Understanding how Americans experience nature in their daily lives is important for identifying opportunities to support health and well-being. How much time people spend in nature, where they go, what motivates them to get outside, and whether they feel safe and that they belong can all shape opportunities to experience the benefits of nature contact. Despite growing research on nature and health, the United States lacks a consistent national approach to understanding these experiences and how they differ across populations.

To address this gap, the Nature and Health Alliance launched the American Nature and Health Survey, a nationwide survey of 3,125 U.S. adults conducted in the fall of 2025. The survey examines how often and where Americans spend time in nature, their activities and motivations, barriers such as safety, accessibility, and belonging, and connections with physical and mental health. Parents and guardians also provided information about their children’s experiences with nature. The children’s data will be released in a separate resource. 

To be conducted every two years, the survey will enable us to track how Americans’ experiences with nature change over time. These findings can help identify opportunities to reduce barriers, expand equitable access, and inform public health, planning, policy, and programs that make nature a more accessible part of everyday life.