People, Nature and Wellness … We are all one!
In this thought piece, James Moore of UWTSD’s Centre for Social Innovation lays out a bold vision: people, nature, and wellness are not separate; they are one. Drawing on research, real-world impact, and a deep commitment to community, he challenges us to rethink how we live, move, and connect. It’s a call to action rooted in place, purpose, and the belief that true wellbeing starts with rediscovering our bond with the natural world.
I believe that it is important, indeed vital, for universities to be at the heart of their local communities in helping to shape better futures for everyone. Feeling a sense of wellness and place in our area is how we live, our habitat or in Welsh ‘Cynefin’.
There is increasing evidence that, as humans have evolved towards highly controlled “modern” environments, we have often lost our connection with what makes us happy and healthy. Simultaneously, we have damaged the very eco-systems which are essential to our wellness. We continue to work hard to help support and challenge people, communities and organisations to learn and do things differently. We do this through knowing using evidence, sharing stories and then helping to create space for people to experiment and “just get outdoors and move!”!
We know we feel better when we are in nature, particularly where we are active and we have pay attention to something. This is obvious as it’s our natural state and space. We have evolved from the circadian rhythms of light and dark, understanding how our local environment provides water, food and shelter, and by moving. Research has shown that on average we used to move about 20 km a day through thick undergrowth in our search for food. Some days, we move around 40km. This is when our bodies and brains developed at their fastest. Our healthiest state is replicating this. Sitting still indoors and eating highly processed food is bad for us; paying attention to and being active in nature is good for us!
There is ever growing research which shows this. Spending at least 20 minutes in any local nature every day gives us better physical and mental health (White et al, 2019) as it reduces our toxins, replenishes our energy and builds our resilience. Moving helps to reduce anxiety and produce BDNF proteins (brain fertiliser), so we feel and think better (Medina, 2009). Children who spend time in nature have lower obesity to those who spend more time indoors. People who spend time in nature are more likely to feel connected with their community and are less likely to commit a crime. Time in nature leads to better community cohesion, reduces loneliness, and increases community health. The greater the biodiversity of the area, the better the health outcomes for people living there. Being in nature helps us to be kinder to ourselves, kinder to others and kinder to our environments (Ryan, 2010).
At Cynefin, UWTSD’s Green Health Hub, we are supporting (and challenging!) people and communities to move in and notice local nature more. Supported by the UK Government Shared Prosperity Funding, we provide a location to local partners to provide more services in nature alongside our own nature/wellness offerings. The range of activities include:
- Tara Crank, our PhD student undertaking globally unique studies, is helping understand how we can best align digital technology with nature awareness to create better wellness.
- Supporting the people of Neath Port Talbot to be in, understand and love their local nature more through the Local Nature Partnership’s Working With Nature project.
- We have facilitated 73 Nature Walks for 952 people for NPT communities.
- We supported local schools and community groups (including training 40 people to feel confident and capable to help others be in nature).
- We have also delivered a unique Community Nature Leadership programme for 49 local people so that they have the skills and self-belief to help others to love their local nature more.
We know this makes a difference. Every participant reported that they felt better wellness and will spend more time in nature. We want to do more! Our Centre for Social Innovation is a partnership with Hywel Dda Health Board and is already providing the focus and drive to help us challenge “how we do things” and supporting people to try different things so that we have better wellness. Our story is going global. We have been delighted to share it at the recent World Expo in Japan.
Our guiding and energising principle is the understanding that the well-being of people and nature is deeply connected through the strength of our relationship with both.”
We are excited to play our role for our planet and ourselves to be more well!
Watch our video and be inspired:
Further Information
Lowri Thomas
Principal Communications and PR Officer
Corporate Communications and PR
Email: lowri.thomas@uwtsd.ac.uk
Phone: 07449 998476