In today's busy world, more of us than ever are experiencing periods of poor mental health. Research has shown that spending time outdoors in nature can help improve both our mental and physical health. Read on to discover how The Human Nature Project in Bristol are using this approach to connect people with nature in a bid to improve their wellbeing.
The Human Nature Project in Bristol
The Human Nature Project is a fantastic example of how a community is responding to the escalating mental health challenges in England.
Taking place in the tranquil surroundings of Forestry England's Leigh Woods in Bristol, the project combines mindfulness-based nature connection activities, adapted from the Japanese practice of Shirin-Yoku (or 'forest bathing'), with guided exploration of seven key mental health recovery themes: confidence, character, choice, connection, creativity, curiosity and centredness.
Finding the perfect forest
Forestry England Leigh Woods is on a bus route from Bristol city centre and has ample carparking, making it easy for people to get to. Lucy Duggan, founder of The Human Nature Project, said that the accessibility of Leigh Woods, including the bus route, car parking, shelter from the Green Barn, compost toilet facilities (not accessible to general public), and well-maintained paths, make it an ideal location for delivering their inclusive sessions.
Good for people, good for the planet
The Human Nature Project has helped people to make friends and feel more confident in social situations, enabled them to feel better able to invest in their mental wellbeing and to apply learnings from the project to other aspects of their lives.
I feel proud and confident that I have the tools to better look after my mental health and wellbeing. - Project participant
People taking part in the sessions have also reflected that they've developed more of an emotional connection to nature, alongside feeling that they want to help look after nature - showing that taking part in activities in nature has benefits for the wellbeing of people and the wellbeing of the planet too.
Why should we connect with nature?
Spending time connecting with nature can improve our wellbeing in many ways, including improving our mood, reducing symptoms of depression and anxiety, and enhancing concentration, memory and energy.
Visitors to our forests and woodlands demonstrate this, with 97% of survey participants saying that their visit had a positive impact on their wellbeing. And yet, in England, it's estimated about 1 in 4 of us will experience a mental health problem at some point each year and research shows that adults and young people alike feel their wellbeing is getting worse.
Mental health services are struggling to meet the growing demand for support. According to a report by Mind, mental health problems are the biggest contributor to ill-health and over 2 million people are on waiting lists for NHS mental health support in England.
Growing the benefit
The Human Nature Project is contributing to medical research into the impacts of forest therapy on human health, via The Mother Nature Project, which is exploring the feasibility of forest therapy interventions for mothers experiencing post-natal depression. Findings so far have been published in the British Medical Journal.
Keen to grow the reach and impact of the project even further, Lucy has created an accredited training programme for people and organisations wanting to run their own forest therapy sessions, with bursaries available to support access to the resource. Lucy believes that the programme will help the group reach more people and increase the opportunities for them to connect with nature for their wellbeing.
Get involved with the project
The Human Nature Project meets at Forestry England Leigh Woods, in Bristol. You can find out more about how to take part by visiting The Human Nature Project website. You can also visit Leigh Woods any time to enjoy its network of waymarked trails guiding you past a variety of habitats and wildlife; the perfect sanctuary from the urban hustle and bustle of the nearby city.
