In Santa Cruz sempervirens are everywhere, thanks to a century-old land trust. Latin for “always living,” Sequoia sempervirens is the perfect name for the massive and mystical evergreens known as coast redwoods.
Over the past 124 years, the Santa Cruz-based Sempervirens Fund has worked to protect 36,000 critical acres of Santa Cruz Mountains redwoods, including the six square miles that make up the heart of Big Basin Redwoods State Park.
But a steward’s work is never done, especially in the age of shrinking state budgets and growing pressure from developers. So last month the fund launched the Trails Prescription Program, also known as Trails Rx.
Countless studies have shown that spending time outdoors not only improves physical health but also mental well-being, explains Dr. Suzanne Bartlett Hackenmiller, Sempervirens Fund’s wellness advisor. “From reducing stress levels to boosting immune function, the benefits of nature on health are undeniable. I’m excited to be involved in a program that has the potential to change lives and promote lasting wellness.”
Beyond promoting health and wellness, Trails Rx is designed to increase visitation to the region’s state parks by featuring easy-rated trails at accessible park destinations. The program also highlights the need for accessibility, emphasizing the importance of equitable access to parks and trails.
Trails Rx is aligned with regional ParksRx programs and features five destinations now ready to explore: Atkinson Bluff Trail, Año Nuevo State Park; Redwood Loop Trail, Big Basin Redwoods State Park; Six Bridges Trail, Butano State Park; Castle Rock Waterfall Trail, Castle Rock State Park; and Redwood Grove Loop Trail, Henry Cowell Redwoods State Park.
Hackenmiller says she modeled Trails Rx after a pilot program launched successfully at the Hartman Reserve Nature Center in Iowa. She looks forward to raising awareness for this one by reaching out to local Santa Cruz clinicians.
Ultimately the goal is to give practitioners the ability to prescribe a trail to match wellness goals, whether based on calories burned or, as Hackenmiller prefers, total metabolic benefit, a more accurate standard of measuring energy expended. Promoting the mental health benefits of time spent in the redwoods is an innovative measure to bring research-backed practices to a new audience.
In easy-to-follow fashion, trails are marked with what Hackenmiller calls “invitations,” where visitors can stop and take a seat on a bench placed to provide destination-specific guided experiences.
One might prompt visitors to sit and gaze at a waterfall, a magnificent tree or rock formation. Another might be to close their eyes, listen to the signs of nature, notice sounds immediately nearby and then shift to sounds further away in a guided mindfulness exercise. Each is specific to the individual trails in the program.
Hackenmiller, also an author of The Outdoor Adventurer’s Guide to Forest Bathing, compares these mindful moments with the practice known as forest bathing. She says, “Forest bathing is all about getting in nature, slowing down, taking it in through the senses. It’s not a hike for physical fitness; it’s not a nature identification walk. It really is just for the purpose of being in nature.”
The Sempervirens Fund considers this part of a new model of weaving together public parks, private land and sustainably managed forests into a healthy redwood ecosystem. The organization is always looking for ways to entice people to enjoy and explore these amazing and endangered trees.
Beyond the environmental benefits, redwoods offer a deep source of spiritual and physical healing. Walking among these ancient trees, one can’t help but feel a deep connection to nature and the past.
Protecting this ecosystem is not just about preserving trees; it’s about safeguarding our health, our history and our future. Redwoods remind us that everything is relational. Nothing occurs independently or separately from everything else; our realities are the result of a complex web of interactions.
Their strong, silent presence has been shown to reduce stress, lower blood pressure and improve overall mental health, offering a natural sanctuary from the craziness of life.
For details, visit sempervirens.org/trails-rx.
