Research in Nature and Human Health
Our research comprises the underlying mechanisms on ‘how’ and ‘why’ spending time in natural environments may have a positive influence on humans.
Our international and multidisciplinary research team work on a wide range of research questions of interactions between humans, health and the environment.
From a health promoting perspective we study the importance of supportive and restorative nature environments in relation to workplaces, schools, playgrounds, pockets parks located in the dense city as well as other natural environments.
From a therapeutic perspective focus is on healing landscapes at acute care hospitals, healing gardens at refuge centres for battered women and children, and on therapeutic gardens for stress patients.
Core questions of our research are:
- How should urban green spaces be designed in order to promote good health and prevent ill-health for all?
- How should therapeutic gardens for specific patient groups be designed in order to improve health and well-being?
- How should a nature based therapy programme for therapeutic gardens be structured and performed?
The research provide guidance for policy makers, city planners, landscape architects, and therapists translating the research into practice.
Collaboration
Research is partly conducted in collaboration with the National Institute of Public Health, University of Southern Denmark, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, University of California, Berkeley and Arkitema.
Ulrika Stigsdotter, - last update:16 August 2011