Survey on the restorative benefits of hiking

I discovered this on Facebook yesterday:

Mark Ellison, a doctoral student at North Carolina State University, is studying the restorative benefits of backcountry hiking and the relationship to job satisfaction.

“I know from personal experience that hiking in natural environments is restorative, that it provides opportunity for reflection because there are not demands on attention; and that the experience is transforming for people,” Mark said.

“I have hiked thousands of miles, and it has transformed me,” he continued. “Sure, I am in good shape physically because of it. Psychologically, I am a lot better off for it as well. The concept of this research topic is central to who I am. I am really studying to see if others have had the same experience I have.”

This research is being conducted for a doctoral dissertation at North Carolina State University. This is the first research on the topic and will provide the foundation for future research on the restorative benefits of backcountry hiking and how it may benefit the workplace.

The online survey includes questions related to your experiences while backcountry hiking, and specific questions about your workplace and supervisor. It takes roughly 5 minutes to complete and doesn't ask for any personal information.

This is a great opportunity to help a fellow hiker out. Click here to take Mark’s survey.


Jeff
HikingintheSmokys.com Detailed information on trails in the Smoky Mountains; includes trail descriptions, key features, pictures, video, maps, elevation profiles, news, hiking gear store, and more.