The Institute for Health and Care Improvement at York St John University, Yorkshire Dales National Park Authority, North York Moors Trust, North York Moors National Park Authority, Howardian Hills and Nidderdale National Landscapes are delighted to have offered a fee-waiving scholarship for the successful student to undertake doctoral research into the role of protected landscapes in North Yorkshire on human health and wellbeing.
The UK is currently experiencing a significant public health challenge, with the National Health Service under increasing pressure. At the same time, longstanding inequalities persist in how different socioeconomic groups access and engage with natural environments, with barriers that are often complex and systemic (Commission on Race and Ethnic Disparities, 2021). From an ecological perspective, biodiversity within the UK’s protected landscapes is also in marked decline (DEFRA, 2025) with potential implications on human health. Although protected landscapes, such as National Parks and National Landscapes, are known to offer many health and social benefits for both residents and visitors, academic research into their specific contributions remains limited.
It is within this context, that the PhD research project will build on current health-focused initiatives – including the pilot Natural Health Service and the Nature Prescriptions programmes – to investigate how protected landscapes effect human health, wellbeing and life outcomes. The research will examine patterns of access to protected landscapes and green space, with particular attention to groups who face structural or social justice barriers. As these barriers may differ across North Yorkshire’s protected landscapes, depending on population demographics and other factors, comparative analysis across these landscapes will form a key component of the project. The research project will also explore the role of green social prescribing and the developing relationship between the NHS and nature-based interventions. Furthermore, the project will consider ecological health and human-nature interactions, engaging with ideas such as nature and heritage connectedness (Richardson, 2024; Richardson et al. 2025) and the rights of nature (Corrigan & Oksanen, 2023).
The Doctoral Researcher will work collaboratively with the Northern Protected Landscapes and communities across the region to research this unique area of study. The project will look to implement mixed method approaches co-produced with key stakeholders. Comparative insights may also be drawn from other protected landscapes across the UK and internationally.
Ultimately, the research aims to generate innovative and impactful contributions to policy, funding strategies, National Park management, and NHS practice.