“The art of healing comes from nature, not from the physician.” So said Paracelsus, a 16th-century physician. Studies show that going to green spaces leaves people feeling less stressed and more focused.
Fast forward to today, and one pediatrician in Washington, D.C., has even gone so far to write prescriptions to require patients to visit parks to get outdoors and take a walk.
Residents who live in or near Great Park Neighborhoods don’t need a prescription to experience the health benefits of nature—trails, parks and open space are all around.
A new 1.5-mile stretch of Great Park Trails adds to the more than 60 miles of off-street bikeways and 300 miles of on-street bike lanes in Irvine.
Great Park Trails is a passive green space that’s home to predominantly native, California-friendly flowering trees and vegetation. There is even a playground tucked amid the beauty of the landscape. It’s a calm corridor for pedestrians and bicyclists to explore, meditate, reflect, picnic, and appreciate nature. And the trails connect individuals with each other and the communities they call home.
Now that’s a prescription for health and happiness.