This article is adapted from a speech delivered by Gert-Jan Pepping at the Trek House in December 2025.
Good evening everyone. It’s great to be here, and thank you, Bruce, for inviting me to say a few words. I’m Gert-Jan, and together with Eric Brymer and Peter Le Rossignol I work on the research behind Trek2Health. One of the things we’re seeing – here in Australia and across the world – is a real shift in how we think about health and wellbeing. People are starting to recognise something that’s actually very human: we feel better when we’re connected to nature, to one another, and to meaningful challenge.
At Trek2Health, we describe this using an ecological approach. And don’t let the word “ecological” scare you. What it really means is that wellbeing doesn’t sit inside a clinic. It sits in our relationships with the world around us.
A key idea we use is the word “affordances”. It simply means the opportunities the world gives us: the way a forest affords calm, the way a group walk affords connection, and the way a long trek affords confidence and purpose. When people come back to Trek2Health again and again, they are actually learning to recognise and use these affordances in their everyday lives.
Our emerging research shows this clearly. Being out on Country changes how people experience stress, boosts self-belief, and opens up new possibilities for how people feel and act. It’s a powerful reminder that our relationship with nature is not optional. It is part of who we are as human beings.
We’re also beginning to study the economic side: how this approach may reduce burnout, sick days, and pressure on frontline workers and their organisations. Early signs are promising. And the economics are compelling. At a recent national social prescribing conference, we saw growing evidence that programs like Trek2Health can generate around a 4:1 return on investment, meaning every $1 invested can create about $4 in economic value. That value comes from reduced burnout, fewer sick days, improved retention, and less reliance on clinical services.
So, to all the sponsors, ambassadors, supporters, and participants: thank you! You’re helping lead a movement where words like “ecological approach” and “affordances” become part of everyday conversations about how we care for one another.
– Dr Gert-Jan Pepping, Dr Eric Brymer & Dr Peter Le Rossignol, Trek2Health Research Team
Image: Trek2Health Team and clients on K’gari Challenge