Woodlands for Health is a 12-week woodland-based guided walking programme for adults availing of mental health services and supports in Ireland. It is an accessible and sustainable way to engage with nature, as part of a toolkit for supporting mental health and wellbeing.
Woodlands for Health began as a pilot project in Wicklow in 2012, based on the award-winning Branching Out programme in Scotland.
Learn more about Branching Out
Engagement with nature through outdoor activities can have a significant positive impact on people’s mental health and wellbeing. Natural environments such as walking in a local park or woodland area are restorative and there is strong evidence documenting the positive relationship between physical activity and mental health.
Walking is the most natural form of physical activity that is accessible to all, regardless of fitness level. Woodlands for Health offers a recovery focused eco-therapy programme which complements traditional mental health treatment. It involves social inclusion of people who experience mental health challenges.
There are currently 18 Woodlands for Health programmes running in 14 counties with 384 participants across Ireland.
The national partners of Woodlands for Health are: Mental Health Ireland, Get Ireland Walking and Coillte. Programmes are facilitated by additional programme partners through local steering groups.
Here you can see our evaluation reports from 2014 and 2020, which detail some of the benefits that people have experienced from taking part in Woodlands for Health. Click on the links to learn more.
Woodlands For Health with 8th President for Ireland Mary McAleese
niamh.nic@mentalhealthireland.ie
087 7654399
Woodlands for Health recognises that walking is an activity with a potential risk of personal injury.
Participants should be aware of and accept these risks and be responsible for their own actions and involvement.
