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19 May 2023

Press Release

For immediate release

Office: 01483412483

Out of hours: 07500 577620

Email: press@wwf.org.uk

Mental Health Awareness Week: WWF, the RSPB and the National Trust highlight the power of nurturing your mind with nature

  • The National Trust, the RSPB and WWF highlight the role of nature in helping positive mental health 
  • Farming mother and son, Denise and Angus Walton, share the benefits that transitioning to regenerative agriculture has had on their wellbeing 
  • The three charities have called for an urgent halt to the destruction of UK nature in their Save Our Wild Isles campaign – it's not too late to save our life support system 

There is strong evidence that spending time in a green space or bringing nature into our everyday lives can benefit both mental and physical wellbeing. 

Spending time in nature can notably improve your mood, reduce stress, anxiety and fatigue, and even help with feelings of loneliness. Public Health England recently highlighted the importance of people having access to high quality green spaces – spaces that are biodiverse, well-maintained, welcoming and safe - because of their positive effects on wellbeing [1]. 

Nature is our life support system, but the UK’s leading nature charities – WWF, the RSPB and the National Trust - warn it is in crisis. 76% of people are worried about the state of UK nature [2], and we are in the bottom 10% of countries globally when it comes to nature depletion [3]. 

In their first major joint campaign, the National Trust, the RSPB and WWF have been calling for an urgent halt to the destruction of UK nature. Members of the public can get involved by ‘Going Wild Once a Week’, or take action with their local community as part of the Save our Wild Isles Community Fund.  

Agroecological principles and mental healing 

Farming is a high-pressure, 24/7 job with fewer days off than most other occupations. Farmers face increasingly difficult market pressures, the rise of livestock disease, and increased risk of flooding and droughts due to climate change, among many other factors.  

Denise Walton owns Peelham Farm in Berwickshire, Scotland with her husband Chris and son Angus. Denise and Chris bought Peelham as a smallholding conventional mixed farm in 1989, but gradually transitioned to adopting regenerative principles, such as improving soil health and avoiding use of chemical pesticides, to promote biodiversity on the farm and mitigate climate change. By 2005 they were fully Organic, and by 2015 they were ‘Pasture For Life’ certified, meaning that their livestock is raised only on grass and pasture [5]. 

Denise, who has a background in ecology, explains that “adopting regenerative farming techniques will always have many challenges, but the concept of ‘farming with nature’ has provided a huge amount of hope and positivity in our lives. This has been due to the often unexpected and counter-intuitive responses of wildlife and farm productivity, such as improvements in grassland plant biodiversity with increased productivity.”  

“Regenerative agriculture is so much more than the physical regenerating of farming, but also allows for a regenerative mindset and allows the social and environmental impact of farming to be a very positive thing for now and future generations.”  

Denise meditates on her farm every morning and evening – she believes this is the simplest solution to finding clarity and helping with decision-making for the day ahead. Through this practice she can hear, breathe in, and smell the land, and says that: “It brings my mind to the peace and healing of my heart.” 

A 2023 survey conducted by the National Trust, RSPB and WWF revealed that 66% of UK adults feel that a decline in nature would have a negative impact on their health [2], and recent research by MIND mental health charity also highlighted that 63% say that gardening or spending time in nature helps their mental health, with respondents saying it makes them feel less stressed and that they benefit from taking in the sights, colours and smells of the outdoors [6]. 

Denise’s son Angus has also experienced the positive effects of agroecological principles on his mental health. Regenerative farming has also helped him during times of depression in his life: “Having had periods of fairly low mental health, regenerative agriculture has been a very powerful tool to improve my mental health.”  

Jules Pretty, Author and Professor of Environment and Society at the University of Essex says: “Much of my research has proven that that exposure to nature in our daily lives can have hugely impactful, positive effects on our health and wellbeing. Even if for a short amount of time, or in small places, spending time in nature can benefit everyone, of all ages and all walks of life – be it an urban park, a home garden, a regenerative farm or a wild outdoor landscape. We must look after the green spaces we have so we can continue to benefit from them for generations to come.” 

For more information and to Save our Wild Isles visit www.saveourwildisles.org.uk  

To apply for the Aviva Save Our Wild Isles Community Fund visit www.avivacommunityfund.co.uk/saveourwildisles  

For tips on how to help nature and how nature can help you, download Thriving With Nature – a guide created by WWF-UK and the Mental Health Foundation. 

 

--ENDS-- 

Press contacts:  

Bella Eadie, Media Manager, WWF-UK – beadie@wwf.org.uk / 01483 412 483 

To download images: 

Notes to Editors  

Key Nature Stats 

  • Since 1970, over 40% of UK species populations have declined. [Source: State of Nature Report 2019 - note: 49% for Scotland since 1994. Infographics highlighting country-specific stats can be found here.] 
  • Only 5% of UK land is effectively protected for nature. [Source: RSPB] 
  • The UK is in the bottom 10% of countries globally for protecting nature. [Source: Biodiversity Intactness Index, Natural History Museum] 
  • The UK is home to some of the most spectacular species on Earth – from puffins to orcas, bees, beavers, butterflies and ancient oak trees – but we’re pushing nature to the brink. 
  • The UK has an average of only 53% of its biodiversity left. [Source: Living Planet Index, Natural History Museum] 

About WWF   

WWF (World Wide Fund for Nature) is a global environmental charity, and we’re bringing our world back to life. With nature in freefall, we’re urgently tackling the underlying causes that are driving the decline – especially the food system and climate change. And we’re finding solutions so future generations have a world with thriving habitats and wildlife. It’s a huge challenge, but there is hope. We’re working globally with governments, companies, communities and others who have the will to act and the power to transform our world. We’re using our ground-breaking scientific research, our global influence, and the backing of our many supporters to make sure the natural world’s vital signs are recovering by 2030. WWF. Bringing our world back to life.   

About the RSPB   

The RSPB is the UK’s largest nature conservation charity, protecting habitats, saving species, and helping to end the nature and climate emergency. For over a century we’ve acted for nature through practical conservation and powerful partnerships, campaigning and influence, and inspiring and empowering millions of people, including almost 1.2 million members. Our network of over 200 nature reserves sits at the heart of our world leading science and conservation delivery. Nature is in crisis, but together we can save it  

About the National Trust  

The National Trust is a conservation charity founded in 1895 by three people: Octavia Hill, Sir Robert Hunter and Hardwicke Rawnsley, who saw the importance of the nation's heritage and open spaces and wanted to preserve them for everyone to enjoy. Today, across England, Wales and Northern Ireland, we continue to look after places so people and nature can thrive.  

The challenges of the coronavirus pandemic have shown this is more important than ever. From finding fresh air and open skies to tracking a bee's flight to a flower; from finding beauty in an exquisite painting or discovering the hidden history of a country house nearby - the places we care for enrich people's lives.  

Entirely independent of Government, the National Trust looks after more than 250,000 hectares of countryside, 780 miles of coastline and 500 historic properties, gardens and nature reserves. In 2021/22 we received 20 million visitors. The National Trust is for everyone - we were founded for the benefit of the whole nation, and our 5.7 million members and over 44,000 volunteers support our work to care for nature, beauty, and history for everyone, forever.