5) National initiatives for promoting Well-being through Green Spaces in Wales

i) The Evidence Base – Research

Forest Research - Health and Wellbeing

Forest Research, an agency of the Forestry Commission, undertakes monitoring and evaluation of social forestry projects in the UK and has produced some important publications one of which is Trees and Woodlands Nature’s Health Service

ii) The Evidence - Links Between Nature and Health

For a review of 10 research papers demonstrating the links between Nature and Health follow the hyperlink to the Walking your Way to Health Initiative UK

iii) The Evidence – Evaluation

Walking the Way to Health UK

The Walking the Way to Health initiative has produced both national and local evaluations of this initiative since 2001. This provides important evidence for supporting outdoor exercise in general. The research highlights the fact that the health walks enjoy very high retention rates and there is much qualitative evidence of perceived health benefits.  A key finding of this research is that the walks also attract more than a third of people who might be at risk of social isolation (itself a health risk). 

iv) The Evidence - Economic Benefits of Regular Exercise
Economic Appraisal of local Walking and Cycle Routes
The sustainable transport charity Sustrans has taken the Government’s own methods of assessing the economic benefits of transport schemes and applied them to a number of local walking and cycling routes. The results show them to have a benefit to cost ratio of 20:1. This is in stark contrast to the typical ratio of just 3:1 for other transport schemes such as rail and roads.
As much as half of the net present value of the routes may be realised in terms of savings to the health services. The evaluation includes an estimate of likely saving made due to a reduction in the number of deaths from coronary heart disease, stroke and colon cancer all of which are major causes of mortality that can be countered by physical activity. This is important evidence to support the benefits of physical outdoor activity in general such as that undertaken in woods.

v) National Strategy:

Climbing higher

In 2005, the Welsh Assembly Government launched Climbing Higher - its sport and physical activity strategy which set out a twenty year vision for increasing participation levels in sport and physical activity across Wales.

Well Being in Wales develops further the Assembly Government's work to improve health and to reduce inequalities in health through an approach that cuts across all its policy areas. It:

• highlights the importance of health and well-being in every day life and stresses the importance of health to the economy;

• sets out proposals for more action to reduce the differences in levels of health within Wales;

• encourages the NHS and social care services to help build strong communities through their day-to-day work;

• informs the work that the Local Health Boards and Local Authorities will undertake locally to improve health and well-being.

Improving Health and Well Being using Trees and Woodlands in line with Wellbeing in Wales

This paper considers the programmes and activities of the Forestry Commission in terms of their contributions to people’s health and well being as detailed in the Welsh Assembly Government document “Well Being in Wales” as described above.

vi) Health and Wellbeing Networks

• Physical Activity Network Wales (Wales Centre for Health)

The Physical Activity Network for Wales will link with individuals and organisations across the whole spectrum of physical activity in Wales, providing support and facilitating partnership working.

• The Health and Social Care Network (Wales Council for Voluntary Action)

The Health and Social Care Network provides a focus for the exchange of information and experience between voluntary organisations that work within the field of health and social care. It is a forum for discussion of relevant policy and a means of informing policy makers. The network meetings are held quarterly.

• All Wales NGO Wellbeing Network

The All Wales Wellbeing NGO, ( Non Governmental Organisations) Network aims to establish an effective framework for communicating with all interested wellbeing NGO’s and with the WAG and the 22 local health, social care and wellbeing partnerships.

Contact Paul Walker 07774885855.

• Rural Well Being

Rural Well Being is a health and wellbeing information service for the people of rural Wales. The website aims to provide good quality, reliable information on a range of health and wellbeing issues and to signpost people to organisations and health services in their area that may be able to provide additional information or assistance.

• Welsh Network of Healthy School Schemes (WNHSS)

The development of health promoting schools is encouraged in Wales by the Welsh Network of Healthy School Schemes. WNHSS encourages the development of local healthy school schemes within a common national framework. These in turn encourage the development of health promoting schools in their area.

vii) National Initiatives

• Health Challenge Wales

Health Challenge Wales is the Welsh Assembly Government’s initiative to improve health and well-being. It recognises that a wide range of factors - economic, social and environmental - have an impact on health, so that action in all these areas can help create a healthier nation. It is a cross cutting promotional initiative which endeavours to integrate the health message into all sectors of society from national and local government to the voluntary sector and the general public.

• Health, Social Care & Wellbeing Strategies

These strategies are developed and implemented by all of the 22 Local Health Boards and Local Authorities and present an opportunity for the inclusion of woodlands to help meet stated goals in the next round of consultations. They are also a key plank in the WAG Policy Agenda.

• Active Woods – Forestry Commission Wales

The Forestry Commission’s physical activity initiative which offers advice on where to go, testing your fitness, activities for kids and calorie burning walks

• Walk your Way to Health Wales

An initiative originally promoted by the Countryside Council for Wales which has set up local walking groups run by volunteers and partnerships of health care practitioners and support workers. Not all the walks are in woodlands.

viii) National Initiatives

• Mentro Allan – Venture Out

A big Lottery funded programme of 16 outdoor projects throughout Wales targeting hard to-reach and inactive members of the community.

• Woods and Wellbeing - Tir Coed

Tir Coed is a rural development charity which has developed strong partnerships with woodland owners and health support agencies to promote health and wellbeing projects using woodland venues.

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Coed Lleol is hosted by the Small Woods Association in partnership with the Forestry Commission Wales and the Countryside Council for Wales