Planting trees is a route to better mental health

Tree-planting schemes could be used to relieve the mental health burden on the NHS, a wildlife charity has said, after a study showed volunteers experience a boost to their well-being.

Most people taking part in volunteering with The Wildlife Trusts – some 95 per cent – who had poor levels of mental health at the beginning of a scheme, reported an improvement after six weeks, with further increases over 12 weeks, University of Essex researchers found.

Dominic Higgins, nature and well-being manager at The Wildlife Trusts, said: “Our findings… illustrate a new model of caring for people.”