IUCN WCPA Technical Note No.21: Utilizing Protected and Conserved Areas for Human Health and Well-being: A Technical and Methodological Framework

In recent years, social prescribing—particularly green prescribing and nature prescriptions—has rapidly gained popularity as a holistic approach to improving health and well-being by connecting individuals with nature-based activities and community support. Due to the unique qualities of protected and conserved areas, they provide irreplaceable benefits to humans. This has prompted many to quickly identify, define, and measure their positive impacts on human health and well-being. As exciting as this potential may be, it is imperative to consider that health is the terrain of another sector. Just as ecosystem management may be unfamiliar to health professionals, health is a field that is less familiar to the conservation professional. In this technical note, we provide a framework for people working in both the conservation and health sectors to effectively and equitably utilize protected and conserved areas as resources that support human health and well-being objectives. By working together, these sectors can develop more comprehensive and effective solutions to both global health and environmental challenges.