Forests, Trees and Human Health

About this book

The link between modern lifestyles and increasing levels of chronic heart disease, obesity, stress and poor mental health is a concern across the world. The cost of dealing with these conditions places a large burden on national public health budgets so that policymakers are increasingly looking at prevention as a cost-effective alternative to medical treatment. Attention is turning towards interactions between the environment and lifestyles.

Exploring the relationships between health, natural environments in general, and forests in particular, this groundbreaking book is the outcome of the European Union's COST Action E39 'Forests, Trees and Human Health and Wellbeing', and draws together work carried out over four years by scientists from 25 countries working in the fields of forestry, health, environment and social sciences.

While the focus is primarily on health priorities defined within Europe, Forests, Trees and Human Health explicitly draws also on research from North America.

Contents

Preface

1 Forests, Trees and Human Health and Well-being: Introduction; Kjell Nilsson, Marcus Sangster, Cecil C. Konijnendijk

Part I, Forest Products and Environmental Services
2 Urban forests and their ecosystem services in relation to human health; Giovanni Sanesi, Christos Gallis and Hans Dieter Kasperidus
3 Forest Products with Health-Promoting and Medicinal Properties; Christos Gallis, Mariella Di Stefano, Paraskevi Moutsatsou, Tytti Sarjala, Vesa Virtanen, Bjarne Holmbom, Joseph A. Buhagiar, and Alexandros Katalanos
4 Negative aspects and hazardous effects of forest environment on human health; Marek Tomalak, Elio Rossi, Francesco Ferrini, and Paola A. Moro

Part II, Physical and Mental Health and the Experience of Nature
5 Health benefits of nature experience: Psychological, social and cultural processes; Terry Hartig, Agnes van den Berg, Caroline Hagerhall, Marek Tomalak, Nicole Bauer, Ralf Hansmann, Ann Ojala, Efi Syngollitou, Giuseppe Carrus, Ann van Herzele, Simon Bell, Marie Therese Camilleri Podesta, Grete Waaseth
6 Health benefits of nature experience: The challenge of linking practice and research; Ann Van Herzele, Simon Bell, Terry Hartig, Marie Therese Camilleri Podesta and Ronald van Zon
7 Health benefits of nature experience: Implications of practice for research; Simon Bell, Ronald van Zon, Ann Van Herzele and Terry Hartig

Part III, Promoting Physical Activity
8 Contributions of Natural Environments to Physical Activity; Sjerp de Vries, Thomas Classen, Stella-Maria Eigenheer-Hug, Kalevi Korpela, Jolanda Maas, Richard Mitchell and Peter Schantz
9 Natural elements and physical activity in urban green space planning and design; Paolo Semenzato, Tuija Sievanen, Eva Silveirinha de Oliveira, Ana Luisa Soares and Renate Spaeth
10 Motivating people to be physically active in green spaces; Amalia Drakou, Rik De Vreese, Tove Lofthus and Jo Muscat

Part IV, Therapeutical and Educational Aspects
11 Nature-based therapeutic interventions; Ulrika K. Stigsdotter, Anna Maria Palsdottir, Ambra Burls, Alessandra Chermaz, Francesco Ferrini and Patrik Grahn
12 Outdoor education, life long learning and skills development in woodlands and green spaces: the potential links to health and well-being; Liz O'Brien, Ambra Burls, Peter Bentsen, Inger Hilmo, Kari Holter, Dorothee Haberling, Janez Pirnat, Mikk Sarv, Kristel Vilbaste, John McLoughlin
13 Measuring health benefits of green space in economic terms; Ken Willis and Bob Crabtree

Postscript: Landscapes and health as representations of cultural diversity; Klaus Seeland

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