Hostname: page-component-586b7cd67f-tf8b9 Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-12-03T15:04:20.331Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false

The importance of greenspace for mental health

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  02 January 2018

Jo Barton
Affiliation:
School of Sport, Rehabilitation and Exercise Sciences, University of Essex, Wivenhoe Park, Colchester, Essex, UK, email [email protected]
Mike Rogerson
Affiliation:
School of Sport, Rehabilitation and Exercise Sciences, University of Essex, Wivenhoe Park, Colchester, Essex, UK, email mike. [email protected]
Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Abstract

Core share and HTML view are not available for this content. However, as you have access to this content, a full PDF is available via the ‘Save PDF’ action button.

There is an urgent global need for accessible and cost-effective pro-mental health infrastructure. Public green spaces were officially designated in the 19th century, informed by a belief that they might provide health benefits. We outline modern research evidence that greenspace can play a pivotal role in population-level mental health.

Type
Thematic Papers
Creative Commons
Creative Common License - CCCreative Common License - BYCreative Common License - NCCreative Common License - ND
This is an Open Access article, distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives licence (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/), which permits noncommercial re-use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is unaltered and is properly cited. The written permission of Cambridge University Press must be obtained for commercial re-use or in order to create a derivative work.
Copyright
Copyright © Royal College of Psychiatrists, 2017

References

Alcock, I., White, M. P., Wheeler, B. W., et al (2014) Longitudinal effects on mental health of moving to greener and less green urban areas. Environmental Science and Technology, 48, 12471255.Google Scholar
Barton, J., Bragg, R., Wood, C., et al (eds) (2016) Green Exercise: Linking Nature, Health and Well-Being. Routledge.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Brymer, E. & Davids, K. (2014) Experiential learning as a constraint-led process: an ecological dynamics perspective. Journal of Adventure Education and Outdoor Learning, 14, 103117.Google Scholar
Craig, J. M., Logan, A. C. & Prescott, S. L. (2016) Natural environments, nature relatedness and the ecological theater: connecting satellites and sequencing to shinrin-yoku. Journal of Physiological Anthropology, 35, 1.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Kellert, S. R. (2016) Nature in buildings and health design. In Green Exercise: Linking Nature, Health and Well-Being (eds Barton, J., Bragg, R., Wood, C., et al), pp. 1725. Routledge.Google Scholar
Maas, J., Verheij, R. A., De Vries, S., et al (2009) Morbidity is related to a green living environment. Journal of Epidemiology and Community Health, 63, 967973.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Mitchell, R. (2013) Is physical activity in natural environments better for mental health than physical activity in other environments? Social Science and Medicine, 91, 130134.Google Scholar
Shanahan, D. F., Fuller, R. A., Bush, R., et al (2015) The health benefits of urban nature: how much do we need? Bioscience, 65, 476485.Google Scholar
van den Berg, A. E., Hartig, T. & Staats, H. (2007) Preference for nature in urbanized societies: stress, restoration, and the pursuit of sustainability. Journal of Social Issues, 63, 7996.Google Scholar
van den Berg, A. E., Maas, J., Verheij, R. A., et al (2010) Green space as a buffer between stressful life events and health. Social Science and Medicine, 70, 12031210.Google Scholar
Wells, N. M. & Evans, G. W. (2003) Nearby nature a buffer of life stress among rural children. Environment and Behavior, 35, 311330.Google Scholar
White, M. P., Bell, S., Elliott, L. R., et al (2016) The health benefits of blue exercise in the UK. In Green Exercise: Linking Nature, Health and Well-Being (eds Barton, J., Bragg, R., Wood, C., et al), pp. 6978. Routledge.Google Scholar
Submit a response

eLetters

No eLetters have been published for this article.