Forests, Trees and Human Health and Well-being: Introduction

Nilsson, Kjell; Sangster, Marcus; Konijnendijk, Cecil C.

doi:10.1007/978-90-481-9806-1_1

Cited by 58 publications

(56 citation statements)

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“…In response to this growing body of evidence, health policy makers have begun to consider urban nature as a means through which to promote personal health and healthy cities (c.f. Condarson, 2012;Health Council of the Netherlands, 2004;Nilsson et al, 2011;OPENspace, 2014).…”

Section: Health and Contact With Naturementioning

confidence: 99%

"Nature is there; its free": Urban greenspace and the social determinants of health of immigrant families

2015

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In this article, we draw on a 2012 Montreal-based study that examined the embodied, every day practices of immigrant children and families in the context of urban greenspaces such as parks, fields, backyards, streetscapes, gardens, forests and rivers. Results suggest that activities in the natural environment serve as a protective factor in the health and well-being of this population, providing emotional and physical nourishment in the face of adversity. Using the Social Determinants of Health model adopted by the World Health Organization (WHO, 1998), we analyze how participants accessed urban nature to minimize the effects of inadequate housing, to strengthen social cohesion and reduce emotional stress. We conclude with a discussion supporting the inclusion of the natural environment in the Social Determinants of Health Model.

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Section: Health and Contact With Naturementioning

confidence: 99%

"Nature is there; its free": Urban greenspace and the social determinants of health of immigrant families

2015

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“…Growing stress is connected with urban living and contemporary work practices dominated by high technology and virtual worlds [6]. It seems that current health care practices alone cannot solve these problems.…”

Section: Forest Visits Enhance Physiological and Psychological Healthmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…It seems that current health care practices alone cannot solve these problems. Recently, the potential of natural and green spaces in enhancing human health has been recognized [6][7][8][9][10][11][12][13][14][15][16][17][18][19].…”

Section: Forest Visits Enhance Physiological and Psychological Healthmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…More information is needed on the effect of social and cultural environment and personality on gaining the beneficial health effects. In addition, methodology development as well as rigorous analysis and reporting of those results that do not show positive connections between human health and forests are needed [6]. It has to be noted that not all people perceive natural environments as therapeutic; forests can also be perceived as threatening and alien places which may cause anxiety and uncertainty [31]; for example, childhood nature experiences may influence adulthood relationships with natural environments [31,32].…”

Section: Forest Visits Enhance Physiological and Psychological Healthmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Promoting human health through forests: overview and major challenges

Karjalainen

Sarjala²,

Raitio

2009

Environ Health Prev Med

206

117

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This review aims to contribute to the ongoing discussion about human health, global change, and biodiversity by concentrating on the relationships between forests and human health. This review gives a short overview of the most important health benefits that forests provide to humans, and the risks that forests may pose to human health. Furthermore, it discusses the future challenges for the research on the links between forests and human health, and for delivering health through forests in practice. Forests provide enormous possibilities to improve human health conditions. The results of a vast amount of research show that forest visits promote both physical and mental health by reducing stress. Forests represent rich natural pharmacies by virtue of being enormous sources of plant and microbial material with known or potential medicinal or nutritional value. Forest food offers a safety net for the most vulnerable population groups in developing countries, and healthy forest ecosystems may also help in regulation of infectious diseases. Utilizing forests effectively in health promotion could reduce public health care budgets and create new sources of income. Main challenges to delivering health through forests are due to ecosystem and biodiversity degradation, deforestation, and climate change. In addition, major implementation of research results into practice is still lacking. Inadequate implementation is partly caused by insufficient evidence base and partly due to the lack of policy-makers' and practitioners' awareness of the potential of forests for improving human health. This calls for strong cooperation among researchers, policy-makers, and practitioners as well as between different sectors, especially between health and environmental professionals.

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“…Nilsson, Sangster and Konijnendijk advocate the study of environmental health consequences and the quality of related therapy through a multi-method, multidisciplinary, approach [4]. In the present study, the research method is multidisciplinary with behavioral science as the base and with focus on human's behavior.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 98%

Nature as Health Promotion “The Rug of Life” as a Method

Bodman

2017

Proceedings of the International and Interdisciplinary Conference IMMAGINI? Brixen, Italy, 27–28 November 2017.

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Abstract:Results from the study 'nature's significance for human well-being', shows that "The Rug of Life" gives additional value to the narratives. The method is qualitative with in-depth interviews combined with visual methodology of sixteen respondents between ages 25-76, who are living close to nature. In the interview it was asked what kind of nature has a meaning for them and how they estimate their well-being and nature's impact on it and how quality of life are experienced, as well as nature's and the local rural environment's significance as a health promoting factor. The study has a salutogenic approach.

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Forests, Trees and Human Health and Well-being: Introduction

Cited by 58 publications

References 0 publications

"Nature is there; its free": Urban greenspace and the social determinants of health of immigrant families

"Nature is there; its free": Urban greenspace and the social determinants of health of immigrant families

Promoting human health through forests: overview and major challenges

Nature as Health Promotion “The Rug of Life” as a Method

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