Green Care: A Conceptual Framework - Frisk i naturen

2.3.2 Benefits of contact with nature
There is a growing body of evidence on the positive relationship between
exposure to nature (incorporating a variety of outdoor settings, from the
open countryside, fields and forests, to street trees, allotments and gardens)
and an individual’s health (Pretty et al, 2004, 2005a, 2005b, 2007; Peacock
et al, 2007; Mind, 2007; Bird, 2007; Burls, 2007).
The key message emerging is that contact with nature improves
psychological health by reducing pre-existing stress levels, enhancing
mood, offering both a ‘restorative environment’ and a protective effect
from future stresses (Kaplan and Kaplan, 1989; Kaplan, 1995, Hartig et al,
1991, 2003; Louv, 2005). Contact with nature also improves health through
encouraging physical exercise, facilitating social contact and providing
opportunities for personal development (Health Council of the Netherlands,
2004). Research has also shown that there is a direct link between the
amount of accessible local green space and psychological health (Takano et
al, 2002; De Vries et al, 2003; Grahn and Stigsdotter, 2003).
2.3.3 Connection and disconnection to nature
In his work introducing the concept of ‘Biophilia’, Wilson suggests that
our desire for connectedness to nature is innate and as powerful as other
instincts. He describes “the innate tendency to focus on life and lifelike
processes” (Wilson, 1984, p.1). This implies that we have an instinctive
need to make contact with nature which has driven our evolution as
a species. Charles Lewis, a noted horticulturalist, alludes to a similar
motivation within us when he writes about the meaning of plants in our
lives:
“When we garden, grow plants or find tranquillity in park or
forest, the ancient processes are at work within us. It is time
to acknowledge them and explore their significance for our
continued existence. They point the way to a new appreciation
of ourselves as strands in the fabric of life woven throughout
the world.” (Lewis, 1996, p. 152)
Connection to nature is considered to be an important predictor of
ecological behaviour and subjective well-being. Mayer and Frantz (2004)
write:
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