at Ritchey Woods. (Submitted photo)
By Sam Elliott
For a community buzzing with energy and happenings, Fishers also offers residents opportunities to slow down and enjoy moments of peace and quiet outdoors in nature.
Heart Hikes — open from 1 to 5 p.m. Feb. 5, a half day for Hamilton Southeastern students, and from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Feb. 6 — give residents of all ages a chance to get outside at Ritchey Woods Nature Preserve. Photos of hearts found in nature line trails through the preserve for a self-guided experience complete with a campfire and hot chocolate at the shelter.
“One of our big goals is obviously getting people engaged and outdoors in nature. A lot of times people don’t necessarily think about that in the winter,” Fishers’ chief naturalist Danesa Stolz said. “This is our way of offering something that will maybe encourage you to get outside, enjoy nature and enjoy what you can see in the winter.”
In addition to the physical health benefits of being active outdoors, Stolz said the natural “ecotherapy” of disconnecting from the stresses of everyday life can provide valuable mental health relief.
“There’s a lot of stress in our everyday lives and getting out in nature has been proven to reduce a lot of stress,” Stolz said. “The ‘ecotherapy’ idea is about getting people engaged and involved and realizing our lives are full of all these stresses … So why not unplug completely and let nature be that natural therapy that all of us need? It’s just important for our mental health and overall health to be outdoors and in nature.”
During the Feb. 5 Heart Hike, students from HSE’s Destination Imagination program will be collecting books to be donated to the area’s Little Free Libraries while also raising awareness of their trail etiquette program.
