New PaRx partnership with Central Lake Ontario Conservation Authority helps connect more people to nature for better health

Durham Region, ON — PaRx, Canada’s national nature prescription program and an initiative of BC Parks Foundation, has partnered with Central Lake Ontario Conservation Authority (CLOCA) to help more people access the health benefits of time in nature.

Through the new partnership, individuals with a PaRx nature prescription can receive 20 per cent off an annual parking pass, helping reduce barriers to spending time outdoors.

For people across Durham Region, the new offer opens the door to more time in local trails, forests, wetlands, shorelines, and Conservation Areas. These places can support physical and mental health while helping people build stronger relationships with the natural world.

“Through this partnership with PaRx, CLOCA is excited to invite our community to embrace nature as a pathway to better health,” said Chris Darling, CAO, Central Lake Ontario Conservation Authority. “Our Conservation Areas provide welcoming, accessible, and restorative spaces where people can slow down, reconnect, and experience the healing power of the outdoors.”

When longtime PaRx prescriber Randi Micklewright heard about the new partnership, she celebrated for her patients and clients who will now have easier access to nearby nature.  

A Durham Region psychotherapist, forest therapy guide, and lifelong visitor to CLOCA Conservation Areas, Micklewright grew up visiting local trails and Conservation Areas with her family. Years later, after a concussion left her unable to work, drive, read, or tolerate busy environments, she returned to those same natural spaces for healing.

“I went to Lynde Shores Conservation Area multiple times a week because it was one of the only things I could do,” said Micklewright. “Walking in nature felt safe. It was gentle. It was exactly what my nervous system needed. I could talk for days about the physical and mental health benefits of being in nature. Nature can handle our stress, our grief, and our overwhelm. It helps people regulate, reconnect, and feel human again.”

Research shows that time in nature can help regulate the nervous system, reduce cortisol levels, improve cognitive functioning, and support recovery from stress and mental fatigue, benefits Micklewright experienced firsthand. Today, she incorporates nature into her psychotherapy practice and leads forest therapy experiences in local Conservation Areas, including programs with educators experiencing burnout, newcomers to Canada, and students.  

“We proudly support PaRx’s commitment to helping people connect with the natural world,” said Keith White, CEO for Oshawa Clinic Group. “Spending time outdoors isn’t just a leisure activity, it’s an investment in our health and well-being. From hiking scenic trails to exploring our local parks and coastlines, nature offers powerful benefits for both body and mind, reduced stress, increased physical activity, improved mood, and a renewed sense of balance.”

“This new partnership reflects a much bigger shift happening across Canada,” said Jennie McCaffrey, Vice President of Health and Education for BC Parks Foundation. “We’re seeing healthcare professionals, conservation organizations, educators, and communities come together around the fact that nature helps people feel better. Every new partnership helps more people experience the benefits of nature firsthand, while strengthening our connection to the places that sustain us.”

Since its launch, an estimated 1.8 million Canadians have received prescriptions for nature from more than 20,000 healthcare providers across Canada who are registered PaRx prescribers.

Media Contacts:

Chelsea Rooney
Senior Manager, Communications
BC Parks Foundation
chelsea.rooney@bcparksfoundation.ca

(236) 477-2554 x 130

Stephanie Reed
Communications Specialist
Central Lake Ontario Conservation Authority
sreed@cloca.com