A Faculty of Public Health publication In association with Natural England

A wide range of evidence suggests that contact with safe, green spaces can improve a number of aspects of mental and physical health and wellbeing as well as various social and environmental indicators. For example: • Contact with green spaces and natural environments can reduce symptoms of poor mental health and stress, and can improve mental wellbeing across all age groups. • Access to green spaces can increase levels of physical activity for all ages. • Having green spaces in an area can contribute to reduced health inequalities. • Safe, green spaces can increase levels of communal activity across different social groups as well as increase residents’ satisfaction with their local area. • Green spaces can help with our response to climate change through their potential to reduce the impacts of heatwaves and reduce flooding and reducing CO emissions. • Green spaces and natural environments can improve air and noise quality and support sustainability through increasing biodiversity, encouraging active transport and community participation.