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Health, Nature-Based Strategies, and Resilience
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Health, Nature-Based Strategies, and Resilience

A special issue of Sustainability (ISSN 2071-1050). This special issue belongs to the section "Health, Well-Being and Sustainability".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 30 June 2026 | Viewed by 10969

Special Issue Editors

Prof. Dr. Semra A. Aytur

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Health Management and Policy, University of New Hampshire, Durham, NH 03824, USA
Interests: public health; community resilience; equity; sustainability; planetary health; nature-based solutions; greenspace and bluespace
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Dr. John Bucci

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
1. School of Marine Science and Ocean Engineering, University of New Hampshire, Durham, NH, USA
2. Marine Microverse Institute, Kittery, ME, USA
Interests: bluespace; marine science; planetary health; marine molecular ecology; One Health
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

The relationship between human health, nature-based strategies, and resilience have emerged as a central theme within transdisciplinary research.  For example, research pertaining to nature-based strategies (including nature-based solutions (NbS), nature-based therapies, and interventions that mimic or support health-promoting ecosystem processes),  bluespace, greenspace, and forestry initiatives, community agricultures and alternative food markets, vulnerability/resilience, adaptive capacity, adaptive governance, indigenous knowledge, transformative social learning, emergent structures, planetary health, and the exposome are just a few examples of the cross-cutting dialogs that are engaging stakeholders across many different fields.  Creating resilient, healthy, and sustainable communities requires work at the policy, systems, and planetary levels that is collaborative, contextual, and solution-oriented.

This Special Issue aims to publish high-quality papers that explore how collaborative partnerships have contributed to addressing the vital conditions of health and root causes of chronic diseases, shaped policy, confronted grand challenges, and provided a foundation for collective action in an effort to establish resilient communities. 

This Special Issue will supplement the existing literature, focusing on the themes of relationships between nature-based strategies, human health, and resilience. Themes may relate to greenspace, bluespace, access to nature, nature connectedness, nature-based interventions/therapies, pre-environmental behavior, citizen science initiatives, climate change adaptation/mitigation, sustainable food systems, natural products, environmental justice, creative equity, and indigenous knowledge, among others.

In this Special Issue, original research articles, reviews, case studies, participatory action research, community-based participatory research, and practice-based research contributions are welcome. Contributions from transdisciplinary teams are welcome.

We look forward to receiving your contributions.

Prof. Dr. Semra A. Aytur
Dr. John Bucci
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 250 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for assessment.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Sustainability is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2400 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • nature-based solutions
  • public health
  • planetary health
  • resilience
  • greenspace
  • bluespace
  • nature connectedness
  • nature-based interventions
  • nature-based therapy
  • pre-environmental behavior
  • citizen science
  • eco-anxiety
  • climate change
  • adaptation
  • mitigation
  • sustainable food systems
  • natural products
  • environmental justice
  • indigenous knowledge
  • One Health

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Further information on MDPI's Special Issue policies can be found here.

Published Papers (3 papers)

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Research

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20 pages, 1146 KB  
Article
A National, Ecological Study on the Impact of Extreme Precipitation on Walking and Cycling to Work, 2005–2018
by Marilyn E. Wende, Jessica Stroope, Karin Valentine Goins, M. Renée Umstattd Meyer, Jeanette Gustat and Semra A. Aytur
Sustainability 2026, 18(4), 1874; https://doi.org/10.3390/su18041874 - 12 Feb 2026
Viewed by 590
Abstract
Limited research has examined how increasing extreme precipitation affects active transportation across the United States. This study assesses the longitudinal relationship between extreme precipitation and walking and cycling to work in the context of rising extreme weather and flooding. We conducted a county-level [...] Read more.
Limited research has examined how increasing extreme precipitation affects active transportation across the United States. This study assesses the longitudinal relationship between extreme precipitation and walking and cycling to work in the context of rising extreme weather and flooding. We conducted a county-level longitudinal analysis using data from the National Environmental Public Health Tracking Network (2005–2018). Five-year estimates of walking and cycling to work among adults aged 16 years and older were obtained from the American Community Survey, and annual population-weighted averages of days with extreme precipitation (≥2 inches) were derived from the North American Land Data Assimilation System. Mixed-effects models with restricted maximum likelihood estimation assessed associations with active transportation, accounting for county-level clustering and adjusting for year, region, poverty rate, water cover, metropolitan status, and park access. Across 3142 U.S. counties, extreme precipitation days increased over time, while walking and cycling to work declined. Each additional extreme precipitation day was associated with a 12.3% decrease in walking and a 3.7% decrease in cycling at baseline, with stronger negative associations over time. Effects were most pronounced in non-metropolitan and Midwestern counties. Findings underscore the importance of climate-resilient transportation planning for sustaining low-carbon, equitable mobility and advancing sustainable development. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Health, Nature-Based Strategies, and Resilience)
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25 pages, 1353 KB  
Article
An Exploratory Estimation of the Willingness to Pay for and Perceptions of Nature-Based Therapy for Cardiovascular Diseases
by Aisling Sealy Phelan, Elena Pisani, Chiara Tessari and Laura Secco
Sustainability 2025, 17(13), 5779; https://doi.org/10.3390/su17135779 - 23 Jun 2025
Viewed by 1296
Abstract
There is increasing evidence of the benefits of natural environments for human health. Interest is growing in nature-based therapy (NBT), organised initiatives that promote human–nature interactions with the aim of achieving positive health outcomes. Although the benefits of spending time in nature are [...] Read more.
There is increasing evidence of the benefits of natural environments for human health. Interest is growing in nature-based therapy (NBT), organised initiatives that promote human–nature interactions with the aim of achieving positive health outcomes. Although the benefits of spending time in nature are now widely recognised, the public’s perspective of NBTs is still not well understood nor quantified. At the same time, chronic non-communicable diseases such as cardiovascular disease are on the rise, increasing costs and pressure for public health services. Using a sample of 96 respondents in Italy, this exploratory study investigates the economic value and perceptions of an NBT for cardiovascular disease. We employed the contingent valuation method to estimate marginal willingness to pay (WTP) for a nature-based rehabilitation programme compared to a standard indoor clinic-based programme. Logistic regression was used to estimate median WTP and influencing factors. We investigated the preferences of patients for the features and potential benefits of nature-based rehabilitation. We show that patients with cardiovascular disease in Italy have a positive WTP between EUR 14.01 to EUR 42.69 per day (median value EUR 27.26). Our findings indicate that NBTs could offer a promising alternative to standard indoor programmes. We provide recommendations for designing NBTs based on the preferences of our sample, aiming to contribute to sustainable health and land management policies. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Health, Nature-Based Strategies, and Resilience)
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Other

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25 pages, 549 KB  
Systematic Review
The Role of Blue Space in Enhancing Mental Health and Well-Being Among Older Adults: A Systematic Review
by Jing Guan, Sumarni Binti Ismail, Sarah Abdulkareem Salih, Wan Srihani Wan Mohamed and Norhuzailin Binti Hussain
Sustainability 2025, 17(8), 3749; https://doi.org/10.3390/su17083749 - 21 Apr 2025
Cited by 8 | Viewed by 7875
Abstract
With the aging global population, understanding the role of blue space (BS) in supporting older adults’ mental health is increasingly important. This systematic review synthesizes quantitative and qualitative evidence to examine how BS influences mental health and well-being in this population. Following PRISMA [...] Read more.
With the aging global population, understanding the role of blue space (BS) in supporting older adults’ mental health is increasingly important. This systematic review synthesizes quantitative and qualitative evidence to examine how BS influences mental health and well-being in this population. Following PRISMA guidelines, we searched Web of Science, Scopus, PubMed, and PsycINFO for studies published between 2004 and 2024. This review protocol was preregistered on PROSPERO (registration number CRD420250651254). Studies examining BS exposure characteristics and mental health outcomes among adults aged 50 and older were included. A total of twenty-three studies (seventeen quantitative, six qualitative) were reviewed. Quantitative findings indicated generally positive associations between BS proximity, quantity, and improved mental health outcomes, while qualitative findings highlighted the therapeutic benefits of natural features, social interactions, and sensory experiences, along with barriers such as accessibility and safety concerns. BS holds significant potential for promoting older adults’ well-being. These findings highlight the potential of BS as a sustainable urban health resource, offering evidence to support integrated planning strategies that promote environmental, public health, and broader sustainability goals. Future research should investigate specific BS characteristics using longitudinal and experimental designs to enhance causal understanding and inform urban planning and public health strategies. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Health, Nature-Based Strategies, and Resilience)
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