The sights, sounds and smells of life in a British woodland have been proven to fill us with joy and boost our wellbeing, new Kent research has revealed.
An overwhelming 90% of more than 10,000 questioned for a study supported by the Woodland Trust said their mood and general wellbeing were boosted by the wildlife in the UK’s precious woodland.
The research identified specific mood-lifting traits found in woods – from spotting a squirrel scurrying up a trunk and hearing a robin’s early-morning song, to witnessing a bird of prey soaring in the sky or feeling the crunch of autumn leaves underfoot.
The extensive BIO-WELL research was carried out by scientists at Kent’s Durrell Institute of Conservation and Ecology (DICE)*, with the latest research funded by a grant from the UK’s largest woodland conservation charity the Woodland Trust.
Zoe Davies, Professor of biodiversity conservation at DICE, said: ‘While we know that spending time in natural environments can improve our health and wellbeing, we needed to know which species, or traits of species delivered these benefits.
‘This compelling new research proves that nature is good for us and spending time in biodiverse rich woodland can be a prescription for wellbeing.’
Yet worryingly the research pinpointed huge regional differences, with the majority of wellbeing hotspots found in the South East and parts of Scotland – areas with a higher proportion of woodland, especially ancient and long-established woodland cover.
These locations are rich in the variety of woodland plants, animals and fungi which people reported as being beneficial for their wellbeing, but previous studies have shown that only 7% of Great Britain’s woods are in good ecological condition.
Maps produced by the researchers showed strong regional disparity in woodland quality for wellbeing, highlighting the importance of restoring woodland biodiversity – especially in those areas which need it most.
Dr Jessica Fisher, research fellow at DICE, said the regional findings were ‘concerning’. She added: ‘The research suggests visiting a woodland rich in the variety of wildlife that supports human wellbeing is a privilege unequally distributed across society, and furthest from reach for those who could potentially benefit the most. Society needs a much better balance of woodland to ensure we can all access the traits that are going to boost our mental health.’
Some key findings
- Ninety per cent of the representative sample of more than 10,000 people across the UK agreed that woodland biodiversity has a positive impact on their wellbeing
- The richest woodlands for wellbeing were very unevenly distributed across the UK, with lower wellbeing richness of woodlands in more deprived areas
- Woodland sounds, such as birds singing, the scrunch of fallen leaves or trees rustling in the breeze, were found to stimulate the most wellbeing responses (40.4%)
- Natural processes and behaviours (26.5%), like spring flowers emerging, triggered the second most wellbeing responses, followed by colours (23.7%), textures (7.3%) and smells (2.1%)
- Silver birch topped a list of favourite trees, ahead of horse chestnut and oak
- The blue tit had the most wellbeing benefits of woodland birds, with blackbird and chaffinch following closely behind.
- The hotspots reflect areas where there is a high proportion of woodland cover, especially precious ancient and long-established woodland cover
Surprisingly, the research found that seasonal differences were irrelevant to the mental health benefits, meaning that, while humans may yearn for sunnier and warmer spring days after a long, bleak winter, a walk in the woods is beneficial in any weather and at any time of year.
Woodland Trust chief executive Dr Darren Moorcroft said: ‘The Woodland Trust is evidence based. Research like the BIO-WELL findings that we have supported is not only fascinating but vital to underpin what we do as the UK’s largest woodland conservation charity for nature and people.
‘We’re in the grip of a biodiversity and human health crisis so it has never been more critical to improve the health of people and the planet. Proving that it’s good for us to get out among trees and nature means the next step must be ensuring that everyone in the UK has access to vibrant, nature-rich woodland where wildlife – and people and communities – can thrive.’
The research drilled down to discover which species were most enjoyed for their wellbeing benefits. including the top 10 favourite trees, other plants, animals and fungi.
Top-ten trees: 1. Silver birch, 2. horse chestnut, 3. pedunculate oak, 4. sweet chestnut, 5. aspen, 6. douglas fir, 7. rowan, 8, beech, 9. larch, 10. Sycamore
For more information on the BIO-WELL scale visit: https://research.kent.ac.uk/bio-well/
* DICE is part of the School of Natural Sciences.