If you're feeling a little gloomy with the cloudy and cold weather, you're not alone. But, recent studies have shown that time in nature can provide a boost to your mental health.
In 2023, Idaho-born Professor Nils Peterson with North Carolina State University got curious about how wildlife activities affected people.
“So we we decided to look at the effects of bird watching on well-being.”
Peterson held a ten-week research project — where a control group went around business as usual and two treatment groups had some homework.
“[They] were assigned to walk in the forest once a week or a second treatment group, assigned to go bird watching while they walked in the forest,” said Peterson.
His findings showed there were measurable increases in the well-being and decreases in stress among the people who went bird watching.
With Idaho’s more than 400 bird species and Idaho Fish and Game’s Interactive Birding Trail map, this hobby could be waiting just outside your door.
