Day-to-day life is becoming increasingly distant from nature. This is in particular due to continuing urbanisation all over the world. Over 50% of people now live in urban areas, and by 2050, this will rise to about 70%. Urbanisation decreases the possibilities of access to green spaces and is associated with increased levels of illness. Our current social and communication patterns also bring us further away from nature. We have more and more screen time and less green time.
City dwellers have a 20% higher risk of anxiety disorders and a 40% higher risk of mood disorders as compared to people in rural areas. People born and raised in cities are twice as likely to develop schizophrenia. Additionally, dementia is expected to affect more and more people, especially in urbanised areas. In 2015, there were 46.8 million people with dementia worldwide, and this number is expected to grow to 131.5 million by 2050.
A green environment helps to prevent disorders and speeds up the healing process. Therefore, reconnecting to nature in one way or another is of vital importance for people and societies. This requires changes in paradigms, including in our health care systems. Nature has a positive effect on the healing of stress-related diseases such as depression or burnout, and plays a major role in preventing the development of such illnesses. Nature can also play an important role in the treatment of dementia, cardiovascular disease, or mental illness.
Green spaces decrease temperatures in cities during the summer, which contributes to improved health. Trees help clean the air, which in turn helps to prevent pulmonary diseases and reduce CO2 at the same time. Furthermore, giving more attention to nature has an important social interest: green spaces in urban areas can be meeting places, increasing social cohesion in neighbourhoods and decreasing loneliness. Overall, a green environment helps to contain the rising costs of health care. Although the facts about the positive effects of nature to various health issues are unmistakable, the application of that knowledge by public authorities and the public health sector could be improved.
The foundation Nature For Health (NFH), based in the Netherlands, works on improving quality of life and the living environment by connecting health and nature.
IUCN is an important ally in realising our mission. NFH was the initiator of IUCN Resolution 064 ‘Strengthening cross-sector partnerships to recognise the contributions of nature to health, well-being and quality of life’, which was adopted at the 2016 World Conservation Congress in Hawaii. The upcoming 2020 Conference will take place in Marseille, France.
| IUCN Resolution 064The IUCN Resolution promotes the cross-sectoral partnerships for health and nature, including in an urban context: “Recognizing that places, including urban areas, with a rich natural heritage, improve physical and mental health and spiritual well-being, and can increase the appreciation of nature including by the elderly”. NFH took the initiative to the resolution, with support of several IUCN-members, in order to call international attention for the importance of nature to our health and well-being. The IUCN World Conservation Congress in Hawaii (2016) welcomed IUCN’s leadership in recognising and communicating the initiatives and co-benefits from connecting nature and human health. |
NFH’s work uses direct contact with nature to improve overall health and wellbeing. For example, we promote the use and realisation of green spaces in and around health care centres, including via so-called ‘experience gardens’. It is very rewarding to see how people with health issues, such as dementia, feel better and are more active in these gardens, which are geared to their needs. We initiated “Nature on Your Mind”, with the aim to integrate nature and mental health care, both in therapy and in the physical surroundings of mental health care institutions.
In addition, we have been helping to integrate green spaces and their health effects in urban neighbourhood communities such as Waterhoef (in the municipality of Oisterwijk, the Netherlands), where local people, including the vulnerable elderly, took initiatives to improve their living environment by adding nature.
In Europe, we aim to identify `green healthy landscapes’ that distinguish themselves through a mix of attractive or impressive landscapes, including spas or other places of relaxation such as the Vulkaneifel Health Region in Germany.
Furthermore, we have developed practical tools such as the Nature4Dem app, to personalise care by defining personal preferences for activities in nature, making it more effective for both people in public spaces and health care institutions.
In order to boost the international awareness on the vital importance of nature for health, in particular for urbanised areas, NFH is planning to organise an international conference titled “Naturally Healthy Together – the power of green spaces”. NFH has invited IUCN to become one of the co-organisers of the conference. In the spirit of IUCN Resolution 064, the conference aims to generously highlight concrete examples of cross-sectoral partnerships with respect to health and nature, especially in an urban and peri-urban context.
In this way, the conference ties in immediately with the Landscape Triennial “High Green – Innovating the Landscape,” which is taking place in the second half of 2020 in National Landscape Het Groene Woud, the Netherlands. This event is set up as a prelude to the development of Van Gogh National Park and offers an excellent, first coat of arms to further propagate the “power of green space.” As a contribution to the Landscape Triennial, NFH will focus on healing landscapes in Europe.
We invite you to become part of a learning and inspirational network of people and organizations that wish to exchange views and experiences on nature for health. If you wish to team up with us, please contact us!
About the author
Rob Wolters, Executive Board member
General manager, Nature For Health