Exploring Nature Dose Attainment across Racial Groups in Urban Parks and Trails

Abstract

Nature exposure affords significant mental and physical health benefits, particularly with a weekly, 120-minute nature-dose threshold (White et al., 2019). As nature exposure is unequal with Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC) facing greater constraints, nature dosage is likely unequal, rendering fewer benefits. A secondary analysis of urban park and trail visitor data (n = 3,209) explored nature dosage across racial groups (Asian, Black, White, and all BIPOC participants combined). Attaining the 120-minute nature dose threshold was significantly lower for those who identified as BIPOC compared to those who identified as White at trails. Notably, nature dose attainment was rather low among all respondents, regardless of race, with a maximum dose attainment of 25%. Planning efforts can address ways to increase dosage, and future studies can seek primary data and analyses to contextualize how intersectionality and distance impact nature dosage attainment.