A new research grant has been awarded to researchers at the European Centre to help improve understanding of the relationships between natural environments and human health.

The £200,000 grant has been provided by the Economic and Social Research Council.

The new study will draw on expertise from a number of the Centre’s leading academics to analyse how different types and qualities of natural environment can impact upon human health and wellbeing. The team will be looking to see if these impacts vary according to whether people live in towns and cities or the countryside, and whether they can have different effects according to socio-economic status.

There has been growing interest in understanding how natural environments can help to support good health and wellbeing, with research focusing on the effects natural spaces can have on measures such as physical and mental health. However, these studies have tended to consider all natural environments together, regardless of type, variety or quality.

Rather than considering environments such as urban parks, wild moorland or forests as equal, this new project will take a closer look at the ways each of these environments can work to affect our health and wellbeing.

The study will be using ‘secondary’ data that have already been collected from sources such as household surveys and the UK Census. These data are an extremely cost-effective resource as they have already been funded, collected and processed. Along with national data, the project will also work with the Environmental Records Centre for Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly to develop a locally focused case study.

As part of the research, the team will be working closely with organisations such as Natural England, Forest Research and the Cornwall Wildlife Trust to gain a first-hand insight into the effects of different natural surroundings. These interactions will also ensure that the research has direct relevance to environmental policies at a local and national level.

Leading academic on the project, Dr Ben Wheeler said

“When assessing the consequences of interacting with the natural environment, research has tended to lump all of the different types together. We’re hoping that this study will allow us to unpick the potentially beneficial characteristics of different environments – so that we can maximise their potential and preserve their quality.”

Victoria Whitehouse, Head of Nature Conservation at Cornwall Wildlife Trust said

“Cornwall Wildlife Trust is looking forward to working with the Centre on this project. Our role will be to make sure that the research is locally applicable and benefits both our own organisation and others.”