How can the environment contribute to people’s health? How can we mainstream environmental interventions within health and social care systems? Would you like to join our Greenspace and NHS Forest programme as a project officer to play a role in this important transformation?
Mount Vernon Cancer Centre in Northwood, on the outskirts of London, is starting work on a two-year programme to redesign several green spaces in the hospital grounds. The Centre, run by East and North Hertfordshire NHS Trust, historically specialized in TB and retains its original sanatorium building, though now occupied by offices. Its terraces and balconies, once used for fresh air treatment, overlook a large expanse of lawn, with a grove of mature trees nearby.
We’re offering GP practices in Oxfordshire the chance to create havens for bumblebees as part of the Bee Healthy project. This new pilot scheme, run by the Trust for Oxfordshire’s Environment in partnership with the Centre for Sustainable Healthcare and Wild Oxfordshire, will provide funds and support to help two health centres plant bee-friendly borders in their grounds.
We are delighted to announce the return of our 2@2 trees campaign as part NHS Sustainability Day on the 21st March 2019. Watch our video here.
To join the campaign please plant 2 trees at 2pm. In previous years we have planted over 500 trees and it would be great if we could achieve this again! So if you would like to demonstrate your site’s commitment to sustainability and improve the green space for your staff, patients and local community do get in touch here.
Greening movements such as the Rewilding Britain Campaign advocate the reestablishment of natural processes to reverse ecological damage and provide nature with the opportunity to recover.(1) We’ve been looking into how organisations and individuals can follow these principles while making use of an important tool in forestry management: tree guards.
Could greenery, gardens and wild areas at NHS sites help combat workplace stress and improve staff wellbeing? A new research project led by the Centre for Sustainable Healthcare will explore the value of green space and outdoor activities for health staff, with a focus on the work of three different health facilities. Each of the sites is a member of the NHS Forest, and has encouraged the active use of its green spaces to raise the quality of life for staff.
IWUN is a ground-breaking project funded by the Natural Environment Research Council to explore the links between natural environments in urban settings and mental wellbeing. It is led by a team in the Department of Landscape at the University of Sheffield, along with colleagues in the University of Derby and Herriot-Watt University, and a range of practice partners.
Do you think we need more trees near our hospitals, surgeries and health centres? Then join us in celebrating the trees of the healthcare sector! Take a photo of your favourite NHS tree and post it to our twitter @NHSForest ...remember to use the hashtag #SHCWeek18! or email us at info@nhsforest.org
The Talking Trees campaign has been launched with an aim to double tree canopy cover in Bristol by 2050!
They are calling on everyone to help spread the word about the campaign. Some very useful design assets can be found on their website...including banners of Tree Facts.
Here are some ways you can get involved:
Trees for Cities is celebrating its 25th anniversary and plans to celebrate by planting more trees in more cities across the UK than ever before! We are looking for sites to plant whips (young trees) to create urban woodland habitat and hedgerows, and would love to hear from NHS land owners who have large tracts of land (ideally >0.5 hectares) available for planting.
