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Health Benefits of Nature Experience: Psychological, Social and Cultural Processes

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Forests, Trees and Human Health

Abstract

In this chapter we consider how experiences of nature can affect human health and well-being. We first address the matter of ‘what has been’; that is, we sketch the development of theory and research concerned with health benefits of natural environments, from ancient times to the current situation. This shows the current research to be a recent expression of a number of long-running, intertwined, social and cultural processes. We then discuss ‘where we are now’; that is, we overview current theories and related research concerning processes through which nature experience might provide health benefits. These processes concern environmental preferences, psychological restoration, and learning and personal development. Finally, we consider ‘where we are going’; that is, we consider some additional directions for research and we identify some issues that research will have to address in the foreseeable future.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Institute for Housing and Urban Research, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden

    Terry Hartig

  2. Wageningen University and Research Centre, Wageningen, The Netherlands

    Agnes E. van den Berg

  3. Department of Landscape Architecture and Spatial Planning, Norwegian University of Life Sciences, Ås, Norway

    Caroline M. Hagerhall

  4. Institute of Plant Protection, National Research Institute, Poznan, Poland

    Marek Tomalak

  5. Economics and Social Sciences, Swiss Federal Institute for Forest, Snow and Landscape Research, Birmensdorf, Switzerland

    Nicole Bauer

  6. Department of Environmental Sciences, ETH Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland

    Ralf Hansmann

  7. Department of Social Research, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland

    Ann Ojala

  8. Department of Psychology, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Thessaloniki, Greece

    Efi Syngollitou

  9. Department of Cultural and Educational Studies, University of Roma Tre, Rome, Italy

    Giuseppe Carrus

  10. Ecosystem Services Group, Institute for Nature and Forest Research, Brussels, Belgium

    Ann van Herzele

  11. Open Space Research Centre, Edinburgh College of Art, Edinburgh, UK

    Simon Bell

  12. Department of Landscape Architecture, Estonian University of Life Sciences, Tartu, Estonia

    Simon Bell

  13. Anatomy Department, University of Malta, Tal-Qroqq, Malta

    Marie Therese Camilleri Podesta

  14. Department of Public Planning and Natural Resource Management, Steinkjer Municipality, Steinkjer, Norway

    Grete Waaseth

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  1. Terry Hartig
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Correspondence to Terry Hartig .

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Editors and Affiliations

  1. Faculty of Life Sciences, Department of Parks and Urban Landscapes, University of Copenhagen, Rolighedsvej 23, Frederiksberg C, 1958, Denmark

    Kjell Nilsson

  2. , Land Use and Social Research, Forestry Commission, Corstorphine Road 231, Edinburgh, EH12 7AT, United Kingdom

    Marcus Sangster

  3. , National Agricultural Research Foundatio, Forest Research Institute, Thessaloniki, 57006, Greece

    Christos Gallis

  4. , Institute for Housing and Urban Research, Uppsala University, Radhustorget 1, Gävle, 80320, Sweden

    Terry Hartig

  5. , Alterra, Wageningen UR, Wageningen, 6700 AA, Netherlands

    Sjerp de Vries

  6. , Group Society, Environment & Culture, Swiss Federal Institute of Technology (E, Sonneggstrasse 33, SOL E, Zurich, 9092, Switzerland

    Klaus Seeland

  7. , National Institute of Public Health, University of Southern Denmark, Øster Farimagsgade 5 A - 2, Copenhagen K, 1353, Denmark

    Jasper Schipperijn

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Hartig, T. et al. (2011). Health Benefits of Nature Experience: Psychological, Social and Cultural Processes. In: Nilsson, K., et al. Forests, Trees and Human Health. Springer, Dordrecht. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-90-481-9806-1_5

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