Outdoor Health: Caring for People and Planet

This Open Access book serves as a guiding resource for the growing Outdoor Health Sector.  It contributes new knowledge, sound theory, mature practices and examples of impact across four key areas: 1) Practice & Quality; 2) Research & Evidence; 3) Community & Engagement; and 4) Policy & Advocacy.  This edited book supports practitioners, providers, researchers, students and policy makers as we continue to build a respected, vital evidence‑informed nature‑based health field.

The narrative woven throughout this scholarly work acknowledges past, present and future contributors. It provides continuity of people, place and purpose, capturing the values and ethics enacted within the professional Outdoor Health community, with guidance for the field as it matures. Grounded in Indigenous and cross-cultural perspectives, this book is inclusive and diverse, and presents a road map for a future in which outdoor and nature-based services are valued across health, mental health and wellbeing fields.

Anita Pryor has devoted over 30 years to Bush Adventure Therapy and nature‑based healing practices worldwide. Her early work as a river and mountain guide and outdoor experiential educator laid foundations for a career in adventure therapy, and significant contributions to research and policy. She has volunteered countless hours in support of national and communities of practice. As codirector of Adventure Works Australia, non‑profit provider of outdoor health services, she enjoys working alongside Aboriginal mentors and friends to support quality outdoor therapy practice, training and research, reflecting a lifelong commitment to the wellbeing of people and planet.

Ben Knowles is trained in education, outdoor education, experiential learning and narrative therapy. With over two decades of experience, he works therapeutically with individuals, groups and communities outdoors. His PhD on ethics in Outdoor Health supports his goal of strengthening the field within the Australian health system. A co‑founder of AABAT and contributor to its evolution into Outdoor Health Australia, he is Co‑director of Adventure Works Australia, an Australian representative on ATIC, and co‑leader of its ethics and good practice group.

Professor Tonia Gray is a Senior Researcher at Western Sydney University with more than 40 years in education and teacher training. Her transdisciplinary research examines human‑nature relationships, outdoor learning, wellbeing, gender leadership and climate justice. Former Chair of the Australian Tertiary Outdoor Educators Network and co‑editor of the Journal of Outdoor and Environmental Education, Tonia’s awards include the Australian Award for University Teaching (2014) and the Association of Experiential Education’s Distinguished Researcher of the Year (2019). She also participated in the Homeward Bound climate leadership program in Antarctica.

Pauline Marsh is a health geographer and senior lecturer in dementia studies whose research explores community‑ and nature‑based approaches to wellbeing. Her expertise spans end‑of‑life care, therapeutic landscapes, inclusivity, ageing, dementia, film theory and community development. She co-leads the Nature Connection Storytelling Project and Venture Out Nature and Dementia research groups at UTAS. Skilled in qualitative and participatory methods, she prioritizes community‑engaged work with real‑world health impacts.

Andrea (Andi) Dickmeyer is a Clinical Psychologist passionate about integrating nature connection, physical activity, and mental health in practice and research. She is completing a PhD in Psychological Sciences at the University of Newcastle, Australia. She studied Psychology and Philosophy in the United States and received a 2019 Watson Fellowship to explore how different cultures connect with nature for mental health. She has worked across inpatient, community, wilderness therapy, and private practice settings.

Cathryn Carpenter's employment in the outdoor health sector spans more than 40 years, as an outdoor educator, tour guide, and educational and health academic with a PhD in Sociology and Health Promotion. Currently working in the field of Indigenous Curriculum, she has contributed to the development and implementation of adventure therapy across Australia as well as Internationally.

Jacob Prehn (PhD) is Worimi (Aboriginal Australian) and an Associate Professor of Social Work at the University of Tasmania. Jacob’s outdoor health research examines Indigenous people’s experiences of nature and wellbeing. His scholarship primarily focuses on Indigenous Data Sovereignty and Indigenous masculinities, men’s health, and fatherhood. Jacob’s other monographs include Aboriginal Social Work Voices (Bloomsbury) and Indigenous Justice Issues (Springer Nature).