Health

Greenspace is our natural health service.

There is a wealth of good quality evidence and case studies demonstrating the positive impact that greenspaces can have on physical and mental health. The World Health Organisation has published a wide-ranging evidence review on Urban greenspaces and health.

There is a strong and well-developed policy framework from the UN Sustainable Development Goals (ensure health lives and promote well-being for all at all ages) to the National Performance Framework which identifies the need to take a ‘whole system approach to promoting good health and activity’ and Public Health Priorities for Scotland which advocates asset-based approaches and the importance of changing the places and environments where people live so that all places support people to be health and create wellbeing.

greenspace scotland is working with NHS Lothian, Edinburgh & Lothians Health Foundation and a wide range of partners and stakeholders to develop a Greenspace and Health Strategic Framework for Edinburgh & Lothians. This will be published in June 2019 and we believe it is the first Scottish health board-led Green Health Strategy.