11/09/2025
Some facts about Nature Worx:
There have been some questions recently about what happens during a Nature Worx program. So let’s take a look!
WHAT WE DO:
Nature Worx is an outdoor program that introduces people to the restorative properties of focused, intentional time in a natural environment. This isn’t psychotherapy or counseling or religious/spiritual instruction – it’s simply an invitation to learn how time in nature can support your mental and physical health.
The Nature Worx program combines elements of mindfulness, forest therapy and outdoor exploration. Our program is evidence-based, and our effectiveness was evaluated by a University of Maryland professor in 2023. The results of that evaluation were so impressive they were presented at three different global conferences in America, Sweden and South Korea.
WHO WE ARE:
Our guides have training, professional qualifications and experience in a variety of education, nature therapy and mindfulness fields. We are all background checked, and all guides who work with the schools are also fingerprinted and fully vetted through the school protocols.
Nature Worx is a 501(c)3 organization. Our administrative costs are very low, and we are proud to be a Candid.org Gold Level Nonprofit, a distinction that reflects our commitment to openness and accountability.
WHY OUR WORK MATTERS:
On average, Americans spend 93% of their day indoors, looking at screens 11 hours a day, much of that on social media. Research studies have found that our indoor, sedentary lifestyles and social media use are associated with an increased risk of depression, anxiety, and stress.
In 2021, the Harford County Health Department identified mental health issues as the second leading cause for emergency room visits in the County. Some schools in Harford County reported that surveys of students and parents showed a need for mental health support for students. These are some of the reasons that Nature Worx was honored with a grant from the Maryland Community Health Resources Commission and Maryland Consortium on Coordinated Community Supports to provide our program to select schools in Harford County Public Schools.
Our program gives students an outdoor break to slow down, focus on nature, spark their curiosity, and allow them to reset and recharge. The goal is that they will be better prepared to focus and learn when they are back in the classroom.
OUR OUTCOMES:
Of the 722 students at the two schools in HCPS that participated in Nature Worx programs last year, 73% reported a reduction in mental health symptoms and 64% learned how being in nature can support them. So far in 2025, 222 students have participated to date, and 80% report feeling improvements in mental health symptoms of stress, anxiety and depression.
To learn more or to support our work, visit us at www.NatureWorx.org
