Key Note Speaker Dr Rebecca Lovell, Exeter University

The benefits of learning in the natural environment and health and well-being

Dr Rebecca Lovell is a lecturer in Biodiversity and Health Policy at the European Centre for Environment and Human Health, University of Exeter Medical School.

She focuses on synthesising and translating evidence of the links between nature, health and development for policy and practice, and has undertaken work with, and for, the WHO, CBD, PHE, Department of Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) and Natural England.

At this year's conference, Rebecca will talk about the results of a recent review - 'What Works' in school-based natural environment interventions for mental health and other outcomes. This review was written for Defra and was used to inform the development of the 'Nature Friendly Schools' programme.

The aim of the review was to help identify effective practice in the design, delivery and evaluation of schools-based natural environment interventions. Rebecca will set the review in context against what we know about the benefits to health and wellbeing from exposure to natural environments throughout life.

While at the University of Exeter, Rebecca wrote her PhD on the potential health value of Forest Schools and has reviewed the benefits of education in the outdoors for the Forestry Commission, Natural England and Defra.

She is a member of several key strategy groups including the Royal Horticultural Society's Science Committee, the Health and Horticulture Advisory Committee and the Nature Friendly Schools delivery and evaluation Advisory Groups.