Green Gyms

Yard Work or Work Out?

In England, they've found a way to combine a healthy work out with environmental stewardship in a concept called Green Gym. I'd love to see this in the U.S., especially Memphis. In the meantime, I'm going to feel better about raking millions of gumballs in my yard this winter.

The BTCV Green Gym® is a scheme which inspires you to improve both your health and the environment at the same time.

Experienced leaders guide you through a range of practical projects, giving you the opportunity to tackle physical jobs in the outdoors – improving your strength and stamina, boosting your practical skills and confidence and benefitting your local green spaces.

A Green Gym offers:

* Free access to an organised programme of outdoor environmental tasks with a group of like-minded individuals
* Regular 3-hour sessions of rewarding physical activity
* A variety of tasks for all ages and abilities
* Opportunities for training and developing new skills, using traditional tools

Woodland access

When you go to a Green Gym you won’t be squaring up to a rowing machine or weights every time. One day you might be cutting back invasive undergrowth, the next plating trees or wildflowers, the next repairing steps on a public path or maybe clearing out an overgrown pond. You might even learn how to make benches and bat boxes.

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