Healthy nature healthy people: ‘contact with nature’ as an upstream health promotion intervention for populations

Abstract

SUMMARYWhilst urban-dwelling individuals who seek out parks and gardens appear to intuitively understand the personal health and well-being benefits arising from 'contact with nature', public health strategies are yet to maximize the untapped resource nature provides, including the benefits of nature contact as an upstream health promotion intervention for populations. This paper presents a summary of empirical, theoretical and anecdotal evidence drawn from a literature review of the human health benefits of contact with nature. Initial findings indicate that nature plays a vital role in human health and well-being, and that parks and nature reserves play a significant role by providing access to nature for individuals. Implications suggest contact with nature may provide an effective population-wide strategy in prevention of mental ill health, with potential application for sub-populations, communities and individuals at higher risk of ill health. Recommendations include further investigation of 'contact with nature' in population health, and examination of the benefits of nature-based interventions. To maximize use of 'contact with nature' in the health promotion of populations, collaborative strategies between researchers and primary health, social services, urban planning and environmental management sectors are required. This approach offers not only an augmentation of existing health promotion and prevention activities, but provides the basis for a socio-ecological approach to public health that incorporates environmental sustainability.

Disparities in Built and Natural Features of Urban Parks: Comparisons by Neighborhood Level Race/Ethnicity and Income

“…1 National health organizations such as the Institute of Medicine and Healthy People 2020 2,3 have identified parks as important community settings for obesity prevention because they are subject to public policies and therefore can be modified to promote physical activity. Accumulating research indicates that parks and recreation facilities are associated with physical activity among children and adults.…”

An Emerging Paradigm for the UNESCO Global Geoparks: The Ecosystem’s Health Provision

“…Potentially healthful views should also be considered, such as those with the presence of flowers in different colors [40,41,44], aesthetically beautiful landscapes [44,45], places where the sea waves can be admired [40,43,46], streets with trees [47,48], the degree of naturalness of the landscape [12,45,49,50], views of agricultural landscape [45,51] and green spaces [13,45,49,50,52,53].…”

Research on Shrinking Cities’ Renewal Strategy Based on Green Infrastructure Construction

“…将城市缩减为若干个呈岛屿式分布的小型街区，并将衰 败的街区改造为绿带 内夫斯（Nefs） [15] 将收缩城市发展为退休移民和健康旅游城市 哈塞（Haase） [16] 综合考虑收缩城市土地利用政策和管理与城市生态服务 和生物多样性的规划策略 格罗斯（Gross） [17] 将后工业国家的新自然地区发展为一个试验性的重构 （refactoring）过程 席林（Schilling） [5] 提出绿色基础设施合理收缩规划模式（a green infrastructure right-sizing model） √ 提供新鲜空气，减少噪音，调节城市气候 [24] √ 有利于人的放松减压 [25] 和身心健康 [26] √ 有利于社区居民的活动与交流 [18,27] √ 使市民有机会接触野生动植物，享受自然 环境 [28] √ √ 提高房地产价值 [29] √ 防洪减灾，减少雨水径流 [30] √ √ 为私人和市政花园的建设和食物生产提供 机会 [31] √ √ 提高不同年龄阶段居民的生活质量并影响 居民的移民活动 [32] √ …”