At Nature & Health Practice Network (NHP), which has emerged from the support of the West of England Nature Partnership, we know there are multiple, evidenced, holistic benefits for people's health  when individuals and groups are facilitated in natural settings by health and wellbeing professionals.

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NHP is also about finding ways of connecting people to nature for their health and wellbeing and through this connectedness encourage pro-environmental behaviour and therefore greater care & support  for the natural world. 

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 We have formed a practice network for Green Care, Nature Health and Wellbeing, Eco Therapy and other nature based approaches. This network can be a voice, advocate and potential professional body for the developing sector

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This network will:

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• Establish some of the key standards and quality assurance needed for partners, funders, commissioners, participants and practitioners to feel that they are offering a safe, effective and professional service. 

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• Be a place that supports and encourages practitioners, organisations, projects and places to deliver the best possible service to their communities. 

 

We have known for a long time that natural environments are important to our health and wellbeing and there is  a growing body of evidence to support this. The Government’s 25 Year Environment Plan specifies actions to integrate environmental therapies into mental health services and promote the linkages through a three-year Natural Environment for Health and Wellbeing programme. 

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This network aims to help ​build connections between practitioners, prescribers and funders; whilst increasing the awareness (for health professionals, social prescribers and the general public) of nature-based health services and their benefits, including their financial efficacy.

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Please explore our pages below and learn more about this growing sector: