The belief that nature possesses therapeutic powers has been around for centuries. Poets and novelists have written about it; spiritual leaders have hidden themselves away in the wilderness to commune with their deities; more recently the green movement has sort to convince us that despoiling the planet can lead not only to environmental destruction but a slow psychological disintegration of individuals and society as well.
The idea that mental and physical dislocation from the natural environment causes societal pathology is gaining currency. Last month the mental health organisation MIND contributed to the debate with a report into two studies it commissioned from researchers at the University of Essex.
In one study undertaken by the university on local Mind groups measuring the effects of green exercise, 90 percent or more testified that it made them feel better. In a second study comparing indoor and outdoor exercise on tension, depression and self-esteem, outdoor exercise beat indoor exercise every time.
‘Ecotherapy - the green agenda for mental health’ was published for Mindweek May 2007. It called for a new green agenda based on ‘growing evidence in support of an accessible, cost-effective and natural addition to existing treatment options - ecotherapy’.
Ecotherapy, which has emerged from the relatively new field of ecopsychology, has a wide remit. At its most general it posits that exposure to the natural world for instance by walks in the woods, gardening or experience of ‘green spaces’, offers a natural, free and accessible treatment that boosts our mental wellbeing’.
Marcus Roberts, head of policy at MIND, told Commercial Grower that there was a ‘proven relationship between general access to green space and stress levels. In communities which do not have access to green spaces, stress levels might be higher’.
Exploitation of such a grave problem in society may be the last thing on growers’ minds. After all, that might seem just too cynical. But the fact remains that if local authorities, statutory bodies and even central government are to ratchet up investment in green spaces through such things as public parks and other amenity projects then somebody has to supply the greenery. And that duty falls on horticultural businesses around the country.
Roberts explains: “The benefits follow everything from a country walk to a structured gardening programme to care farming and supervised horticulture programmes run by therapists as well as green spaces.
“If you are supplying the sorts of enterprises that might be supplying to these programmes, there is a clear link between this and your business. If we can get people to take up the agenda then demand will rise. This is an idea whose time is coming.”
Roberts adds that a lot of organisations around the country are pursuing the ecotherapy agenda. In particular there is a lot going on in the charity sector. The ideas are being picked up by large statutory bodies such as Natural England, which argues that everyone should be within a certain number of kilometres of green space, and CABE (Commmission for Architecture and Built Environment), which champions the development of green space within towns.
“There is potentially a lot of money coming into this area from the lottery funds,” he says. “There is a Wellbeing pot of around £160 million specifically for programmes that focus on physical activity, good eating and mental health. There are lots of things bubbling up and it looks like there will be significant investment in urban and green spaces and the environment in the future.”
Ecotherapy in another guise is already familiar to growers. Other organisations, well known to the horticultural industry, which have a deep interest in the effects of ecotherapy are Thrive and, of course, the Greenfingers appeal for which growers have raised many thousands of pounds over the years.
The HTA’s PlantforLife campaign is also partly founded on the idea that involvement with plants and gardening helps reduce stress levels.
In its report Mind says the need for other therapies to drugs is clearly seen from the 93 percent of GPs who say they have prescribed antidepressants against their better judgement because of lack of an alternative. Getting back to nature through ecotherapy also answers the government’s priorities of increasing exercise among the population as well as improving mental health and reducing obesity.
Mind believes this should all be seen against the background of the World Health Organisation predicting depression will be the second greatest cause of ill-health globally by 2020 and the cost of mental ill-health costing the UK £77 billion per year.
The reports asks: ‘Is it conceivable that a therapeutic intervention that can substantially reduce the human and other costs of mental distress is available on our doorsteps? Should people with experience of mental distress be routinely referred for green exercise, social and therapeutic horticulture or a period of time on a care farm - instead of or in addition to drugs and psychological therapy? - We believe the answer to all these questions is ‘yes’.’
Among 10 recommendations, Mind wants ecotherapy to be recognised as a clinically valid treatment, that GPs should consider referral for green exercise, that inequality of access to green space should be addressed as a human rights issue and that the benefits of green exercise should be promoted by public health campaigns targeting young people in particular.
Meanwhile Writtle College, in Essex, is debating whether to set up its own horticultural ecotherapy department. If agreed, it plans to offer training and support to individuals working with plants and wildlife, with the aim of conservation and/or establishment of a local habitat and open spaces as a form of therapy.
The College proposes to establish a Regional Centre for Horticultural Therapy. The plan proposes that the college will engage with, coordinate and strengthen those charities and commercial organisations that use horticulture as a means of assisting clients with physical and mental illnesses and disabilities. In addition to offering access to a wide range of horticultural resources, the college will also provide an education and training platform for those currently engaged as paid and volunteer staff and, in particular, to those who wish to dedicate their lives to assisting disabled people in this way.
Writtle has links with organisations such as the Institute of Horticulture, Royal Horticultural Society and CABE Space that inform national policy. The college says that through its association with local charities and other organisations it recognises a strong need to establish the centre.
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