A healthy natural environment is vital for people’s health and wellbeing. Access to high quality green space varies significantly across Oxfordshire.
The OLNP is working to champion a programme of green social prescribing, promoting high quality green infrastructure that works for people and nature, and influence the new Local Nature Recovery Strategy (LNRS) to advocate for the provision of wildlife-rich spaces especially in deprived and urban environments.
The OLNP are supporting Oxfordshire County Council as they develop Oxfordshire's Local Nature Recovery Strategy (LNRS), a spatial strategy for nature's recovery in the county. We will work closely with those working on the development of the LNRS to ensure that communities and health and wellbeing and communities are threads that runs right through LNRS.
Green Infrastructure brings multiple benefits to wildlife, society and the economy. Nature in urban environments is particularly effective at reducing flooding, improving air quality and reducing the urban heat island effect. Nature also benefits health and wellbeing directly. We will incorporate nature into the built environment by supporting Local Planning Authorities (LPAs) in the incorporation of Natural England's Green Infrastructure Framework into Local Plans (this link opens in a new window).
Green social prescribing involves supporting people to engage in nature-based activities to improve their mental and physical health, connecting people to community groups and agencies for practical and emotional support. The OLNP is engaging with the NHS to maximise referrals to nature based activities and is working with community groups to increase their capacity and capability to support people referred to them.
Our working groups are made up of experts in their fields who help to deliver our objectives.
The nature and health working group bring together research and evidence to improve green infrastructure in Oxfordshire and to promote access to nature for all.
