offerings.

• Approximately 34% of runners are people of color (16 million), according to data from the Sports and Fitness Industry Association (SFIA).

• By 2045, people of color will be the majority of the population at 51% according to projections from the US Census.

• The average runner spends $1,795 each year on running gear and races, according to data from Running USA, which amounts to 16 million people of color having $28.7 billion in total spending power.

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    The racial/ethnic makeup of DEI executives in the running industry is as follows:
          ○ 77% are White
          ○ 15% are Black
          ○ 8% are Asian
          ○ 4% are Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander
          ● 96% of running industry owners are white
          ● Only 1% of senior management are Black compared to 14% of the US population
          ● 8% of running industry employees are Hispanic/Latinx, but 20% of the US population is Hispanic/Latinx

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SOURCE