Evidence

The aim of this study was to identify and summarise scientific studies of nature based interventions to promote health for people with stress-related illness. It found that nature based interventions offer restoration that reduces stress, improves health and well-being and strengthens self-efficacy and work ability. It found that nature connectedness supports existential reflections that help people with stress-related illnesses achieve balance in everyday life.

The wellbeing benefits of engaging in a nature-based programme, delivered by the Voluntary, Community and Social Enterprise sector, were examined in this study. Prior to attending The Conservation Volunteers’ Green Gym™, attendees completed demographics, health characteristics and the Warwick Edinburgh Mental Wellbeing Short-Form Scale. Attendees provided a measure on average 4.5 months later. There were significant increases in wellbeing after engaging in Green Gym, with the greatest increases in those who had the lowest starting levels of wellbeing. Wellbeing increases were sustained on average 8.5 months and 13 months later in those providing a follow up measure.

This study examined whether greater biodiversity increased the wellbeing benefits of green spaces. They found that greater biodiversity produced more positive emotions in participants, and interestingly, also found that greater perceived biodiversity had the same effect: if participants thought that a site had greater biodiversity, they experienced more positive emotions, regardless of whether this was actually true.

In late 2020, CSH was awarded a grant from the Government’s Green Recovery Challenge Fund for its Green Space for Health programme. The grant provided a year of funding for three workstreams. An evaluation plan for the project was devised in consultation with our academic adviser; this report sets out results of our evaluation and outlines the legacy plans for the project.

This is a qualitative study with Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS) inpatient staff who trained as NatureWell facilitators to bring nature-based activities into mental health therapy with patients. They found that engaging patients through their five senses helped manage distress, and that making links with a patient between nature and their mental health provided patients with the opportunity to take an active role in their own recovery. There were also positive benefits for staff that underwent the training, which prompted them to include more nature connection in their personal days.

This article explores the sense of nature connection among young people in diverse communities in Sheffield. It found evidence for a strong feeling that nature provided numerous wellbeing benefits, as well as a sense of responsibility towards caring for nature, challenging the idea of an endemic “nature deficit disorder” among young people. It found that young people gain benefits through experiencing everyday urban nature, not just nature in rural settings. However, these findings were not universally felt, and gaps in access to nature affected the ability of participants to experience the full range of benefits of nature connection.

This toolkit provides advice on managing woodlands for wildlife, in particular rare and declining species that are dependent on woodland habitats. It includes practical advice on management, species factsheets, management planning tools and condition assessment guidance.

Published May 2022, this updated statement on England’s ancient and native woodland and ancient and veteran trees details the current state of this most valuable ecological resource as well as setting out the policy priorities for protecting, maintaining and expanding ancient woodland in England. It provides a good overview of the numerous threats facing ancient woodland and trees as well as clear policy priority outlines to hold the government to account on.

This free handbook and guide to nature connectedness, published by the University of Derby, is designed to be used by a wide range of organisations and individuals who have an interest in helping people grow closer to nature and offers an accessible summary of nature connection research and application, a framework and guidance for helping people improve their connection with nature, and examples of activities and initiatives that support and develop nature connection.

This study found that even sowing a small wildflower meadow – 4 metres squared – increased the abundance and variety of pollinators. This means that even quite small patches of wildflowers can be important to support pollinating insects. This is particularly important in urban areas where pollinators are affected by habitat fragmentation and a lack of available nectar. Read about creating meadows on NHS sites and learn about pollinator-friendly planting.