There are many reasons to visit the Nebraska National Forest in Halsey, including peace of mind.

The Nebraska National Forest  is 90,444 acres of gently rolling Sandhills interspersed with 20,000 acres of man-planted trees, including ponderosa pine, eastern redcedar, and jack pine.

What makes the Nebraska National Forest unique is it’s the largest man-made forest in the United States. Climbing to the top of the Scott Lookout Tower, the traveler can see the trees and Sandhills for miles.  Camping, hiking, fishing, canoeing, and tubing are all available, as well as 300 miles of off-road trails for horses and ATVs.

Another thing that makes the Nebraska National Forest special, though, is research being conducted by Dr. Eeva Karjalainen of the Finnish Forest Research Institute.

“Many people feel relaxed and good when they are out in nature. But not many of us know that there is also scientific evidence about the healing effects of nature,” Karjalainen said.

According to the research, forests – and other natural, green settings – can reduce stress, improve moods, reduce anger and aggressiveness and increase overall happiness. Forest visits may also strengthen our immune system by increasing the activity and number of natural killer cells that destroy cancer cells.

Many studies show that after stressful or concentration-demanding situations, people recover faster and better in natural environments than in urban settings. Blood pressure, heart rate, muscle tension and the level of “stress hormones” all decrease faster in natural settings. Depression, anger and aggressiveness are reduced in green environments and ADHD symptoms in children reduce when they play in green settings.

“Preserving green areas and trees in cities is very important to help people recover from stress, maintain health and cure diseases.  There is also monetary value in improving people’s working ability and reducing health care costs.” Karjalainen said.