The benefits of using National Parks

As our Mosaic projects develop, we are coming to understand more and more of the positive impacts that National Parks can have, particularly on health and wellbeing.

In 2014, the University of Plymouth and the Exmoor National Park Authority investigated the long-term impacts on our Mosaic youth project which took place 2009 – 2010. The report summary is available here.

The following documents in this section summarise our findings on this and tell the inspirational stories of nine Mosaic Community Champions in Wales. They talk about how National Parks have changed the way live and the positive changes they see in their families and communities when they get into National Parks.

National Parks for Health and Wellbeing: The Experience of Mosaic in Wales (April 2015)

Investigating the Impact of National Parks on Health and Wellbeing. (April 2014)

Snowdonia National Park

Homan Youssofi  ‘National Parks are good for the soul…’

Sha Siddiqi  ‘National Parks are open for everyone to have wonderful experiences in and be out in the fresh air. There is no charge!’

Dawn Archibald  ‘I’ve since started taking swimming lessons’

Brecon Beacons National Park

Fateha Ahmed  ‘My son has been telling his school they should arrange trips to the National Park, rather than the usual suspects for school trips.’

Zobia Zaman  ‘I’ve realised how important it is to give my kids rural experiences.’

Pembrokeshire Coast National Park

Aliya Khalil  ‘National Parks give you a healthy lifestyle’

Clayton Georges  ‘All of this should be shared by current and future generations alike’

Stella Djokey  ‘I’ve always been scared of water, but I felt I needed to challenge myself. I went Kayaking. I did it!’

‘National Parks for Health’ Article from CPRW’s ‘Rural Wales’ Magazine, Spring 2014