Access to nature is a public health issue, report warns

Report urges more economical ways for local authorities and community groups to create public parks and gardens as rising temperatures negatively impact health

Warmer temperatures associated with climate extremes are increasing the demand for cool, shady nature-rich spaces. However, 20% of residents in 238 of England’s parliamentary constituencies lack a park, garden or body of water within a 15-minute walk of their home, The Wildlife Trusts’ latest report, Unlocking Nature For All, has revealed.

The charity is urging the Government to improve access to nature to reduce the impacts of climate extremes and improve physical health and wellbeing outcomes.

Ben Wheeler, Professor in Environment, Health and Inequalities at the University of Exeter, said, “access to nature is a necessity, not a ‘nice to have’.

“If we treat green space access, or green infrastructure such as street trees, as ‘nice to have’, then it seems logical that this is likely to exacerbate environmental inequalities. Those inequalities are then likely to lead to inequalities in the associated health and wellbeing benefits.”

The report recommends making it more affordable for local authorities and community groups to buy land to create parks and gardens, and that capital funds should be used for the ongoing upkeep of public parks and gardens.

Natural spaces should also be considered a crucial part of development and planning, with developers required to create climate-friendly and nature-friendly housing estates and ensure statutory access to major rivers running through urban areas. 

Philip Box, Senior Policy Officer at Wildlife and Countryside Link, agreed, urging the Government to publish the long-awaited Nature Green Paper and rethink proposals to exempt large amounts of new development from Biodiversity Net Gain as this could reduce chances to bring nature closer to people’s homes.

“Healthier people, healthier communities, and a healthier environment can all come from the same policy.” 

“New homes should come with nature on the doorstep, not as an afterthought. Healthier people, healthier communities, and a healthier environment can all come from the same policy,” he said.

Professor Wheeler added: “Ultimately, we should be looking for these kinds of ‘win-win’ opportunities to act to protect and improve both human health and wellbeing, and the natural world we are a part of.”

Matthew Browne, Head of Public Affairs at The Wildlife Trusts, said the research “reveals stark inequalities in access to nature across England with direct parallels between economic and nature deprivation.”

Browne said existing legislation must be used “so that real change can be felt quickly in local communities. At a time when the Prime Minister is promising growth in every postcode, he must ensure this is true in every sense of the word, building nature into the heart of community resilience and regeneration.”

Results of a public consultation included within the report highlight the benefits of natural spaces on physical and mental health.

Dom Higgins, Head of Health and Education at The Wildlife Trusts, said the impact “is hard to ignore – natural spaces in our cities can literally save lives by keeping the air cooler and cleaner and reducing the strain on our hearts and lungs. The blood pressure of pregnant women is lower when they live near an accessible park or garden and young children who spend longer in nature-rich spaces have healthier lives.”

But access to these spaces is not equal, Higgins said. “In an age of increasing climate-driven extreme weather events and growing health implications, access to nearby healthy natural spaces should be the right of every citizen.”