Natural England

Walking in the countryside and getting back in touch with nature is one of the best ways to improve your health in mind and body. Janette Ward, the Regional Director of Natural England in the South West, leads you through the latest thinking on putting one foot in front of the other

Getting out into the country, and walking and being close to nature, really is good for you.

It's good for your physical and mental health. I am convinced that the beauty and inspiration of nature reduces anxiety and makes us feel happier.

Research has shown that stress levels fall within minutes of contact with nature, and exercising outside can improve concentration for several hours afterwards and makes you more resilient to stress or helps cope with stress.

And there never was a time when I wanted to do anything other than work in the natural environment, help protect wildlife and encourage people to go out and enjoy it. Unlike gyms, the countryside - the "outdoor gym" - is free.

The South West's unique wildlife and landscapes are there to be enjoyed. From local parks to icons such as the South West Coast Path, they are there every day. Go out and enjoy them!

Also, with the rise in obesity and heart-related problems, I'm concerned about people's health and well-being. But the more that we walk and enjoy our wonderful landscapes, the better for us.

Recent research has shown that not only is walking good for our physical health, but just being in the great outdoors is good for mental health, too.

If you walk for 30 minutes a day you can burn off 2,000 calories a week (the equivalent of six Mars bars) or 150 calories per mile. That may not seem a lot, but walking and keeping fit increases your metabolism, so it's good for you even when you're not doing it. Other benefits of walking include protecting our joints from wear and tear by building up muscle, and improving your immune system for up to 24 hours after a walk which can help prevent you from catching a cold.

Walking crosses all generations and everyone can get involved. And it has also been shown that it is important for children to experience the countryside before going to secondary school.

Studies indicate that if children haven't had the opportunity to be in the natural environmental on their own before the age of 11 then they're unlikely to use it in later life.

And we all know that the South West is the biggest, most rural and most diverse of English regions. It contains thousands of beautiful places to visit, explore and enjoy.

Some of you may be surprised to know that more than a third of the region's natural environment is protected in one form or another. Fantastic landscapes such as the wild beauty of Dartmoor, Exmoor, the Lizard and Salisbury Plain, the intimate fields of the Blackdowns and the rolling hills of the Cotswolds, are some of the places that spring to mind.

If we think about it, most of us are lucky enough to have great town and city parks, woodlands and walks, sometimes, literally, on our doorsteps.

MY ambition is to ensure that, not only do we continue to enhance our region's amazing natural places, but that we also ensure that everyone can enjoy the benefits.

I believe that we must pass on to future generations a healthy and thriving natural environment.

My colleagues and I work together with many land managers and farmers providing advice and financial support for looking after our countryside. This means, for example, that land managers are being rewarded for what they are doing to conserve the habitats that make up our rural areas such as heathlands, moorlands and grasslands, and helping to maintain the quality and character of the much-loved landscapes of the South West.

In fact, just under half of all farmland in the region - 882,000 hectares - is now under one of our environmental agreements, and payments will total £67 million this year, making a significant contribution to the rural economy and rural communities.

I have one of the biggest environmental jobs in the South West, leading the 300-strong team that nurtures our landscapes on behalf of Natural England. I have lived in Somerset for five years and want to encourage people who live in and visit the South West to share my passion for nature, be more active and enjoy the region's great outdoors by joining the South West Outdoor Gym in 2008.

To find out about great places to walk and explore near you, all you need is your postcode. Visit www.naturalengland.org.uk and click on Breathing Places, and for more information on Outdoor Gyms near you, visit www.countrysideaccess.gov.uk for maps of walks under Things to Do.

Natural England is working to enhance biodiversity, landscapes and wildlife in rural, urban, coastal and marine areas. It also promotes access, recreation and public well-being, and contributes to the way natural resources are managed so they can be enjoyed now and by future generations.

Western Daily Press - 23 February 2008