Modern medicine increasingly recognizes the role of nature in improving human health and well-being. The concept of green healthcare is based on interaction with nature in three dimensions: daily exposure to green spaces, intentional health promotion through nature-based activities, and therapy conducted in natural environments by qualified specialists. The GreenME project has demonstrated how these approaches are developing in Poland and what prospects lie ahead for this field.
The GreenME Project
GreenME is an international research initiative aimed at developing and evaluating the state of green healthcare in various European countries, including Poland. The project brings together experts in health, environmental protection, education, as well as non-governmental organizations and scientific institutions, who collaboratively analyze ways to harness nature to improve people’s health and well-being. The official coordinator of GreenME is the Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona (UAB). Polish partners include institutions such as the Warsaw University of Life Sciences (SGGW), the NeuroLandscape Foundation, and the Institute of Psychiatry and Neurology (IPIN). Sylwia Kieszkowska from Naturally Balanced also participates as an expert, supporting the development and implementation of innovative forms of green healthcare.
Nature in Daily Life
Interaction with nature does not necessarily require participation in a specialized therapeutic program. Even a simple walk in a park, leisure time in a forest, or gardening at home can significantly impact well-being. Polish cities generally provide decent infrastructure—parks, urban forests, and squares—that residents can use for relaxation and outdoor activity. GreenME highlights, however, that access to green areas is uneven, and awareness of their benefits for mental health still needs to be strengthened.
Health Promotion Through Nature
Organized initiatives are increasingly integrating people with nature in a structured way. These include walking groups, gardening activities, ecological education programs, and outdoor mindfulness workshops. Such initiatives support health and prevention, foster community integration, and encourage physical activity. Poland is still developing this area, but experiences from projects such as “AGE” in Warsaw care homes demonstrate that horticultural therapy can become an effective and accessible form of support for older adults.
Nature-Based Therapy
The most advanced level of green healthcare involves therapy conducted by trained professionals. In Poland, horticultural therapy, forest therapy, animal-assisted therapy, blue therapy, and ecotherapy are developing. These programs are applied in hospitals, rehabilitation centers, and social care facilities. One example is the sensory garden at Mazowiecki Provincial Hospital Drewnica in Ząbki, where collaboration between local authorities, hospital administration, and an NGO created a space integrating therapy with routine medical care.
Poland in a European Context
Across Europe, green healthcare is increasingly implemented as part of health and social policy. In the Netherlands and Germany, systemic horticultural and animal-assisted therapy programs are partially publicly funded and integrated into the healthcare system. In Scandinavia, forest therapies and guided nature walks effectively support mental health and reduce stress across different age groups. In the United Kingdom, “Green Social Prescribing” programs allow doctors to prescribe outdoor activities to patients, with their effectiveness monitored scientifically. Although Poland is still in the early stages of systemic implementation, it can learn from these experiences and develop green healthcare in an integrated, locally adapted manner.
Challenges and Prospects
The development of green healthcare in Poland faces several obstacles. There is a lack of uniform legal regulations, stable funding sources, and quality standards. Nature-based therapies are often fragmented initiatives carried out by NGOs or local authorities. Ensuring socio-environmental equity is also essential, so that all residents have access to green healthcare regardless of location or economic status.
At the same time, the potential is enormous. Growing awareness of nature’s importance for mental health, interest in non-pharmacological therapies, and the increasing number of educational and research initiatives create favorable conditions for systemic implementation. Prospects include integration with the healthcare system, standardization of training and services, stable financing, and active promotion of nature-based health.
Green Healthcare as the Future of Health
Interaction with nature is no longer a luxury or an optional supplement to therapy—it is becoming a key component of public health and prevention. By drawing on the experiences of other European countries and developing its own models of horticultural therapy, forest therapy, and social programs, Poland has the opportunity to make green healthcare an integral part of the health system. In the coming years, this could not only improve patient well-being but also promote a more sustainable, friendly, and healthy lifestyle for entire communities.
Summary
Contemporary medicine increasingly recognises nature’s role in health and wellbeing. Green care in Poland operates on three levels: everyday access to green space, organised nature-based health promotion, and professionally led nature-based therapies.
The GreenME project mapped these developments, showing strong traditions (spa towns, public parks) and growing initiatives (therapeutic gardens, horticultural therapy, animal-assisted interventions) but also uneven access and limited integration with formal health systems. Key barriers are fragmented initiatives, lack of legal frameworks, unstable funding, workforce shortages and inconsistent standards; opportunities include rising public awareness, international best practices, and existing pilot successes that can be scaled. To mainstream green care Poland needs clearer regulation and financing, standardized training and evaluation, stronger cross‑sector collaboration, and targeted actions to ensure equitable access.
