Canadian Doctors to Prescribe National Park Visits

February 15, 2022, Daily News | Advanced

Exercise 1

Vocabulary

prescribe/ prɪˈskraɪb/ Verb

to advise and allow a patient to receive a particular medicine,
treatment, etc.rt

Example:
My doctor prescribed a strong painkiller after the surgery.

pass/ pæs/ Noun

a card, document, etc. giving the holder permission to do something

Example:
I think I forgot my train pass.

marine/ məˈriːn/ Adjective

relating to the ocean and things that live there

Example:
If you go scuba diving here, you will see a lot of marine wildlife.

conservation/ ˌkɑːnsərˈveɪʃən/ Noun

the act of protecting something from change, loss, injury, etc.

Example:
I'm studying biology so I can get a job with the Department
of Conservation.

prioritize/ praɪˈɔːrətaɪz/ Verb

to consider or treat something as more important than other things

Example:
The company promised to prioritize the health and safety of its workers.
Exercise 2

Article

Canadian Doctors to Prescribe National Park Visits

Some Canadian doctors can now prescribe time in national parks to
improve patients' physical and mental health.
On January 31, Parks Canada, the agency that manages the country's
national parks, said it was partnering with PaRx, a nature prescription
program, to allow health care professionals who are registered with the
program to prescribe a Parks Canada Discovery Pass to a patient.

The Discovery Pass, which is worth around $55, provides year -long access
to over 80 national parks, historic sites and marin e conservation areas
that typically charge an entrance fee. PaRx said the passes will be
prioritized for people living close to these areas.
"Research shows that patients are more likely to adhere to things or do it
if they're actually prescribed it," Anna Cooper Reed from PaRx told CBC
News.
Studies have shown that spending time in nature has a range of health
benefits — from decreasing blood pressure and improving heart health
to reducing stress and anxiety. PaRx recommends that patients spend at
least two hours a week in nature, and at least 20 minutes each time, to
get the most benefit.
Melissa Lem, who helped start the PaRx program back in 2020, told The
Washington Post, "There's almost no medical condition that nature
doesn't make better."
Park prescriptions are currently available in just four Canadian provinces
— British Columbia, Saskatchewan, Manitoba and Ontario — but PaRx
hopes to have the program available in all of Canada by the end of
2022.
Canada isn't the first country to try prescribing the outdoors to patients,
however. Nature prescriptions have already been used in many US
states, as well as parts of the UK.
Exercise 3

Discussion
1. What are your thoughts on Canada's nature prescription program?

2. Do you find it surprising that spending time in nature has so man y

health benefits? Why? Why not?

3. How much time do you spend in nature each week?

4. Are there any national parks near where you live? Which ones have
you been to?

5. Are nature prescription programs common in your country? Do you

think they should be?
Exercise 4
Further Discussion

1. Did you spend a lot of time in nature growing up?

2. Are there many parks or green areas where you live?

3. What natural areas in your country are you yet to expl ore?

4. Who's the most outdoorsy person you know?

5. A walk in nature walks the soul back home. — Mary Davis. What do
you make of this statement?

Source
This lesson is based on an article by Ana Navratil.