Many of us developed a fresh appreciation for the great outdoors during recent lockdowns, with walks through woods, fields and green spaces playing a vital role in maintaining our wellbeing. But researchers at the University of Exeter believed that, despite a wealth of evidence, more needed to be done to support providers of nature-based interventions through social prescribing schemes.
They came to Scriberia to help produce the *Nature on Prescription* mental health handbook – a richly illustrated, evidence-based guide to the mental health benefits of nature. The goal was to create something accessible, engaging and practical for a wide audience of healthcare professionals and providers.
We knew an academic paper wasn’t the way to communicate this to people, and neither was a dense chunk of text. We needed an eye-catching design, which drew people in and gave the key components of what we were trying to communicate.
Dr Rebecca Lovell, Nature on Prescription, Exeter University
The project centred around the creation of an infographic to explain the core functions of *Nature on Prescription* and how it might work in practice. Within it, we visualised mental health benefits, nature-based activities, and practical implementation steps.
The infographic became the star asset of the handbook, giving it a strong and beautiful visual identity that was carried through other illustrations across the guide.
As always, the creative process helped clarify and sharpen the team’s message. Dr Harriet Hunt explains:
I found the structure of this process immensely helpful to nail down the most important things we wanted to convey. It helped us tighten our focus and agree on exactly what those key points were.
Dr Harriet Hunt, Nature on Prescription, Exeter University
Dr Lovell adds: “We wanted to reflect diversity in the illustration, too. And the Scriberia team knew just how to achieve that – they were full of suggestions and made it very clear we were in safe hands. Despite giving a broad brief, they took it exactly where it needed to go.”
"Receiving the final illustration was so exciting,” says Dr Hunt. “You could hear squeals as everyone spotted their favourite part. For me, the magic is in the little details: the squirrels, the nuts, the dragonfly! It really is incredible how Donatella managed to capture and condense so much gorgeousness into one tiny visual concept. The skill was absolutely phenomenal!”
Since launch, the handbook has seen more than 1,200 downloads — with many more shared informally through healthcare and research networks. It’s already being used by social prescribers around the world, from New Zealand to Saudi Arabia.
An eye-catching visual can really draw people into an otherwise fairly dry topic, and that has massive value for communicating our research and enhancing our reach. I’d love to work with Scriberia again, and hope to very soon!
Dr Rebecca Lovell, Nature on Prescription, Exeter University
Feedback has been universally positive. The visual identity has helped providers engage more effectively with the research and confidently implement nature-based interventions.
The handbook is now being used in 34 countries, with downloads from government departments and universities across the globe. As one provider put it: “Great illustrations! So much better than reams of text!”
You can download the *Nature on Prescription* handbook here: https://www.ecehh.org/research/nature-prescription-handbook/