Advances in Nature-Based Therapies and Human Health

Dear Colleagues,

There is increasing evidence that nature can be a valuable source for human health and well-being; in recent months, this has been more evident than ever. Nature-based interventions have been used for supporting different aspects of human health and have targeted ill health, different types of disability, and diseases. We have made a distinction between place-dependent interventions, such as nature-based interventions, where nature (outdoor environment) is the base for the intervention, and nature and animal-assisted interventions, where the focus is on activities and occupations rather than a place, i.e., place independent. Nature settings are outdoor spaces, e.g., gardens, parks, forests, meadow and coastlines, where natural elements such as plants, trees, animals, water, soil, sand and stones dominate over the manmade surroundings.

Nature-based therapies (NBT) can include both aspects and are always goal-orientated interventions, i.e., have a clear and well-defined clinical outcome for the client, the therapist and the client. NBT contains many parts, such as the choice of location, choice of team, choice of activities, etc. It is important for the continued development in the field that all these parts are carefully described. As interest increases, the demands for evidence-based development in the area also increase. This can be documented and described in study protocols, theoretical and/or conceptual papers, or in papers reporting on studies investigating the health benefits of NBT for different target groups. The study design may vary from randomized controlled trials, controlled trials, longitudinal studies, case studies and evaluation of best practices.

Dr. Anna Maria Palsdottir
Dr. Dorthe Varning Poulsen
Dr. Ann Dolling
Prof. Dr. Sin-Ae Park
Guest Editors

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