Embedding environmental quality into Nature-Based Interventions for health

Context

Nature-Based Interventions (NBIs), such as conservation and gardening activities, aim to improve the health and wellbeing of participants through engagement with nature. These activities also improve the ‘quality’ of the environment for both nature and people. Currently, most evaluations of NBIs concentrate on relatively short term health outcomes for participants. They do not consider how the natural space has been improved or how the quality of the space affects participants. However, these aspects are likely to be very important to the organisations providing the activities because of their conservation and community development aims and the impact on staff, volunteers and participants.

Aims and Objectives

This project aims to:

• Strengthen connections among early-career researchers and organisations providing, or with the potential to provide, conservation or community gardening activities in North Yorkshire and Humber.
• Identify different perspectives on green/blue space quality and views on the opportunities for improving how this is considered as part of the funding, development and evaluation of NBIs.
• Provide research evidence on the assessment and evaluation of green/blue space quality that is relevant to the needs of NBI providers.
• Provide a foundation for further knowledge exchange that supports both nature recovery and health co-benefits from NBIs.