Written by: Nicole Rawlinson
Moving to a new community isn’t only about physical relocation; it’s about creating emotional ties that make a place feel like home. In this post, we revisit how nature’s offerings deepen the connection to a new environment, transforming unfamiliar landscapes into places of memory, stewardship, and shared experience.
Positive experiences, memories, or relationships connected to a place, or attributing a place to attaining new goals or skills, can support cementing the intrinsic value of that place. That can then foster an interest in returning and forming an attachment to that place. Furthermore, people build relationships with other people in shared spaces. Existing relationships can flourish through these shared experiences, and a deep connection to place can also lead to an increased sense of care and stewardship. Place attachment is different from simply liking a place, which is more of an aesthetic response. It is a deeper, more enduring emotional connection that’s usually the result of a long-term relationship with a place (Smaldone, 2006). Considering this, we might assume military families are in a unique position to create these types of place attachment to nature over time in new settings, at different installations, wherever military-connected life takes them. Time and sustained experiences can allow them to fully appreciate how a place not only creates an initial attraction – but is connected to emotional attachment including feelings of stewardship, connection to memory, and a sense of shared appreciation.
In transition, finding balance and connection to place can also help one identify and appreciate the uniqueness of their new environment. Supporting military families in transition to make these connections could include asking questions that help spark recognition of relationships they may already be making with their new environment. What is it about the natural landscape around this new installation that is exciting, awe-inspiring, or sparks curiosity? Where is it that offers an opportunity to explore and connect? What unique stories can nature or public lands help tell about this place?
While nature offers the intrinsic benefit of connection to place, research also shows that it supports health benefits, both physical and mental. For example, spending time outside lowers cortisol levels, supports the body’s natural stress management and recovery, increases resilience-building opportunities, supports a better mood, and can help to lower blood pressure (University of California Davis, 2023). Additionally, time spent in nature can lower our risk of depression and help restore and strengthen our mental capacities, such as increase in focus and attention (Avitt, 2021).
The outdoors also presents an environment for skill and confidence building in physical activities and supports healthy movement. Whether it is casually experiencing a new neighborhood through regular walks, visiting a park within walking or a short driving distance to practice a new skill, or taking a challenging hike up a mountain trail in a regional, state, or national park; nature is a backdrop for learning and growing, both for our minds and our bodies.
Beyond that, a body of research is growing to demonstrate the positive impacts and effects of spending time in nature specifically for military-connected individuals. The OutdoorRX Coalition exists to advocate for access and opportunity to support better health outcomes for veteran populations through outdoor connection and activity. Research supports the theories that experiencing awe in nature promotes healing, providing improvements in well-being and stress-related symptoms, noting, “Time outdoors can be a valuable adjunct therapy in addition to more traditional health care, may reduce reliance on prescription medication, and the most common outcomes of participation in outdoor recreational activities include personal development, prosocial behaviors, mental restoration, and environmental stewardship” (Outdoor RX Coalition, n.d.).
We are NATURALLY connected to nature because we ARE nature! Perhaps we don’t even recognize how connected we are because it’s so innate. Connecting to natural environments can help our sense of shared experience, value, or responsibility with our community. Plus, public lands exist everywhere. No matter where military life may lead, there will always be public lands to experience, enjoy, and learn from. This knowledge and appreciation for how nature keeps us connected to something, regardless of how often we experience transition, creates an opportunity to experience nature as a constant in a world and life full of change. Change IS the constant. One thing that can stay the same is a connection to nature. To the land we’re situated on and grounded in. Our thread to nature can be misplaced, but it’s never fully lost, and in the right conditions, can be easily found.
With a clear understanding of how nature builds lasting connections and supports both emotional and physical well-being, the next step is making these benefits accessible. In the final post, we’ll look at practical ways to empower military families through supportive programs and community initiatives.
References:
Avitt, A. (2021, March 24). The wellness benefits of the great outdoors. US Forest Service Office of Communications. https://www.fs.usda.gov/about-agency/features/wellness-benefits-great-outdoors
Blue Star Families. (2024). 2023 Military Family Lifestyle Survey results release. https://bluestarfam.org/research/mfls-survey-release-2024/
Smaldone, D. (2006). The Role of Time in Place Attachment. Proceedings of the 2006 Northeastern Recreation Research Symposium. https://www.nrs.fs.usda.gov/pubs/gtr/gtr_nrs-p-14/7-smaldone-p-14.pdf
University of California Davis. (2023, May 3). 3 ways getting outside into nature helps improve your health. https://health.ucdavis.edu/blog/cultivating-health/3-ways-getting-outside-into-nature-helps-improve-your-health/2023/05
This post was edited and adapted into a three-part series by Brianna Petracca, with publication dates on May 21, June 11, and July 22, 2025.
About the Author:
Nicole is an active-duty military spouse of 13 years who is currently working in the outdoor space to help ensure people and communities find meaningful connections to nature and public lands. Through her professional experience, she has worked to support intergenerational audiences—both military-connected and civilian—through program development, delivery, and support. She is driven by the idea that all people need and deserve a connection to nature, from connections in micro moments right outside our front doors to big experiences of awe when we see the sweeping landscapes of one of our largest national parks, and everywhere in between.
