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This work aims to explore and summarise evidence about how children and young people experience nature, including trees and woodlands. It looks at how this contact with nature, whether through school activities and learning or in leisure time, can potentially lead to a wide range of health, wellbeing and learning benefits. It arises from an increasing concern that children are not directly experiencing nature and that this could lead to children missing out on the benefits provided by these interactions.
The work so far has involved:
The work in this area started in 2005 and current work and collaboration with Norwegian researchers started in 2012. Further work is on-going.
The work involves the following funders or partners :
Forestry Commission policy
The Forestry Commission Wood for Health strategy and Woods for Learning strategy recognises that exposure to woodlands and greenspace may help children with behavioural and emotional problems and highlights the importance of outdoor learning
The Government Forestry and Woodlands Policy Statements outlines that children should have the opportunity for outdoor learning
Forestry Commission England provides useful information and guidance to encourage and enable play for children in woodlands
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