Forests and woodland areas will be used as "natural green gyms" to help tackle Scotland's record of ill-health.

Forests and woodland areas will be used as "natural green gyms" to help tackle Scotland's record of ill-health.

The new strategy will focus on encouraging people of all ages to make the most of the outdoors and help improve rates of heart disease, diabetes, depression, stress and obesity.

Hospital grounds will be transformed into green areas to offer space for recreation and recuperation, while "green gyms" will be created to give people the opportunity to tackle physical jobs in the outdoors in a bid to boost their strength and stamina.

Dr Harry Burns, Chief Medical Officer for Scotland, said: "Levels of physical activity are still low across Scotland and we need to find ways to reverse this trend. The good news is that woodlands can play a key role in better physical and mental health as they are our natural green gyms."

The project, part of the £35m Woods In and Around Towns initiative to help owners revitalise neglected woodland areas, will be delivered by the Forestry Commission Scotland, NHS Scotland and Scottish Natural Heritage.

As part of a pilot project, a natural play area within Merrylee Primary School in Glasgow will be developed to increase levels of physical activity amongst youngsters.

GP practices in Glasgow and Inverness will be encouraged to create partnerships with Forestry Commission Scotland to prescribe ranger-led woodland walks to patients suffering from stress and anxiety.

Members of ethnic communities in Glasgow and Edinburgh will also be encouraged to join groups which visit woodlands in their local area.