Social and Behavioral Sciences Commons^™

Does Perceived Ecological Integrity Affect Restorative Health Outcomes? An Examination Of Visitor Experiences In Diverse Environments In An Ontario Protected Area, Catherine E. Reining

Theses and Dissertations (Comprehensive)

The human health and well-being benefits associated with nature contact is well established. Parks and other forms of protected areas contribute significantly to these benefits by providing access to nature. However, limited research has been done on how different environments within protected areas (e.g., forests, coasts, areas being restored) and the perceived quality (i.e., ecological integrity) of these environments affect the health and well-being outcomes of visitors. This study builds on previous work to better understand how visitor experiences provided by diverse natural and built environments in Pinery Provincial Park affect perceived restorative outcomes as one aspect of health and …