Category Publications
WHO report on nature-based solutions launched
To mark International Day for Biological Diversity, we’re launching a new report highlighting the powerful connections between nature and human health. Published in collaboration with the World Health Organisation as part of our role as a WHO Collaborating Centre on Natural Environments and Health, the guidance explores how we might tackle some of the biggest health […]
How can care home staff support people with dementia to be meaningfully occupied?
How somebody spends their time has a huge impact on how they feel. This includes how they see themselves and how satisfied they feel that they are living life in the way they want to. Feeling happy with life may not mean feeling occupied every moment, but that the things that people do have a […]
Green Social Prescribing Test and Learn Pilots National Evaluation Final Report Published
The final outputs of the Green Social Prescribing Test and Learn Pilot National Evaluation have been published. Working with researchers at The University of Sheffield, Sheffield Hallam University, and the University of Plymouth we at ECEHH have undertaken an evaluation of the Preventing and Tackling Mental Ill Health through Green Social Prescribing Project (GSP Project), […]
Associations between nature and sleep
Leanne, Mat, Lewis and James, working with collaborators from Europe, the US and Australia, have used survey data from 18 countries to explore the roles of specific types of nature exposure, and potential underlying mechanisms, on nature-sleep associations. The paper was published in Environmental Research. Insufficient sleep has been described as a significant public health […]
The contribution of blue space to well-being in the lives of people with severe mental illness
Sarah and Lewis have collaborated on new research which explored the ways in which people with mental illnesses such as schizophrenia or bipolar use bluespaces including coastals and inland waters, and how it affects their mental health. The paper was published in the journal People and Nature. Semi-structured online and telephone interviews were carried out […]
Nature-based physical activity prevents several diseases, including depression and type 2 diabetes
In a new study published this week, we found that physical activity in natural environments prevents almost 13,000 cases of non-communicable diseases (NCDs) a year in England and avoided healthcare and societal costs of more than £100m. The paper was led by Dr James Grellier, and is available open access, in the journal Environment International: […]
Community gardening groups bring benefits for people living with dementia and their carers
Community gardening groups can bring multiple benefits for people living with dementia and their care partners, according to a new study by researchers at the University of Exeter and Natural England. People with dementia, their family members, and group leads, were interviewed about their experiences as part of the research, which looked at the impact […]
BMJ editorial: Nature prescribing
Ruth Garside, Becca, and Kerryn Husk, with Georgie Sowman and Edward Chapman, co-authored a BMJ editorial for the Christmas edition of the journal. The editorial dicussed the evidence and investment that are needed to ensure green social prescribing supports health and aids nature recovery. We argue that in additon to being used to benefit the […]
New paper: Using systems thinking when evaluating nature-based solutions
The major challenges that society faces, such as noncommunicable diseases and climate change, require large-scale interventions that work in complex systems. These interventions are often at regional or national level scales and can rarely be evaluated using experimental methods as researchers typically can’t control who receives the intervention. Nevertheless, evaluation of these types of interventions […]
Healing Power of Nature: Podcast from Alex Smalley
Alex has worked with BBC Studios Natural History Unit and Audible to create a new podcast focusing on the healing power of nature. You can read more about Alex’s work on his Virtual Nature project site. In today’s fast-paced world, most people are familiar with feeling stressed, anxious, and overwhelmed. But a remarkable resource exists […]
Beyond Greenspace 