Bf Ap - Academia.edu (original) (raw)

Papers by Bf Ap

‘Green Care’ is a range of activities that promotes physical and mental health and well-being thr... more ‘Green Care’ is a range of activities that promotes physical and mental health and well-being through contact with nature. It utilises farms, gardens and other outdoor spaces as a therapeutic intervention for vulnerable adults and children. Green care includes care farming, therapeutic horticulture, animal assisted therapy and other nature-based approaches. These are now the subject of investigation by researchers from many different countries across the world.

... By using metaphors taken from the environmental background, ecotherapy seeks to underscore th... more ... By using metaphors taken from the environmental background, ecotherapy seeks to underscore the 'auto-corrective ... seeking nature'is the main goal for all those involved in using it. ... Roszak, T., Gomes, M. and Kanner, AD (eds.)(1995) Ecopsychology: restoring the earth, healing ...

Primary Health Care Research and Development, 2004

Certain observations arose from the implementation of multicentre research on 7 'ecotherapy'. Ver... more Certain observations arose from the implementation of multicentre research on 7 'ecotherapy'. Very diverse community groups of people with a range of disabilities, 8 undertaking horticulture and nature conservation as a therapeutic and social enter-9 prise, provided an unexpected conception. We coined the term embracement to cap-10 ture the meaning of an activity we found in many 'bottom-up' examples of social 11 inclusion. Self-organizing groups grew by the members' choosing to embrace a com-12 mon identity, which included and integrated health, social and environmental dimen-13 sions. Embracement is self-directing, spontaneous and collective, with the potential 14 group members being the driving force.

Journal of Public Mental Health

Purpose Drawing on experience of working in the area of mental health and the environment, key is... more Purpose Drawing on experience of working in the area of mental health and the environment, key issues are examined, and the theoretical framework is explained, including the benefits to communities and to the local environment of working with nature. Design/methodology/approach The interview gave an opportunity for development of ideas underlying concepts including the natural health service, green health literacy and changes in behaviour during the pandemic. Findings The ways in which people and the environment benefit from interaction with nature are becoming well understood; in a sustainable model, the value of the local environment is appreciated and will benefit from the care of those involved in relevant activities. There is a need for targeted training for health professionals, environment agencies’ staff and the voluntary sectors. Research limitations/implications The economic value of nature as a contributing factor in to mental health is an area for research which could ha...

The Routledge Handbook of Urban Ecology, 2008

Mental Health Review Journal, 2005

he United Nations’ Johannesburg summit (2002) report, Agenda 21, calls for a philosophy of ‘integ... more he United Nations’ Johannesburg summit (2002) report, Agenda 21, calls for a philosophy of ‘integration of the environment and ecosystems on which we depend for our wellbeing’. Here in the UK, a report by the government agency English Nature (2003) asserts that measures of the impact of nature on the psychological and social wellbeing of people can be derived from a multitude of ‘social, community involvement and environmental indicators’. The Social Exclusion Unit (2004), the Department for Work and Pensions (2004) and the Neighbourhood Renewal Unit (2004) are all embarking on programmes to create opportunities for social networks and the employment of people with mental health problems. The Forestry Commission and the Urban Parks Forum are engaged in the regeneration of open spaces and public parks for the promotion of sustainable communities that are ‘fully inclusive and cut to the core of social exclusion and poverty’. The international conference Open Space, People Space, hosted by the Research Centre at Heriot-Watt University in October 2004 brought together researchers, organisations, individuals and academics from all over the world to discuss and share the practice and research taking place in the many strands of this rapidly evolving field. English Nature indicates that policies such as the National Service Framework for Mental Health (Department of Health, 1999) and the National Suicide Prevention Strategy (Department of Health, 2002) or initiatives such as From Here to Equality from NIMHE (2004) do not yet address the health-promoting benefits inherent in nature. Likewise the agencies involved with environmental sustainability and biodiversity ‘have not yet identified the purely mental health promoting elements of access to nature in urban, semi-urban and rural settings’. Social inclusion and psychological and physical wellbeing can be harnessed in natural settings and English Nature T recommends that social policy discourse needs to change towards the recognition that healthy people and healthy ecosystems are wholly interdependent. This change would derive from and be supported by three main areas of activity:

Forests, Trees and Human Health, 2010

L. O'Brien (*) Forest Research, Social and Economic Research Group, ... more L. O'Brien (*) Forest Research, Social and Economic Research Group, Alice Holt Lodge, Farnham, Surrey, England e-mail: liz.obrien@forestry.gsi.gov.uk A. Burls UK UNESCO Man and Biosphere (MAB) Urban Forum, London, United Kingdom e-mail: ...

Perspectives in Public Health, 2011

Aims: Those who experience emotional and behavioural difficulties or mental health problems, are ... more Aims: Those who experience emotional and behavioural difficulties or mental health problems, are unemployed or bereaved, or have been in trouble with the law can be socially marginalized and can become isolated from their families, community and wider society. This paper explores the role of active hands-on contact with the environment through a general environmental volunteering programme and through a targeted therapeutic volunteer programme, highlighting how these two approaches can potentially aid some marginalized people to reintegrate into society. Methods: This study draws on concepts from the well-being and social capital literatures and refers to two separate pieces of research: Study 1 was based on general environmental volunteering primarily in northern England and southern Scotland; and Study 2 focused on mental health participants at Meanwhile Wildlife Garden in London. Ethnographic and interview data were gathered from participants as a means to understand the benefits...

Journal of Public Mental Health, 2007

Drawing on the author's multi-method research on the viability of specific ecotherapy practitione... more Drawing on the author's multi-method research on the viability of specific ecotherapy practitioner training and curriculum design, this paper debates how the use of ecotherapeutic approaches can provide a two-pronged system to achieve both individual health (at micro level) and public and environment health outcomes (at macro level).The research sought the views of service users, practitioners and educationalists through use of interviews, focus groups, a nominal group, and an ethnographic case study group.This research raised other considerations: namely, that people seeking personal recovery also, through stewardship of green spaces, may achieve unanticipated social capital and natural capital outcomes and thereby meet current multidisciplinary policy targets.This added social value has not been previously considered as an important dimension in people's well-being and recovery from ill health or social exclusion. Such outcomes emerge from the idea of green spaces becoming a 'product' delivered to the community by people whose pursuit of personal recovery also directly contributes to improved public mental health. Keywords ecohealth ecotherapy biophilia social capital natural capital journal of public mental health vol 6 • issue 3 © Pavilion Journals (Brighton) Ltd People and green spaces: promoting public health and mental well-being through ecotherapy inequalities have forced town planning to take account of factors previously divorced from health agendas. The map (figure 1) was designed to be a 'dynamic tool' to 'provide a focus for collaboration across practitioner professions and across topics' (p253) directly related to sustainable development of healthy neighbourhoods. National and international policy supports the inclusion of the natural environment in holistic health promotion. For example, the WHO Twenty Steps for Developing Healthy Cities Projects (WHO, 1997) document sets out a multipronged planning strategy based on intersectorial action, alongside health awareness and healthy public policy, community participation and innovation. Similarly, the WHO Health Impact Assessment Toolkit for Cities (WHO, 2005a) offers a means to quantify the benefits of green spaces in terms of: G greater involvement in the processes of making policy and decisions G potential to extend the democratic process, especially to excluded groups in society G empowerment G the development of skills G consideration of how to reduce sources of disadvantage or inequality G the development and provision of services that better meet the needs of local people.

BMJ, 2005

genome sequences between dogs, horses, cats, and humans is well advanced, 6 7 with progress also ... more genome sequences between dogs, horses, cats, and humans is well advanced, 6 7 with progress also in pigs, cattle, and sheep. Dogs combine exceptional phenotypic diversity, exemplified by breed differences in size and lifespan, with a relatively uniform genotype. Among some 370 canine genetic disorders, about half have exact human analogues. 8 They generally resemble the human disease more closely than do rodent models, reflecting closer evolutionary kinship and DNA sequence identity. 9 The National Human Genome Research Institute regards the canine genome as a key research priority. Molecular genetics adds new dimensions to comparative studiesidentification of novel disease genes, new disease models, new molecular targets for drugs, evaluation of gene therapy, and elucidation of genotypic variation in therapeutic responses. Comparative medicine emerged from the realisation that humans and animals shared similar cellular structures and mechanisms and faced challenges from similar microorganisms. But disease models were just that; resemblances between diseases. Now molecular science can show identical receptors, mediators, and James Herriot-the popular vet from the television series All Creatures Great and Small COPYRIGHT BBC Editorials See Papers p 1231

… , Trees and Human …, 2011

... successful attachment to the nonhuman environment is as important for people&... more ... successful attachment to the nonhuman environment is as important for people's well-being as is ... This concept widens the relationship between human and non-human species, stressing the ... Nature based therapies are offered in various programs depending on the needs of the ...

‘Green Care’ is a range of activities that promotes physical and mental health and well-being thr... more ‘Green Care’ is a range of activities that promotes physical and mental health and well-being through contact with nature. It utilises farms, gardens and other outdoor spaces as a therapeutic intervention for vulnerable adults and children. Green care includes care farming, therapeutic horticulture, animal assisted therapy and other nature-based approaches. These are now the subject of investigation by researchers from many different countries across the world.

... By using metaphors taken from the environmental background, ecotherapy seeks to underscore th... more ... By using metaphors taken from the environmental background, ecotherapy seeks to underscore the 'auto-corrective ... seeking nature'is the main goal for all those involved in using it. ... Roszak, T., Gomes, M. and Kanner, AD (eds.)(1995) Ecopsychology: restoring the earth, healing ...

Primary Health Care Research and Development, 2004

Certain observations arose from the implementation of multicentre research on 7 'ecotherapy'. Ver... more Certain observations arose from the implementation of multicentre research on 7 'ecotherapy'. Very diverse community groups of people with a range of disabilities, 8 undertaking horticulture and nature conservation as a therapeutic and social enter-9 prise, provided an unexpected conception. We coined the term embracement to cap-10 ture the meaning of an activity we found in many 'bottom-up' examples of social 11 inclusion. Self-organizing groups grew by the members' choosing to embrace a com-12 mon identity, which included and integrated health, social and environmental dimen-13 sions. Embracement is self-directing, spontaneous and collective, with the potential 14 group members being the driving force.

Journal of Public Mental Health

Purpose Drawing on experience of working in the area of mental health and the environment, key is... more Purpose Drawing on experience of working in the area of mental health and the environment, key issues are examined, and the theoretical framework is explained, including the benefits to communities and to the local environment of working with nature. Design/methodology/approach The interview gave an opportunity for development of ideas underlying concepts including the natural health service, green health literacy and changes in behaviour during the pandemic. Findings The ways in which people and the environment benefit from interaction with nature are becoming well understood; in a sustainable model, the value of the local environment is appreciated and will benefit from the care of those involved in relevant activities. There is a need for targeted training for health professionals, environment agencies’ staff and the voluntary sectors. Research limitations/implications The economic value of nature as a contributing factor in to mental health is an area for research which could ha...

The Routledge Handbook of Urban Ecology, 2008

Mental Health Review Journal, 2005

he United Nations’ Johannesburg summit (2002) report, Agenda 21, calls for a philosophy of ‘integ... more he United Nations’ Johannesburg summit (2002) report, Agenda 21, calls for a philosophy of ‘integration of the environment and ecosystems on which we depend for our wellbeing’. Here in the UK, a report by the government agency English Nature (2003) asserts that measures of the impact of nature on the psychological and social wellbeing of people can be derived from a multitude of ‘social, community involvement and environmental indicators’. The Social Exclusion Unit (2004), the Department for Work and Pensions (2004) and the Neighbourhood Renewal Unit (2004) are all embarking on programmes to create opportunities for social networks and the employment of people with mental health problems. The Forestry Commission and the Urban Parks Forum are engaged in the regeneration of open spaces and public parks for the promotion of sustainable communities that are ‘fully inclusive and cut to the core of social exclusion and poverty’. The international conference Open Space, People Space, hosted by the Research Centre at Heriot-Watt University in October 2004 brought together researchers, organisations, individuals and academics from all over the world to discuss and share the practice and research taking place in the many strands of this rapidly evolving field. English Nature indicates that policies such as the National Service Framework for Mental Health (Department of Health, 1999) and the National Suicide Prevention Strategy (Department of Health, 2002) or initiatives such as From Here to Equality from NIMHE (2004) do not yet address the health-promoting benefits inherent in nature. Likewise the agencies involved with environmental sustainability and biodiversity ‘have not yet identified the purely mental health promoting elements of access to nature in urban, semi-urban and rural settings’. Social inclusion and psychological and physical wellbeing can be harnessed in natural settings and English Nature T recommends that social policy discourse needs to change towards the recognition that healthy people and healthy ecosystems are wholly interdependent. This change would derive from and be supported by three main areas of activity:

Forests, Trees and Human Health, 2010

L. O'Brien (*) Forest Research, Social and Economic Research Group, ... more L. O'Brien (*) Forest Research, Social and Economic Research Group, Alice Holt Lodge, Farnham, Surrey, England e-mail: liz.obrien@forestry.gsi.gov.uk A. Burls UK UNESCO Man and Biosphere (MAB) Urban Forum, London, United Kingdom e-mail: ...

Perspectives in Public Health, 2011

Aims: Those who experience emotional and behavioural difficulties or mental health problems, are ... more Aims: Those who experience emotional and behavioural difficulties or mental health problems, are unemployed or bereaved, or have been in trouble with the law can be socially marginalized and can become isolated from their families, community and wider society. This paper explores the role of active hands-on contact with the environment through a general environmental volunteering programme and through a targeted therapeutic volunteer programme, highlighting how these two approaches can potentially aid some marginalized people to reintegrate into society. Methods: This study draws on concepts from the well-being and social capital literatures and refers to two separate pieces of research: Study 1 was based on general environmental volunteering primarily in northern England and southern Scotland; and Study 2 focused on mental health participants at Meanwhile Wildlife Garden in London. Ethnographic and interview data were gathered from participants as a means to understand the benefits...

Journal of Public Mental Health, 2007

Drawing on the author's multi-method research on the viability of specific ecotherapy practitione... more Drawing on the author's multi-method research on the viability of specific ecotherapy practitioner training and curriculum design, this paper debates how the use of ecotherapeutic approaches can provide a two-pronged system to achieve both individual health (at micro level) and public and environment health outcomes (at macro level).The research sought the views of service users, practitioners and educationalists through use of interviews, focus groups, a nominal group, and an ethnographic case study group.This research raised other considerations: namely, that people seeking personal recovery also, through stewardship of green spaces, may achieve unanticipated social capital and natural capital outcomes and thereby meet current multidisciplinary policy targets.This added social value has not been previously considered as an important dimension in people's well-being and recovery from ill health or social exclusion. Such outcomes emerge from the idea of green spaces becoming a 'product' delivered to the community by people whose pursuit of personal recovery also directly contributes to improved public mental health. Keywords ecohealth ecotherapy biophilia social capital natural capital journal of public mental health vol 6 • issue 3 © Pavilion Journals (Brighton) Ltd People and green spaces: promoting public health and mental well-being through ecotherapy inequalities have forced town planning to take account of factors previously divorced from health agendas. The map (figure 1) was designed to be a 'dynamic tool' to 'provide a focus for collaboration across practitioner professions and across topics' (p253) directly related to sustainable development of healthy neighbourhoods. National and international policy supports the inclusion of the natural environment in holistic health promotion. For example, the WHO Twenty Steps for Developing Healthy Cities Projects (WHO, 1997) document sets out a multipronged planning strategy based on intersectorial action, alongside health awareness and healthy public policy, community participation and innovation. Similarly, the WHO Health Impact Assessment Toolkit for Cities (WHO, 2005a) offers a means to quantify the benefits of green spaces in terms of: G greater involvement in the processes of making policy and decisions G potential to extend the democratic process, especially to excluded groups in society G empowerment G the development of skills G consideration of how to reduce sources of disadvantage or inequality G the development and provision of services that better meet the needs of local people.

BMJ, 2005

genome sequences between dogs, horses, cats, and humans is well advanced, 6 7 with progress also ... more genome sequences between dogs, horses, cats, and humans is well advanced, 6 7 with progress also in pigs, cattle, and sheep. Dogs combine exceptional phenotypic diversity, exemplified by breed differences in size and lifespan, with a relatively uniform genotype. Among some 370 canine genetic disorders, about half have exact human analogues. 8 They generally resemble the human disease more closely than do rodent models, reflecting closer evolutionary kinship and DNA sequence identity. 9 The National Human Genome Research Institute regards the canine genome as a key research priority. Molecular genetics adds new dimensions to comparative studiesidentification of novel disease genes, new disease models, new molecular targets for drugs, evaluation of gene therapy, and elucidation of genotypic variation in therapeutic responses. Comparative medicine emerged from the realisation that humans and animals shared similar cellular structures and mechanisms and faced challenges from similar microorganisms. But disease models were just that; resemblances between diseases. Now molecular science can show identical receptors, mediators, and James Herriot-the popular vet from the television series All Creatures Great and Small COPYRIGHT BBC Editorials See Papers p 1231

… , Trees and Human …, 2011

... successful attachment to the nonhuman environment is as important for people&... more ... successful attachment to the nonhuman environment is as important for people's well-being as is ... This concept widens the relationship between human and non-human species, stressing the ... Nature based therapies are offered in various programs depending on the needs of the ...