Doctors are increasingly prescribing time spent in nature for its mental health benefits, and new research from Scotland provides robust evidence that access to improved woodlands in urban areas can genuinely reduce the need for antidepressants and anti-anxiety medication. The study, published in The Lancet Planetary Health, analyzed data from over 129,000 people across five years, linking NHS prescription records with census data.
Researchers from the Universities of Edinburgh and Glasgow found that individuals living within a ten-minute walk of an improved woodland area were less likely to receive prescriptions for mental health medications. Specifically, people in deprived urban communities close to welcoming and accessible woodland areas were 10% less likely to be prescribed antidepressants and 6% less likely to be prescribed anti-anxiety medication compared to those living further away. This association remained evident even after accounting for other factors influencing mental health, such as demographics and poverty.
Professor Catharine Ward Thompson, who led the study at the University of Edinburgh’s OPENspace Research Centre, stated that the findings offer stronger evidence than previous studies on the mental health benefits of woodland improvements for local communities. She added that these benefits could contribute to reducing health inequalities. Dr. Scott Ogletree, a colleague on the study, highlighted that for the first time, data on mental health services could be linked with a long-term national urban forestry intervention program. This provides evidence to inform future forestry policy, suggesting that modest investments in local green spaces can significantly impact people's mental well-being.
The study identified that initiatives like Scottish Forestry’s Woods In and Around Towns program can be a valuable tool to supplement existing efforts to enhance wellbeing and mental health. The researchers are advocating for the integration of nature-based interventions into public health strategies, particularly in urban environments.
Responding to the findings, Minister for Agriculture, Marine and the Islands Jim Fairlie emphasized the importance of expanding, managing, and improving green spaces. He noted the Scottish Government's commitment to increasing woodland creation across Scotland, with a target of 18,000 hectares per year by 2029/30.