A Natural Prescription

It has long been known, that regular contact with nature can benefit mental health. The London Wetland Centre (LWC) is to start courses with the aim of alleviating depression and anxiety in its participants (https://www.theguardian.com/society/2021/may/13/nature-on-prescription-wetlands-project-aims-to-boost-mental-health). The LWC (part of the Wildfowl and Wetlands Trust (WWT), devised by the late Peter Scott), was constructed on the site of the Victorian Barn Elms reservoirs in Southwest London. It's yet another example of how quickly (it was created in 2000), a nature reserve can be generated in an old industrial, city site. The LWC, in conjunction with the Mental Health Foundation and participants, has devised a 6-week long course. The course involves 'typical' WWT activities including birdwatching; pond dipping and nature walks. These activities have been shown to benefit the mental health of participants. This effective and inexpensive 'treatment' is of particular benefit to people in a city location, coming out of the Covid-19 pandemic-induced lockdowns. Mental health provisions have been very problematic in these strange times. If the programme works well, it might (hopefully?) also be adopted by the WWT's other 9 sites. Other organisations with nature reserves such as the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds might also offer this kind of provision.