Doctors are already in some cases prescribing access to nature as a way to treat patients that deal with chronical illnesses, and now there is an increasing scientific interest to document the relationship between nature and health. In a joint article, published by the “Revue forestière française” journal, Nordregio’s Director Kjell Nilsson explores the scientific evidence regarding nature’s effect on human health and well-being.
The article focuses on three central research questions regarding the relationship between nature and health: (1) Nature’s restorative and preventive effects on human beings, (2) Health effects of outdoor physical activities, and (3) Therapeutic interventions such as therapy gardens and forest bathing.
This includes an overview of research conducted in the aftermath of COST Action E39, a European research network, entitled “Forests, Trees, and Human Health and Wellbeing”. The main results of COST E39 were presented in the book “Forests, Trees and Human Health” published in 2011.
Find the full article “What is the Scientific Evidence with Regard to the Effects of Forests, Trees on Human Health and Well-being?” here (in French: “De quelles preuves scientifiques disposons-nous concernant les effets des forêts et des arbres sur la santé et le bien-être humains?”).
