Using nature sustainably to promote mental health
Nature-based mental health and ecotherapy is growing in popularity. It is an area of work that I intend to expand in the next few years. There are many reasons to be positive about this. If we have learnt nothing in the last few years, especially throughout the pandemic, it’s clear that we can return to nature to promote wellbeing. As humans, we appear to have lost the connection our ancestors had with the natural world. In Dorset we have a beautiful coastline and some stunning rural locations. We can tap into all of that. There are already several great projects across Dorset using nature to enhance mental health. Some of those are featured on this page. I am involved many of these and hope to extend that further.
A more recent development is the growth of using horticulture as part of ecotherapy. Some of the Dorset-based projects are explored here too. There are so many benefits to that work. We can engage people in growing, tending, nurturing and even eating naturally grown produce. All of the projects I work with use sustainable. organic, methods to grow produce, whilst employing techniques such as mindfulness to promote mental wellbeing. So, not only are we promoting mental health, we are improving our green footprint.
Although I am passionate about my work promoting mental health, I am equally driven to reverse, or at least slow down, climate change. I have 9 grandchildren. When I look at them, I cannot bear to think what our environment might be like when they are my age. The least I can do is work on projects that can tackle the climate crisis - and promote mental health at the same time.
Dorset Mind currently runs two ecotherapy projects, in Dorchester and Weymouth. As Patron for our great charity, I welcome the addition to the range of support groups offered across Dorset. In this work, horticulture is used to enhance participants’ wellbeing using sustainable methods of gardening. The produce grown is then given to local food banks, to help the community still further.
We have plans to extend this work to other parts of Dorset, notably Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole. I am keen to help develop these as a priority area of work. I truly believe that this the way forward for supporting mental health
The Seed2Plate programme is run as part of Dorset Community Action. TThe aim is to develop plots to grow fruit and veg in the community, for the community. This benefits the wellbeing of those who work there, and the produce is used to support local low-income families. Sustainable, organic, methods of gardening are used throughout the plots, currently based at Dorchester and Wimborne (with others planned).
The project also provides education on growing produce, including edible plants, and how to cook the produce. This is another really great example of how we can use nature for the health and wellbeing of local people.
As part of 46 Wildlife Trusts nationally, Dorset Wildlife Trust manage and protect wildlife in nature reserves. While this work provides huge benefits to the natural world, it helps the wellbeing of those undertaking that work (whether employee or volunteer). A key part of tackling global climate change is to ensure that we protect British wildlife.
Among the many projects that Dorset Wildlife Trust either runs, or is part of, several are aimed at improving the health and wellbeing of Dorset residents. Some great examples operate through Health and Nature Dorset (HAND), which brings together local partners to provide nature-based wellbeing across Dorset. HAND is run as part of Dorset Local Nature Partnership who work to protect and enhance the environment in Dorset.
Parks in Mind (from Bournemouth Parks Foundation)
Parks in Mind use the wonderful range of Bournemouth parks (and other open spaces) to combine nature conservation and other outdoor activities to promote health and wellbeing. Parks in Mind is operated through Bournemouth Parks Foundation, which is part of Bournemouth, Christchurch, and Poole (BCP) Council.
Each month, a series of events are published on the Parks in Mind website, so it’s worth looking out for updates. This is another example of using natural beauty and wildlife to help promote wellbeing. Reconnecting with nature has to be good for everyone. I publicise many of these through my own social media.
Our garden!
In our own small way, my wife and I have tried to invite nature into our own garden! We have developed what was mostly lawn and borders into something more wildlife friendly. We have added raised beds and boxes to grow our own fruit and veg, let areas of the lawn grow longer to encourage meadow flowers, and installed a pond.
This is not just a pleasure to tend (and observe), it’s been great for our mental wellbeing too - perhaps no more so than we started the project in the 2020 lockdown. We now see more species of wildlife, including birds, butterflies, bees, amphibians, dragonflies and other creatures. We even had a visit from a beautiful hummingbird hawkmoth. Nature is wonderful if only you allow time to let it in.