This spring we’re joining forces with nine NHS trusts as we expand our successful Nature Recovery Rangers programme. The Healthy by Nature project will see these NHS trusts work with the NHS Forest team at the Centre for Sustainable Healthcare (CSH) to support the transformation of hospital grounds into thriving green spaces that support both community wellbeing and local biodiversity. The project has been made possible thanks to funding from the National Lottery Community Fund.
Following a highly successful pilot, the initiative will place dedicated Nature Recovery Rangers at nine NHS trusts, taking in 39 sites across England. It is hoped the project will benefit over 86,000 community members across the nine areas by connecting people with nature at NHS sites.
The project is led by CSH’s Green Space for Health team who also manage the NHS Forest project, which has planted more than 133,000 trees across hundreds of NHS sites.
“Our pilot project showed that bringing nature and healthcare together creates remarkable benefits for everyone involved,” said Liz Rees, Green Space Director at the Centre for Sustainable Healthcare. “Over 90% of pilot participants reported improved wellbeing and agreed that the programme made their area a better place to live.”
The expanded programme will deliver a series of community-led green space activities, co-designed with community groups to ensure they meet specific local needs. These activities will be particularly valuable for hospital patients and frequent visitors who might otherwise have limited access to nature.
Key features of the project include:
- Nature-based activities designed for accessibility and inclusion
- Specialist support for participants with additional needs
- Focus on areas with limited access to green space
- Opportunities for social prescribing
- Training for community volunteers in green space management
The initiative also supports the NHS’s commitment to tackling climate change and improving biodiversity, demonstrating how healthcare settings can lead the way in community-based environmental action.
The project will begin activities in June 2025, with a programme of events to be announced at each participating site. Sites will join the programme in two cohorts with NHS University Hospitals of Liverpool Group, Nottinghamshire Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust, Dorset County Hospital NHS Foundation Trust, East and North Hertfordshire NHS Trust in collaboration with Hillingdon Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust and Newcastle upon Tyne Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust starting in 2025 and Bradford District Care NHS Foundation Trust, Guy’s and St Thomas’ NHS Foundation Trust/King’s College Hospital NHS Foundation Trust, Manchester University NHS Foundation Trust and Tameside Glossop and Stockport Integrated Care NHS Foundation Trust starting in 2026.
If you are intrerested in applying for one of the ranger roles, please visit the careers page on the CSH website.
For more information about Healthy by Nature contact info@nhsforest.org.
Read more about our NHS nature recovery ranger pilot programme.