News & Press

Coronavirus: 'Nature is sending us a message’, says UN environment chief
by Damian Carrington, March 25, 2020
Nature is sending us a message with the coronavirus pandemic and the ongoing climate crisis, according to the UN’s environment chief, Inger Andersen. Andersen said humanity was placing too many pressures on the natural world with damaging consequences.

Strategy Announced for the UN Decade on Ecosystem Restoration
by the UN Environment Programme and the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations
The strategy paper for the United Nations Decade on Ecosystem Restoration 2021-2030 is now available on their website. EcoHealth Network is among the initiatives mentioned that can provide information and inspiration to restoration practitioners.

Early exposure to infections doesn’t protect against allergies, but getting into nature might
by Emily Johnston Flies and Philip Weinstein, February 6, 2020
Exposure to disease-causing pathogens doesn’t appear to prevent allergies, as previously thought. For healthy immune function, we need exposure to a diverse range of bacteria, fungi and other microorganisms in the environment.

Greener, healthier, more sustainable: Why cities of the future need more biodiversity
by Viktor Weber, January 6, 2020
Modern science has proven environmental factors heavily influence human health – which is why each and every one of us would benefit from an intact ecosphere with good quality air, water and produce.

Biodiversity and our brains: How ecology and mental health go together in our cities
by Zoe Myers, January 1, 2020
Urban design and planning can promote mental health by refocusing on spaces we use in our everyday lives in light of what research tells us about the benefits of exposure to nature and biodiversity.

Could Abandoned Agricultural Lands Help Save the Planet?
by Richard Conniff, December 10, 2019
Agriculture’s global footprint is decreasing — more land globally is now being abandoned by farming than converted to it. This, some researchers contend, presents an opportunity for ecological restoration that could help fight climate change and stem the loss of biodiversity.

Waiwhakareke Natural Heritage Park opens its gates to the public
by Aaron Leaman, November 15, 2019
Waiwhakareke Natural Heritage Park, New Zealand’s largest inland restoration project, opened its gates to the public in November 2019, marking a milestone moment for the 65-hectare showpiece project in the city of Hamilton.

Biodiverse Soil Dust Linked to Reduced Anxiety
by Sam Le Gallou, November 6, 2019
Researchers from the University of Adelaide have found new evidence of a potentially broadly-acting microbial link between the health of ecosystems and the health of people.

When Ecosystems Suffer, So Do Humans: To Heal People We Need to Heal the Planet
by Amaya Mikolic-Berrios, September 5, 2019
In late 2017, four environmentalists came together to create the non-profit EcoHealth Network (EHN), bound by a common vision of a future where the health of people and the health of ecosystems are inextricably linked.

The Healthiest Thing You Can Do Today? Get Dirty!
by Gary Paul Nabhan, July 24, 2019
We know that getting out of the house and into nature confers many benefits for physical and mental health. But there’s an additional benefit you might not know about: contact with the soil enriches the gut microbiome, the community of microorganisms that inhabit our digestive tracts.