Health and our environment

Research is increasingly demonstrating that people who live in an environment that has trees will be healthier than people who live in an environment that doesn’t.

How does this work? Some of the reasons are simple; some quite complex. One of the more simple ways in which trees help us is as spongers to mop up pollution from the atmosphere. Airborne pollutants, especially from cars, are a significant cause of disease. Trees in towns mop up a great deal of airborne pollution. The more trees there are the more the air is cleaned. Pollutants are caught on leaves, but also on the bark of twigs, branches and tree stems. In this way trees work all year, although they are more sufficient in the summer.

We are all healthier if we take exercise. There is an increasing amount of evidence to show that investment and exercise is much more effective in preventing coronary heart disease and other illnesses than investment in medical solutions. Furthermore, if people take up exercise they are far more likely to continue and get the benefits if the exercise is undertaken in natural surroundings, such as the park rather than in a gym. Trees help by creating an attractive setting where we feel comfortable being and therefore we want to go to take exercise. In many towns and cities formal parks and gardens fulfil this function; Epping Forest District instead has the wonderful resource of the countryside: Epping Forest, Hainault Forest, the Lea Valley Park and the network of footpaths. There are regular volunteer projects organised by Countrycare and life walks organised by Leisure Services.

Image illustrates a woodland walk organised by Countrycare in Hainault Forest, Lambourne, Essex.