What are the positives of national parks?

National Parks are good for the soul. National Parks are open for everyone to have wonderful experiences in and be out in the fresh air. There is no charge. National Parks give you a healthy lifestyle. They talk about how National Parks have changed the way live and the positive changes they see in their families and communities when they get into National Parks. I’ve since started taking swimming lessons. My son has been telling his school they should arrange trips to the National Park, rather than the usual suspects for school trips. I’ve realised how important it is to give my kids rural experiences. All of this should be shared by current and future generations alike.

National parks protect the best of our natural heritage: stunning landscapes, extraordinary wildlife and majestic forests. Together with other protected areas they form the basis of our economic and social wellbeing, attract millions of visitors annually, and help to protect Australia’s unique wildlife by acting as a refuge for threatened species. Although their primary purpose is the protection of biodiversity, National Parks also deliver other invaluable economic, social, cultural and health benefits to Australians. National Parks provide a major boost to Australia’s economy, with nature-based tourism bringing an estimated $19 billion into NSW every year. Regional communities in particular benefit from the 60 million people who visit NSW’s national parks each year, through job creation and money spent on accommodation, fuel and food. Intact natural areas also provide a variety of resources and processes vital for human life and the economy. Natural areas have a profound effect on our physical and emotional health and wellbeing. In our increasingly frenetic world, our national parks are important sanctuaries where people can take time out, enjoy nature, get fit, relax and revitalise, whilst nature’s inherent beauty serves as a source of artistic, creative and spiritual inspiration. Research on the benefits of contact with the natural environment show that it is likely to have a significant positive psychological effect, serving to reduce stress, anger, frustration and aggression, providing an opportunity for social bonding, and serving as a place for learning and mental stimulation.