Communication Resources - Healthy People Healthy Trails

April is Healthy People Healthy Trails Month

Social Media Action Toolkit

Background

Pathways to better mental and physical health can be found in Santa Barbara County’s natural open spaces. April 2023 has been designated the inaugural Healthy People Healthy Trails Month by the Santa Barbara County Board of Supervisors. A network of organizations will host over 40 events to encourage greater use, awareness and stewardship of the abundant local parks and trail systems under the campaign: “Let’s Get Moving!”

Activities throughout the month, like guided hikes and educational gatherings, are geared toward promoting greater access and enjoyment of trails, parks and open spaces as key tools for improving public health and welfare in local communities. Additionally, Healthy People Healthy Trails shares the message of the importance of conserving and protecting natural open space.

Healthy People Healthy Trails Month events are typically free of charge and easily accessed. The online events calendar showcases walking, running, riding and other outdoor activities. Parks departments, healthcare providers and community organizations will sponsor over 40 events that will interest people of all ages. For more information, visit https://healthypeoplehealthytrails.org/

April is Healthy People Healthy Trails Month

Objectives

Raise public awareness about the benefits of spending time in nature and leading an active lifestyle.
Make it easier for people of all ages to participate in activities that promote a healthy life.
Create a countywide calendar of events that offer activities that promote time in nature and being physically active.
Expand the number of organizations supporting the Healthy People Healthy Trails vision and mission.
Increase the number of people using the online events calendar.

Targets

Community members who would benefit from being more active.
Organizations that provide outdoor group activities to the public for free or by donation.
Organizations that manage land that is used for recreation.
Organizations that promote health and wellness.

Sample Social Media Content

Walking for Health
Physical activity is an important component of good health. Walking is one of the simplest ways to be active, and you can do it almost anywhere. No matter how old you are, people of all ages and abilities can enjoy walking outdoors as a daily physical activity. You can walk around a park or on a paved path or sidewalk. For ideas about where to walk, visit the Healthy People Healthy Trails website. https://healthypeoplehealthytrails.org/

Many trail users identify fitness and health, relaxation and solitude, fun and enjoyment, seeking a challenge or personal control, being outdoors and learning about nature as benefits and motivating factors associated with using trails.

Hiking outdoors can help people to maintain their motivation for exercise by making it more interesting. Depending on the trail a person takes, the workout can be different each time. Even the landscape will change with the seasons.

Hiking is an excellent way for people to improve their fitness, as they can simply take more and more difficult hikes. This is particularly true of hiking uphill, as this can burn similar amounts of calories as jogging.

Walking and hiking local trails promotes healthy lifestyles, increases environmental awareness and builds community support for trails and open-space protection.

What is the Rx?
Research shows that visiting a park for recreation and relaxation can help lower stress levels and blood pressure, boost immunity, promote healing, improve mental well-being, and enhance the quality of life.

Walking as Physical Activity
According to the American Heart Association, adults should receive 150 minutes per week (two and a half hours) of moderate-intensity physical activity, such as walking, hiking, jogging, or cycling. Kids 6 to 17 should get 60 minutes of moderate to vigorous physical activity daily. In addition, recent research shows that exposure to nature and exercise outdoors has significant health benefits, including improved mental health, reduced stress, and lower blood pressure. Walkers are approximately three times more likely than non-walkers to meet this guideline.

Why Does the Healthy People Healthy Trails Month Events Calendar Exist?
Our goal is to sustain a program that fosters a cultural shift towards acknowledging and appreciating trails, parks and open spaces as outdoor gyms for health, wellness and fitness that are free of charge and easily accessed.

Sample Instagram Post

Let’s Get Moving!

APRIL IS HEALTHY PEOPLE HEALTHY TRAILS MONTH

Being physically active and moving helps us prevent and manage chronic illnesses. It makes us happier and allows us to do better at school and work. It builds stronger communities and keeps the economy healthy, too.

Visit the Healthy People Healthy Trails events calendar to learn about dozens of local events you can participate in. https://bit.ly/hpht-month

#walking #outdoors #hiking #adventure #getoutside #healthylifestyle #healthypeoplehealthytrails

Sample Facebook Post

What is HEALTHY PEOPLE HEALTHY TRAILS month?

Healthy People Healthy Trails Month is a time for us to get outdoors, explore nature, and at the same time, improve our health, fitness, and well-being. We’re supporting this month-long campaign to not only improve our mental and physical health but also to focus on improving the health of our community while getting folks engaged in protecting our most important natural resources — our trails, parks, and open spaces.

According to the American Heart Association, adults should receive 150 minutes per week (two and a half hours) of moderate-intensity physical activity, such as walking, hiking, jogging, or cycling. Kids 6 to 17 should get 60 minutes of moderate to vigorous physical activity daily. In addition, recent research shows that exposure to nature and exercise outdoors has significant health benefits, including improved mental health, reduced stress, and lower blood pressure. However, over 75 percent of American adults do not meet these guidelines. Santa Barbara County adults also fall short of meeting them. We all need to move more—and sit less—more often. That’s what Healthy People Healthy Trails Month is all about.

Let’s Get Moving!— visit the Healthy People Healthy Trails events calendar to learn about dozens of local events you can participate in. https://bit.ly/hpht-month

#walking #outdoors #hiking #adventure #getoutside #healthylifestyle #healthypeoplehealthytrails

Quotes

“… a growing body of research links
our mental, physical, and spiritual health
directly to our association with nature—
in positive ways.”— Richard Louv

Last Child in the Woods: Saving our Children from Nature Deficit Disorder, Richard Louv, Algonquin Books of Chapel Hill, 2005.

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Sample Graphics

Below are a series of 1200px x 1200px images that can be used with Facebook and Instagram. We suggest using unique images for each organization promoting Healthy People Healthy Trails Month.

Event partners are welcome to provide their own images for awareness and event calendar promotion. We will pop that image into the standard layout and return it promptly. Alternatively, you can use one of the following compositions for your organization. Note that some are not available.