Nature for everyone

In my last few blogs, I wrote about care farming and green care programmes that offer tailored support plans for some individuals. Sempik and Bragg in 2013 discussed how green care can be viewed as a spectrum of activities from 'time everyday in nature', something that almost everyone can do, to more specialist assistance for target groups, perhaps delivered through social prescribing.

Spending time in nature could be a simple as: looking out of a window onto a green space, walking or exercising in green spaces, gardening at home, including window boxes,  dog walking, horse riding, volunteering for an environmental charity or visiting an open farm. Even those living in towns and cities can still benefit from spending time in urban green spaces.  

In November I joined The Eden Project Festival of Discovery for a thought-provoking online discussion that explored how nature supports wellbeing for everyone. Studies have shown that spending time in nature improves your mood, reduces feelings of stress, boosts confidence, and being more active serves to improve your physical health. The charity Mind says that it can also help with mental health problems.

I'll sign off now as I'm going out for a walk with my dog as part of my daily nature fix. Where will you get your dose of nature today?