Abstrakt
In Czech, turistika activities have historically involved active movement on foot through the countryside. More recently the English term 'Green Exercise' (GE) has referred to physical activities that take place in nature, in a park or in natural exercise areas.
A research project established by a team at University of Essex in the UK, headed by Professor Jules Pretty (Pretty, Griffin, Sellens, & Pretty, 2003), during the last twelve years has implemented a multi-disciplinary approach to examining and quantifying the benefits of GE activity for health and well-being. Their research team used different techniques to explore the mechanisms underpinning the psychological and physical benefits of GE using both laboratory studies and in field-based approaches.
This article reviews this recent research on GE, its impact on the policies and practices of a number of health and environmental organisations, and provides implications for the Czech context and internationally.