Research Illuminates the Powerful Health & Wellness Benefits of Volunteering Outside
By Becca Schild
Last month, we had the privilege of hosting nationally acclaimed journalist and author Florence Williams, best known for her book The Nature Fix. She joined us for a beautiful hike to Crater Lake, followed by a public talk in Aspen titled Your Brain on Nature.
I first encountered Florence’s work while leading semester-long outdoor programs for the High Mountain Institute. At the start of each program, we guided students through a ceremonial “tech toss,” during which they committed to disconnecting from all technology except during transitions or emergencies. To help them understand the value of unplugging, I used to read an excerpt from Thoreau—who warned that our tools often end up owning us. But for many students, his 19th-century language felt inaccessible. That’s when I discovered Florence Williams’ article, “Call to the Wild: This is Your Brain on Nature,” which offered a modern and engaging lens on the benefits of digital detox and immersion in the natural world.
Youth in Nature students unplug at Margie’s Hut
After the initial shock of disconnection, students often expressed deep gratitude for their three months away from phones, social media, and the constant buzz of modern life. They slept better, felt more present, and formed deeper relationships with the people around them.
However, we don’t have to sign up for a three month outdoor semester to experience the nature fix. Florence’s work illuminates that small doses in any context can have a strong positive effect. She traveled the globe researching how nature impacts the brain and body. The evidence is resounding: time in nature—whether a remote wilderness or a local park—reduces stress, lowers blood pressure, improves mood, and alleviates symptoms of anxiety and depression. It also boosts focus, creativity, and cognitive function. The more time we spend outside, the greater the benefits.
These positive effects are even more powerful when paired with outdoor volunteering. A growing body of research shows that volunteering in nature can improve mental health, physical fitness, self-esteem, and social connection. People often report increased confidence, purpose, and positivity after volunteering.
In my own PhD research, I found that outdoor volunteers reported a stronger connection to place and nature, a heightened sense of empowerment, and a deeper trust in those managing our public lands. Many went on to engage in other forms of civic participation, feeling that their actions truly mattered. There is something profoundly healing about putting your hands in the soil, restoring a trail, or planting native species—about taking part in the care of a living landscape.
In a time when mental health issues are rising, loneliness is becoming a national crisis, and the scope of environmental challenges can feel overwhelming, outdoor volunteering offers a hopeful, practical antidote. This is especially critical for young people, many of whom feel disconnected—from nature, from purpose, and from each other.
Volunteering outdoors grounds us in place. Whether we're planting trees, removing invasive species, or building a stone step, we use our senses, slow down, and pay attention. We connect—with nature, with ourselves, and with one another. We build community. And we leave with a tangible sense of impact, knowing we’ve helped heal a piece of the world—and, in doing so, nourished our own wellbeing.
