Nature and Health
Protecting our wild isles
What Does Nature Do for Us?
Nature is remarkable for our health and essential to humanity's survival. Nature gives us protection from extreme weather events caused by climate change, ensures our food supply, helps to clean our water and air and can directly positively effect our physical and mental health. Some examples include:
- Spending 120 minutes in natural environments, such as parks, by the coast and woodlands, each week is associated with betterphyscial health and well-being
- Activities in natural environments could play a key role in combatting symptoms of common mental health conditions
- Tree cover could reduce urban air pollution concentrations by 10% and lower air temperatures during heatwaves by 10 degrees.
- Natural environments can help us cope with, and recover from stress, and provide settings for health-enhancing physical activity
RSPB - Nature Prescriptions
The Royal Society for the Protection of Birds is bringing nature into hospitals. Find out how they are helping to connect people with nature to improve health and wellbeing below
Nature Needs Help
Nature in the UK is in a very poor condition. In fact, the UK is one of the worst countries in the world for biodiversity.
Over the last few decades we have lost:
- 97% of our native wildflower meadows
- around 25% of our seabirds
- almost 20% of all wildlife in the UK
How You Can Help Nature
There are so many ways in which you can help nature, whether you have a garden or not:
If you don't have a garden:
- Consider a windowsill garden with wildflowers to help pollinators
- Use less water - turning the tap off whilst brushing your teeth, taking a short shower rather than a bath, and many other ways can also save the amount of freshwater you use.
- Choose products that are biodegradable and recycle and reuse what you can
If you do have a garden:
- Join in with "No Mow May" and allow wildflowers to grow in your lawn. Dandelions, daisies and clover are excellent for pollinating insects
- Build a bug hotel, bird box or bat box
- Build a wildlife pond in your garden. There are many ways of doing this without digging a big hole!
Check out the Wildlife Trusts for more ideas!
The Big Things You Can Do To Help Nature:
Tackling the climate crisis will help tackle nature loss. Check out our highest impact actions page for more information