FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
FEBRUARY 22, 2019
The many health benefits linked to trees are being shared through a new campaign called “Healthy Trees – Healthy Lives.” According to a compilation of significant research, trees have a positive impact on human health, and the Healthy Trees campaign details the numerous benefits in a captivating and easy to apply style.
“The connection between trees and health can impact so many aspects of our lives,” said Georgia Forestry Commission Director Chuck Williams. “There are real physical, mental and healing benefits provided by tree cover, and this initiative spells them out for everyone to use.”
Medical and general health professionals have been some of the early adopters of this information. Featured doctors are shown prescribing outdoor activities as opposed to medication. Educators are embracing the connections between trees and learning improvements, and urban planners are leveraging trees’ impact on economic development and human vitality.
The Healthy Trees Healthy Lives campaign was initiated by the Southern Group of State Foresters (SGSF), an organization made up of 13 Southern states that addresses issues of importance in sustainable forestry. Texas A&M Forest Service developed the campaign and its tools. Supporting materials, including compelling graphics and other resources, are free and available to potential partners through SGSF. http://www.southernforests.org/urban/healthy-trees-healthy-lives.
“We invite people in all jobs and all communities to look into this ground-breaking movement,” said Williams. “There is something for each of us to learn and each of us to communicate through ‘Healthy Trees Healthy Lives.’ It’s never been easier to share proof about what we instinctively know; nature can heal us and trees are the ideal prescription.”