NHPN Autumn Forum Meeting

Nature and Health Practitioners Network
Forum Gathering | 20th October 2026
In Person Event

Are you working within the growing field of Nature and Health?
Part of Green Social Prescribing, nature-based health and wellbeing, ecotherapy, green care, community health, or environmental practice?

Are you looking to connect with practitioners, project leads, researchers, statutory services, and organisations who are helping shape this rapidly emerging sector?

Then join us for the next in-person gathering of the Nature and Health Practitioners Network.

The Nature and Health field is evolving rapidly across the UK, with increasing recognition from health systems, local authorities, universities, environmental organisations, and community services. Across this expanding landscape, new models of practice, evidence, evaluations, and collaborations are emerging that support both human health and wellbeing and the health of the natural world.

This gathering will focus on:

• Working within statutory services and building stronger pathways between practitioners and health systems
• The development of ecotherapy and nature-based approaches as recognised mental health and health interventions
• Emerging opportunities within Green Social Prescribing and nature-based health provision
• Updates from network groups, regional developments, and national initiatives

We will also share updates on the next phase of development for the Network as it continues to evolve and strengthen its role within the emerging Nature and Health landscape.

As always, there will be plenty of space for:

• Networking and reconnecting
• Sharing projects, ideas, and opportunities
• Peer reflection and learning
• Building collaborations across organisations and sectors
• Connecting practitioners, academics, commissioners, and community projects

The Network brings together people working across:

• Green Care
• Ecotherapy
• Nature-based health and wellbeing
• Green Social Prescribing
• Community and environmental health
• Research and evaluation
• VCSE and statutory services

The Nature and Health Practitioners Network has now been active for over 8 years and continues to support the development of an ecocentric and reciprocal approach to health and wellbeing across the West of England and beyond.

We now have a growing number of specialist and interest groups supporting the development of the field and helping strengthen connections between practice, research, policy, training, and service provision.

Special Interest Groups

The Network is continuing to grow through a number of dedicated Special Interest Groups (SIGs), creating spaces for practitioners, organisations, researchers, and allies to come together around key areas within the emerging Nature and Health field.

The current Special Interest Groups are:

Children & Young People (CYP)
A group focused on exploring and sharing best practice in connecting children and young people with nature to support their health, wellbeing, and development.

Nature in Statutory Practice & Allies (NISPA)
A collaborative forum bringing together practitioners, academics, and allies to embed nature-based approaches within statutory services and wider health systems.

Voluntary, Community and Social Enterprise (VCSE)
A network space for organisations and practitioners in the VCSE sector to exchange learning, strengthen partnerships, and advocate for the role of nature in community health and wellbeing.

These groups help deepen collaboration, shared learning, and professional development across the sector while supporting the development of safe, effective, and high-quality nature-based practice.