Natural England

Natural England is bringing together national and international health experts with leading UK policy and opinion makers, on Monday 18 June, to agree a way forward to improve public health through contact with the natural environment.

The conference takes place at Lord’s Cricket Ground and will explore how access to high quality green space can increase the health and well being of individuals and communities.

Dr William Bird, Natural England’s health expert, says: “As a GP I see the day-by-day consequence of our lifestyle of inactivity and stress. The evidence that regular contact with the natural environment improves health and wellbeing is overwhelming particularly for children, the elderly and those living in deprived areas. The conference will look at how we can shift priorities towards reconnecting society with nature - A natural health service should exist within our national health service.”

Dr Helen Phillips, Chief Executive for Natural England says: “The conference marks a new partnership between the natural environment and the health of our nation. We are working with the worlds leading health experts and opinion leaders to find the best way to take this forward; placing the natural environment at the heart of reducing health inequalities and promoting wellbeing. Time is not on our side for the new generations of children getting further away from any contact with the natural environment.”

A new report ‘Natural Thinking’, written by Dr William Bird for the RSPB, is also released on Monday to coincide with the conference. In the report Dr Bird, who is now leading Natural England’s health campaign, provides evidence on how our mental health can benefit through contact with the natural environment.

Speakers at the conference include:

Howard Frumkin M.D., Dr.P.H.
Director, National Centre for Environmental Health, US Centres for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, Georgia US
Anna Coote
Head of Engaging Patients and the Public, Health Care Commission and Commissioner for Health at the Sustainable Development Commission
Jules Pretty OBE, FRSA, FIBiol
Head of the Department of Biological Sciences at the University of Essex
Billie Giles-Corti BapSc, MApSa, PhD, MAHPA, MPHA
Professor in the School of Population Health at the University of Western Australia and is currently establishing the Centre for the Built Environment.
Christine Hancock
European Director of the Oxford Health Alliance.

Four generations from one family living in Sheffield from 1919 to 2007 will present to conference delegates what access to green space means to them and the role it has played in the childhoods of the older generations, compared with that of younger generations; illustrating the reduced area of space that an 8 year old is allowed to go with friends.

Ends:

For interviews, further information about the health conference and Natural England’s Health Campaign or for information about the ‘Natural Thinking’ please contact:

Beth Rose, Natural England press officer 0207 238 4599 or 07900 608 052
John Clare, RSPB media officer 01767 693582
Email: press.office@naturalengland.org.uk

Notes to editors:

The conference will:

• Provide a unique occasion to “speed date” with over 25 international experts and some of the UK’s leading policy and opinion makers from local government, health and environment backgrounds
• Help planners and designers to engage with Strategic Health Authorities and Primary Care Trusts and encourage them to see the environment as a means of meeting their targets on physical activity and obesity
• Identify policy changes and actions that are required to enhance our local natural environment and encourage more people to use it with the subsequent health and community benefits
• Discuss how the natural environment can help achieve a more sustainable living and contribute towards offsetting climate change

Four generations:
Four generations from one family living in Sheffield from 1919 to 2007 will present to the conference how opportunity to access to green space has diminished throughout their life times. Maps are available to illustrate the changes in the 'roaming zone' from 1919 to 2007.

The family of four are:
Great Grand Father aged 88
Grandfather 60+
Mother 36yrs
Son 8yrs

Dr Bird’s research for ‘Natural Thinking’ found that:

• People’s stress levels fell within minutes of contact with nature.
• Hospital patients with views of nature needed fewer painkillers following operations.
• Elderly people with easy access to nature are much happier with their quality of life.
• Nature aids the part of the brain that controls irritability, helping to reduce violent behaviour.
• Playing in a natural environment improved children’s concentration, self-discipline and their social and mental development, as well as reducing the symptoms of conditions like attention deficit disorder (ADHD).

Health facts:

1. Contact with the natural environment improves children's mental and physical health
A child's self discipline can be improved by 20% by simply having views of trees and vegetation outside their homes.
Children are more likely to play in a green environment than on hard tarmac and at school this can reduce bullying.
Obesity levels for children aged 6 have doubled in the last 10 years, and have tripled in 15 year olds. 22% of adults are obese and about 40% are overweight. Being overweight or obese accounts for as much as 30% of heart disease and 80% of diabetes and costs the UK £2.5 billion a year.

2. Contact with the natural environment brings benefits to communities also.
Aggression and domestic violence is less likely in low-income families with views or access to natural green space.
Crime rates are lower in tower blocks with more natural green space than identical tower blocks with no surrounding vegetation.
Studies have shown the presence of vegetation can halve the incidence of violent and property crimes in otherwise identical public housing blocks with randomly allocated tenants.

Natural England:
Natural England works for people, places and nature to conserve and enhance biodiversity, landscapes and wildlife in rural, urban, coastal and marine areas. We conserve and enhance the natural environment for its intrinsic value, the wellbeing and enjoyment of people, and the economic prosperity it brings.