New research shows benefits from Forestry England wellbeing trails

Tuesday 3 February 2026 

New research shows benefits from Forestry England wellbeing trails

Forestry England’s wellbeing trails delivered meaningful improvements in mental wellbeing, happiness and people’s connection to nature and to each other, according to new independent research from the University of Derby. The self-led trails, which were launched in September 2023 in 18 of the nation’s forests, encouraged visitors to pause and mindfully reconnect with nature as they walked. Themed panels amongst the trees invited visitors to slow down and notice the woodland landscape as they walked.

The study, Forestry England’s Wellbeing Trails: Impact and Experiences, was led by Dr Carly Butler from the Nature Connectedness Research Group at the University of Derby. It explored whether walking a wellbeing trail improved wellbeing and nature connectedness, as well as people’s sensory, emotional and social experiences of the trail. 

The findings show that even a single walk on a wellbeing trail had a powerful and measurable impact. People who completed a wellbeing trail experienced statistically significant improvements in nature connectedness, social connectedness and happiness, alongside reductions in anxiety and repetitive negative thinking. Participants’ own reflections strongly echoed the survey results, with almost everyone who took part saying the walk was good for their mental health, helped them get away from everyday pressures and benefited their physical health. The vast majority also said they would like to walk a wellbeing trail again, suggesting the experience encourages return visits and ongoing engagement with the nation’s forests.

Key findings included:

• 24% increase in nature connectedness
• 20% increase in social connection
• 25% increase in happiness
• 31% decrease in anxiety
• 38% decrease in rumination on problems.

Ellen Devine, Forestry England Wellbeing Programme Manager, said:

“This research provides strong evidence of what we see every day in the nation’s forests: that spending time in nature, and really engaging with it, can make a genuine difference to how people feel. The wellbeing trails were designed to be simple, welcoming and inclusive, helping people slow down, notice more and reconnect with nature and with each other.

“What was especially encouraging is that the greatest benefits were seen among people who started with lower levels of wellbeing or connection. That showed the potential of wellbeing trails to support a wide range of people, including those who may have been feeling stressed, disconnected or in need of a gentle way back into nature.”

The research reinforces growing evidence that it is not simply time spent in nature that matters most for wellbeing, but the quality of engagement. Forestry England’s wellbeing trails were designed around the pathways to nature connectedness, encouraging people to slow down, notice, appreciate and emotionally connect with the woodland around them.

Dr Carly Butler, lead author of the report and researcher in nature connectedness at the University of Derby, said:

“What stood out in this research was just how powerful these small moments of engagement could be. By inviting people to notice beauty, feel awe and wonder, and connect emotionally with the natural world, the wellbeing trails help turn a walk in the woods into something more meaningful, with clear benefits for wellbeing.

“The video recordings of people walking the trails together showed that nature connection is often a shared experience. People noticed more, reflected more deeply and stayed engaged for longer when they were talking together. Nature prompted conversation, and those conversations in turn deepened people’s relationship with the natural world and with each other.”

Most participants reported actively engaging their senses, noticing the beauty of nature and feeling care and compassion for the natural world during their walk. Experiences of beauty, awe and wonder were particularly important, showing strong links with improvements in mental wellbeing, physical vitality and feelings of escape from everyday demands.

The study also explored how people experience the trails together. Alongside surveys, a small number of groups wore body-mounted cameras while walking the trails, allowing researchers to observe how conversation and social interaction shaped nature engagement. The findings revealed that prompts on the trail often sparked conversations that continued well beyond the signs themselves, helping people share stories, memories and knowledge about nature as they walked.

The research took place across four of the nation’s forests: Forestry England Hick’s Lodge, Forestry England Salcey, Forestry England Fineshade and Forestry England Cannock Chase. It involved visitors completing surveys before and after walking a wellbeing trail, as well as video recordings of some people walking them and sharing their thoughts and reactions. The large effect sizes indicate that the wellbeing trails are having a meaningful impact on visitors’ wellbeing.

The findings also show that wellbeing is multi-dimensional. Improvements to mental wellbeing were closely linked to perceived physical benefits, suggesting that experiences which feel good emotionally can also help people feel more physically energised.

The wellbeing trails were part of Forestry England’s Active Forests programme, delivered in partnership with Sport England and made possible thanks to National Lottery players.