The regenerative compatibility: A synergy between healthy ecosystems, environmental attitudes, and restorative experiences

Abstract

Urban nature is and will be the most common provider of nature interactions for humankind. The restorative benefits of nature exposure are renown and creating human habitats that simultaneously support people's wellbeing and ecological sustainability is an urgent priority. In this study, we investigate how the relationship between environmental attitudes and healthy ecosystems influences restorative experiences combining a place-based online survey with geographical data on ecosystem health in Stockholm (Sweden). Using spatial regression, we predict the 544 restorative experiences (from 325 respondents), with people's environmental attitudes, natural land covers, ecosystem health, and the statistical interactions among these variables as predictors. Our results show that restorative experiences can happen anywhere in the urban landscape, but when they occur in natural environments, the combined levels of biodiversity and ecological connectivity are better predicting factor than the mere presence of nature. That is, healthy ecosystems seem to be more important than just any nature for restorative experiences. Moreover, the statistical interaction between one's environmental attitudes and natural environments predict almost all restorative experiences better than when these variables are independent predictors. This suggests that there is synergistic compatibility between environmental attitudes and healthy ecosystems that triggers restorative processes. We call this synergy regenerative compatibility. Regenerative compatibility is an unexploited potential that emerges when people's attitudes and ecosystems are aligned in sustainability. We consider regenerative compatibility a valuable leverage point to transform towards ecologically sustainable and healthy urban systems. To this end, we encourage multifaceted policy interventions that regenerate human-nature relationships holistically rather than implement atomistic solutions.

Enabling Relationships with Nature in Cities

“…However, vast gaps of knowledge impede the development of interventions to ameliorate such relationships. We assume herein that strengthening HNC among urban populations is pivotal for both urban resilience and for urban sustainability, as green infrastructures may promote general urban resilience building, related to a vast array of external disturbances [19,20], and also specifically related to enabling resilient levels of human wellbeing inside cities [8,21,22]. Further, we assume that HNC enhances people's willingness to protect and manage urban green infrastructures of importance for urban resilience.…”

Connecting land. A transdisciplinary workshop to envision a nature-connecting human habitat

“…New infrastructure planning strategies can benefit from a variety of stakeholders that have vested interests in biophilic habitats. Research is increasingly asking for integrated planning interventions (Giusti and Samuelsson 2020). However, planning and designing such environments could be challenging.…”

“…Hence, spaces of interaction and reconnection with nature in people's everyday living environments are of central value to curb the unsustainable standards of life of modern societies. Positive relationships with the environment are shown to not only mediate restorative experiences and permeate all aspects of human life (Hartig et al 2014, Giusti andSamuelsson 2020), but also to be primal steps towards a variety of pro-environmental behaviours and lifestyles (Chawla 1999, Kellert 2002.…”

Sustainable Co-Design with Older People: The Case of a Public Restorative Garden in Milan (Italy)

“…There is synergic compatibility between environmental attitudes and healthy ecosystems that triggers restorative processes. This synergy can be defined "regenerative compatibility", a potential that emerges when people's attitudes and ecosystems are aligned in sustainability [29].…”

“…Prosthetic environment autonomy: design features for safe and independent functions [40] orientation: good signage, visibility, landmarks, markers, interesting elements along the pathway [37] absence of obstacles or protruding objects along the way, low-reflectivity surface [40] opportunities to make choices: place for privacy and settings to gather together, free furniture and different types of seating [34][35][36][37] regulation of microclimate for year-round use [37] attractiveness: view from the entry, destination point [34,35] visibility: absence of visual barriers, mounded or sloped beds [37] security: garden boundaries: provide enclosure without creating a sense of being fenced in [37] human scale (physical and temporal) [37][38][39][40][41] Regenerative place fascination: complexity of landscape [36], varied habitats [42], interest in all-season richness in biodiversity [42], lush vegetation [34] coherence, legibility, mystery [36] attractive destination, hidden views to draw people into and through the space [37] opportunity to experience privacy and collective activities [34] sense of "being away": quiet, mitigation of nuisance elements [21] cultural/historical references: features that evoke memories, plants with symbolic or cultural significance [37] inclusiveness: play area to engage visiting grandchildren [37] sensory stimulating and engagement: selection of plants to encourage interaction without overstimulation [21][22][23][24][25][26][27][28]...…”