FLS rangers positively impacting young people’s mental health - Forestry and Land Scotland
Forestry and Land Scotland (FLS) is playing its part in supporting young people facing metal health challenges.
Recently, FLS community rangers hosted 18 NHS staff from Glasgow - across multiple mental health disciplines, including nurses, specialist occupational therapists, and psychologists – at an outdoor focused learning and developmental day.
FLS staff demonstrated and shared a selection of activities designed to help young people facing mental health challenges to get outside and connect with nature.
This collaboration is part of the NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde CAMHS Therapeutic Forest Group Programme. The programme is run in conjunction with CAMHS Occupational Therapists and FLS forest rangers. It makes use of the FLS managed Cuningar Loop and other local sites. The programme acts as an introduction to local greenspaces, particularly in an urban setting, and how to make the most of them.
With figures from the Children and Young People’s Commissioner Scotland showing one in four young people in Scotland facing mental health challenges every week, spending time in nature is proving to be a valuable tool for health professionals to use when helping those who need support.
FLS Community Ranger Amanda Malcolm said: “As community rangers, we work closely with NHS teams to share and develop activities that can be used to support young people. These activities can then help show young people the value of greenspaces for their mental health and wellbeing. Tasks included creating bird seed feeders made from apples and 'emotion gnomes' from wood cuttings. The sessions are an opportunity to learn practical personal, social, emotional and technical skills through hands-on learning in a woodland environment. The activities are not complex, are accessible and can be tailored for all ages and abilities. Sensory, motor, social and emotional skills all play an important part."
Spending time outdoors is known to boost a person’s mood, lower stress levels and improve overall mental (and physical) health.
Posted On: 27/08/2025
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