Nature Recovery Rangers
Our Nature Recovery Rangers work with NHS partners at healthcare sites to improve the quality of green spaces and to help integrate nature into patient care, staff wellbeing and community engagement. Their aim is to maximise the role that these green spaces play in the prevention of health issues, supporting positive patient outcomes, recovery, and the creation of a healthier environment.
Our current ranger project is called ‘Healthy by Nature’ and will see nine NHS trusts work with the Green Space for Health team at the Centre for Sustainable Healthcare (CSH) to support the transformation of hospital grounds into thriving green spaces. It is anticipated that the project will support both community wellbeing and local biodiversity. The project has been made possible thanks to funding from the National Lottery Community Fund.
Following a highly successful pilot, the initiative will place dedicated Nature Recovery Rangers at nine NHS trusts, taking in 39 sites across England. It is hoped the project will benefit over 86,000 community members across the nine areas by connecting people with nature at NHS sites.
The project will begin activities in June 2025, with a programme of events to be announced at each participating site. Sites will join the programme in two cohorts with NHS University Hospitals of Liverpool Group, Nottinghamshire Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust, Dorset County Hospital NHS Foundation Trust, East and North Hertfordshire NHS Trust in collaboration with Hillingdon Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust and Newcastle upon Tyne Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust starting in 2025 and Bradford District Care NHS Foundation Trust, Guy’s and St Thomas’ NHS Foundation Trust/King’s College Hospital NHS Foundation Trust, Manchester University NHS Foundation Trust and Tameside Glossop and Stockport Integrated Care NHS Foundation Trust starting in 2026.
Please contact Liz Rees, CSH’s Green Space for Health programme director if you have any questions, or for more information on how to apply.