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Special Issue "Forest, Trees, Human Health and Wellbeing"

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A special issue of Forests (ISSN 1999-4907). This special issue belongs to the section "Urban Forestry".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 30 August 2023 | Viewed by 12125

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Special Issue Editors

Prof. Dr. Anna Maria Palsdottir

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Guest Editor

Department of People and Society, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, 234 22 Lomma, Alnarp, Sweden
Interests: nature-based interventions; lakes/sea shores; forest bathing; adventure therapy; nature- and animal-assisted interventions; landscape planning and architecture; evidence based health design; public health and nature; environmental psychology; urban agriculture; nature-based Integration; social interactions
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Prof. Dr. Patrik Grahn

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Guest Editor

Department of People and Society, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences (SLU), P.O. Box 190, 234 22 Lomma, Sweden
Interests: landscape architecture; health design; public health; rehabilitation; therapeutic use of natural environments; coping resources
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Dr. Jonathan Stoltz

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Guest Editor

Department of People and Society, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences (SLU), P.O. Box 190, 234 22 Lomma, Sweden
Interests: human–nature relations; health-promoting qualities in outdoor environments; forests and wellbeing; urban green spaces

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Forest and trees are essential not only for their ecological and economical values, but also for human health and wellbeing. There can be psychological, physiological and social benefits from both direct and indirect contact. However, there is a need to gain a deeper understanding and gather evidence for how these complex interactions can support people’s needs. This Special Issue presents up-to-date research on how forests and trees can support people’s health and wellbeing through prevention, promotion or interventions. It aims to gather systematic reviews and meta-analyses on the topic, study protocols, theoretical and/or conceptual papers as well as empirical studies. Included studies may be qualitative or quantitative and focused on physiological or psychological measures. The study design may vary from randomized controlled trials, longitudinal studies, case studies and evaluation of best practices. Papers can focus on how forest environments or trees can support affordances, activities or experiences in support of human health and wellbeing. The papers can explore these topics from both the perspective of the individual or from a broader societal perspective. However, the focus of this Special Issue will be on health-promoting mechanisms that are mediated via the direct perception or interaction with trees and forest environments, rather than on purely physically mediated effects.

Prof. Dr. Anna Maria Palsdottir
Prof. Dr. Patrik Grahn
Dr. Jonathan Stoltz
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 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

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. Forests is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly 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 2000 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

health and wellbeing
forest planning
green infrastructure
restoration
stress reduction
biodiversity
landscape perception
nature connectedness
forest bathing
forest guiding
forest therapy
public health
urban forest
shinrin-yoku

Published Papers (11 papers)

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Open AccessArticle

Evaluating Household Welfare in Participation of China’s Natural Forest Protection Program: A Dual Perspective of Income Welfare and Material Welfare

and

Forests 2023, 14(6), 1140; https://doi.org/10.3390/f14061140 - 31 May 2023

Viewed by 172

Abstract

This paper presents novel empirical evidence on the welfare impacts of forest protection programs, focusing on both income and material welfare at the household level. Specifically, we conduct a household survey of 1271 households in forestry communities that participate in the Natural Forest Protection Program (NFPP) in China. The survey data are collected from 56 state forest enterprises (SFEs) across three provinces in China. We employ the Alkire–Foster method to calculate and decompose the material deprivation index based on household income levels. Our analysis reveals that forestry communities exhibit a significant proportion of households in low-income welfare states, comprising nearly one-fourth (25.41%) of the sample. Furthermore, we observe that the percentage of households in a low-material welfare state is nearly one-fifth (21.70%), with 7.79% of households experiencing both low-income and low-material welfare. Importantly, we find that welfare disparities persist across population subgroups based on occupation and geography. In addition, we assess the impact of the NFPP on household welfare outcomes and identify an elite group of technicians residing in urban communities down the hill who experience positive welfare effects from the program. These findings provide critical insights beyond a single welfare dimension and contribute to the growing literature on evaluating forest protection policies. Furthermore, the results offer valuable lessons for designing and implementing forest protection programs in other developing countries. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Forest, Trees, Human Health and Wellbeing)

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Open AccessArticle

Furnishing a Recreational Forest—Findings from the Hallerwald Case Study

Renate Cervinka

Markus Schwab Spletzer

and

Daniela Haluza

Forests 2023, 14(4), 836; https://doi.org/10.3390/f14040836 - 19 Apr 2023

Viewed by 527

Abstract

While the beneficial effects of forests on health and well-being are broadly investigated, little is known on the restorative effects of forest infrastructure. Thus, this study assessed the perceptions of installing furniture in a recreational forest in forest visitors. We surveyed 220 volunteers attending guided walks before (n = 99) and after (n = 121) furnishing the Hallerwald. The questionnaire assessed restorative qualities of four places in the forest before and after furnishing, and changes in visitors’ self-perceptions pre and post visiting the forest for 2.5 h. Further, visitors evaluated the furniture and the visit. The four sites in the forest under study benefited differently from furnishing. We found mixed outcomes with respect to the restorative qualities of places by furnishing, and a similar improvement of human restoration pre- and post-walk, irrespective of furnishing, but received mainly positive ratings for the installed furniture. The participants expected positive effects of visiting the forest to last one to two days. Our findings suggest that furnishing the forest made this forest a unique place for pedagogy, health interventions, and tourism. We concluded that furnishing, designed to fit the characteristics of a specific place, can support health and well-being in restorative forests and should be recognized by sustainable forest management. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Forest, Trees, Human Health and Wellbeing)

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Open AccessArticle

Underlying Mechanisms of Urban Green Areas’ Influence on Residents’ Health—A Case Study from Belgrade, Serbia

Isidora Simović

Jelena Tomićević Dubljević

Oliver Tošković

Maja Vujčić Trkulja

and

Ivana Živojinović

Forests 2023, 14(4), 765; https://doi.org/10.3390/f14040765 - 07 Apr 2023

Viewed by 908

Abstract

The positive impacts of urban forests on residents’ health are widely acknowledged. However, the methods used to quantify and demonstrate this relation are still a focus of research. The aim of the paper is to examine the relationship between the size and quality of different urban green areas to residents’ health based on the face-to-face survey and remote sensing data at 12 locations in Belgrade. The socio-economic and self-perceived health characteristics were analyzed. Based on green areas’ size and pollution, municipalities were divided into “less green” and “green”. Vegetation quality was assessed by Sentinel-2 vegetation indexes (VI). Results show that residents in less green and green municipalities differ in physical, social, and emotional health. The quality of green areas was inversely proportional to the amount of money spent on medications and the number of doctor’s visits indicating potential mechanisms of the health benefits of green areas. The lack of facilities led to different appreciation among residents. Results suggest that the quality of green infrastructure is more important than the amount in promoting residents’ health. Relating the characteristics of green areas to visitors proved to improve the correlation between residents’ health and the quality of green areas. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Forest, Trees, Human Health and Wellbeing)

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Open AccessArticle

Impact of City Forests on Haze Reduction—Implementation of the National Forest City Policy in China

Chao Hu

Jian Chen

and

Jiayun Dong

Forests 2023, 14(4), 703; https://doi.org/10.3390/f14040703 - 29 Mar 2023

Viewed by 588

Abstract

The construction and development of China’s forest cities revolves around the goal of building an environmentally friendly society and achieving harmonious development between human beings and nature, which is essentially the implementation of the concept of green development and helps promote the sustainable development of sustainable cities. Based on the panel data of 263 prefecture-level cities in China from 2001 to 2020, the National Forest City Policy (NFCP) is used as a quasi-natural experiment to assess the effect of NFCP on haze pollution management and their heterogeneity using a time-varying DID (difference-in-differences) model, and a mediating effect model is used to analyze the mechanism of the effect of NFCP on haze pollution. The research found that (1) the NFCP can reduce urban haze pollution, and this finding remained robust after placebo tests and the replacement of explanatory variables; (2) the NFCP is more conducive to reducing haze pollution in the Pearl River Delta urban agglomeration, Type II large cities, cities in the eastern region, and cities east of the Hu Huanyong line; (3) the NFCP will improve urban green space coverage, raise residents’ awareness of environmental protection, and promote the development of tertiary industries, thereby promoting urban haze reduction. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Forest, Trees, Human Health and Wellbeing)

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Open AccessArticle

Forests Attenuate Temperature and Air Pollution Discomfort in Montane Tourist Areas

and

Forests 2023, 14(3), 545; https://doi.org/10.3390/f14030545 - 10 Mar 2023

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1652

Abstract

Forests deliver many ecosystem services, from provisioning to regulating and cultural services. We aimed at demonstrating microclimatic regulation and pollutant removal as especially relevant ecosystem services when considering the tourism vocation of the Alpine regions. A study was realized along an altitudinal gradient (900–1600 m a.s.l.) in Trentino, northern Italy, an area with high touristic presence (ca. 9.3 million overnight stays in summer 2021). Nitrogen dioxide (NO₂, µg m⁻³), ozone (O₃, µg m⁻³) concentrations, air temperature (T, °C), and relative humidity (RH, %) were simultaneously measured in three open-field sites (OF) and below-canopy Norway spruce forest stands (FO) during the period 23 May–7 August 2013. The temperature–humidity index (THI) was calculated. We found a distinct mitigating effect of forest on T, with lower maximum (−30.6%) and higher minimum values (+6.3%) in FO than in OF. THI supported a higher comfort sensation in FO than in OF, especially in the central part of the day. NO₂ concentrations did not differ between OF and FO; ozone concentrations were lower in FO than OF. This study confirms the role of forests in providing several ecosystem services beneficial for forest users, especially relevant for promoting nature-based tourism in the Alpine region. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Forest, Trees, Human Health and Wellbeing)

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Open AccessArticle

Usage of and Barriers to Green Spaces in Disadvantaged Neighborhoods: A Case Study in Shi Jiazhuang, Hebei Province, China

Chenyang Dai

Sreetheran Maruthaveeran

Mohd Fairuz Shahidan

and

Yichun Chu

Forests 2023, 14(2), 435; https://doi.org/10.3390/f14020435 - 20 Feb 2023

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Abstract

Studies have shown that disadvantaged neighborhoods have fewer green spaces, resources, and facilities, resulting in residents facing more barriers to using green spaces. This study aims to quantify green space usage patterns and constraints in old residential neighborhoods in a large city in northern China. A questionnaire survey and semi-structured interviews were conducted with 668 residents. Results showed that most residents visited their local green spaces daily, often in the evenings, and spent between 30 and 60 min there. The number of visits on weekends is higher than on weekdays, with no difference in visiting alone or in groups. The main reason for visiting green spaces was to relax and enjoy nature, followed by spending time with family. Limitations to usage included poor physical environments, such as inadequate facilities, lack of maintenance, overcrowding, poor accessibility, limited activities, and pet restrictions. This study provides insights into the current state of green space utilization in old residential neighborhoods, as well as a discussion of the limitations, which could inform future renovations and designs of green spaces in these areas. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Forest, Trees, Human Health and Wellbeing)

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Open AccessArticle

Landscape Preference Evaluation of Old Residential Neighbourhoods: A Case Study in Shi Jiazhuang, Hebei Province, China

Chenyang Dai

Sreetheran Maruthaveeran

Mohd Fairuz Shahidan

and

Yichun Chu

Forests 2023, 14(2), 375; https://doi.org/10.3390/f14020375 - 13 Feb 2023

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 920

Abstract

Landscape preference and cognition are essential in determining the external environment’s subjective reflections. Although much research has been conducted on landscape preferences, there is still a lack of information on landscape perceptions and preferences among residents of disadvantaged neighbourhoods, especially in Chinese cities. Taking old residential neighbourhoods of Shijiazhuang as an example, this paper used a large-scale questionnaire survey and semi-structured interviews to determine the landscape preference of the residents of old residential neighbourhoods for the community green spaces using the virtual model method. The chi-square test method is used to explore the inner logic of aesthetic preference from two aspects: landscape characteristics and socio-demographic characteristics. The respondents are 668 residents of old residential neighbourhoods (300 males, 368 females) distributed in four larger communities in the main urban area of Shijiazhuang. Random sampling and volunteer sampling were used to choose the survey respondents. The results showed this: (1) In terms of soft landscapes, respondents prefer natural planting, spaces with very high plant richness and high green coverage. In terms of hard landscapes, there is a preference for fitness and leisure facilities, rubber floors and a slight preference for water features and decorative landscape elements. (2) From the chi-square results, age significantly affects landscape preference, gender and education level. In contrast, marital status and occupation have no significant effect on landscape preference. The expression of the landscape preference of the residents of old residential neighbourhoods reflects the needs for functionality, reality and local concept. The main aim of this study is to fully understand the landscape preferences of residents in old residential neighbourhoods when using green space, and to find out what factors will affect residents’ landscape preferences. The research results have guiding significance for rationally improving the landscape planning, design and management of old residential neighbourhoods, and at the same time make up for the lack of international research on landscape preferences of disadvantaged communities. Improving the environment of old residential neighbourhoods can develop a higher sense of security, happiness and satisfaction among the residents. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Forest, Trees, Human Health and Wellbeing)

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Open AccessArticle

The Influence of Forest Landscape Spaces on Physical and Mental Restoration and Preferences of Young Adults of Different Genders

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Forests 2023, 14(1), 37; https://doi.org/10.3390/f14010037 - 25 Dec 2022

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Abstract

Forest landscape spaces have positive effects on human physical and mental health. Meanwhile, gender is an important biological factor in differences in human physical and mental responses when facing stress. Therefore, it is necessary to discuss the gender characteristics and differences of people’s experiences of restoration in forest landscapes. Meanwhile, it is urgent to attend to the issue of young adults’ physical and mental health. This study aimed to clarify the impact of forest landscape exposure on physical and mental restoration and preferences in young adults of different genders and to explore the relationship between them. Six representative forest landscape spaces found in field research in Liaoning were presented to participants through virtual reality (VR) video. Physiological indicators (blood pressure, heart rate, and pulse), mood indicators (simplified profile of mood states), and preference scores of young adults (n = 319) before and after viewing the forest landscape videos were collected. Analysis of differences and Spearman’s rho correlation analysis were used to statistically analyse the data. Our results indicated that overlook landscape space, static water landscape space, and coniferous forest landscape space had differential restorative effects on participants’ physical and mental health. Male and female participants had different preferences regarding the forest landscape spaces. Meanwhile, there were strong correlations between participants’ preferences and restorative effects. Our findings provide preliminary practical basis for forest landscape planning that corresponds to the health needs of tourists of different genders to achieve optimization of health benefits of urban forest resources. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Forest, Trees, Human Health and Wellbeing)

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Open AccessArticle

Attention and Emotion Recovery Effects of Urban Parks during COVID-19—Psychological Symptoms as Moderators

Ziliang Jin

Jiangping Wang

and

Xu Liu

Forests 2022, 13(12), 2001; https://doi.org/10.3390/f13122001 - 25 Nov 2022

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1012

Abstract

Previous research that compared the restorative effects of natural settings with poor-quality urban settings may have exaggerated the restorative benefits of greenspace. Few studies have been conducted to examine the restorative benefits of green streets and other types of park landscapes on attention and emotion. In addition, it is not clear how negative psychological symptoms (e.g., stress, depression) affect natural’s restorative benefits, especially as the current COVID-19 pandemic has added to people’s psychological burden. In this study, 125 participants were randomly assigned to view one of five videos (green street, lawn, plaza, forest, waterside) for a break after completing an emotion and attention fatigue induction task. Attention function and emotion were measured using the backward digit span test and the Self-Assessment Manikin scale. Stress and depressive symptoms experienced over the last month were measured using the Perceived Stress Scale(PSS-10) and the Patient Health Questionnaire(PHQ-9). Our results indicate that the four park settings showed significant attention function recovery and valence improvement compared to the green streets, while subjects’ arousal changed only over time. Hardscapes (plazas) could provide the same attentional and emotional restorative benefits as natural landscapes (forests, watersides, lawns). In addition, we also found that the mood-improving benefits of natural environments may decrease with increasing depressive symptoms, although chronic stress symptoms did not show the same trend. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Forest, Trees, Human Health and Wellbeing)

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Open AccessArticle

Subjective Preference and Visual Attention to the Attributes of Ornamental Plants in Urban Green Space: An Eye-Tracking Study

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Forests 2022, 13(11), 1871; https://doi.org/10.3390/f13111871 - 09 Nov 2022

Viewed by 1039

Abstract

Visual attributes of greenery strongly affect the attention and preferences of people. We invited 90 volunteers to participate in a study on the subjective rating and eye tracking on the landscape attributes of greenery to determine the relationship between subjective preference and visual attention to the visual attributes of greenery. The results showed that the subjective ratings of Tree + shrub + grass (IV-A), blue flower (II-A), red flower (II-B), pink flower (II-C), broad-leaved tree (I-C), and bamboo (I-E) were relatively high, belonging to the high rating group. The random forest model showed that the fixation count could indicate a subjective preference. People generate visual attention by fixating on attractive visual attributes with high subjective ratings. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Forest, Trees, Human Health and Wellbeing)

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Open AccessProtocol

Forest Therapy for Women with Gynaecological Cancer—A Feasibility Study to Find New Alternatives in Cancer Rehabilitation

Hanna Anundi

Ann Dolling

and

Anna María Pálsdóttir

Forests 2023, 14(2), 333; https://doi.org/10.3390/f14020333 - 07 Feb 2023

Viewed by 1356

Abstract

Cancer can have a significant impact on one’s life situation, with many patients reporting psychosocial discomfort, worry, anxiety, fear of recurrence, depression, tiredness/fatigue, sleep problems, pain and numerous other problems even long after active medical treatment. Psychosocial support during cancer rehabilitation has proven to be insufficient. In a recent debate article, the scientific committee of CancerRehabFund, Sweden, demands more rehabilitation alternatives for individuals living with cancer. Nature-based treatment is one of the alternatives mentioned as the way forward, but more research is needed. Therefore, we want to evaluate the patient’s experience of a ten-week forest bathing intervention, as an add-on to the standard care, and whether it can improve general health and well-being in women suffering or recovering from gynaecological cancer. The study will run between the autumn of 2022 and until the end of 2023. It is a prospective single-case study, including quantitative and qualitative approaches using validated self-administered instruments (pre–post measurements) and semi-structured interviews (post) on women’s lived experience of the 10-week forest bathing intervention. The quantitative outcome measurements will be the quality of life, fatigue and depression/anxiety. There will also be a questionnaire on perceived sensory dimensions experienced in the forest environment. The study will include 24 participants, divided into four groups of 6 participants. Once a week for ten weeks, the participants will be offered a session of a 2.5-hour stay in the forest with breathing exercises, slow movement, time in silence and privacy and a social gathering to conclude each session. Before and after each session, the participants will be invited to fill in the Profile of their mood state to describe their mood/feelings. There will be three different forest locations with varied forest cover types, i.e., evergreen, deciduous and mistands. Participation in this study will be voluntary, and all results will be anonymously presented on a group level. This paper is a protocol paper describing in detail the venues/forest sites, the forest therapy intervention and the scientific methodological approach for evaluating the ten-week intervention. To our knowledge, this is the first study on forest bathing for cancer survivors in Sweden. The Swedish Ethical Review Authority has approved the study [Dnr 2022-02083-01]. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Forest, Trees, Human Health and Wellbeing)

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Planned Papers

The below list represents only planned manuscripts. Some of these manuscripts have not been received by the Editorial Office yet. Papers submitted to MDPI journals are subject to peer-review.

Title: Urban forest for supporting public health. Iceland´s first recreational forest at Heidmörk forest
Authors: Anna María Pálsdóttir
Affiliation: Dept. of People and Society, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences (SLU), P.O.Box 190, 234 22 Lomma, Sweden

Title: Restorative urban forests: a study of nature affordances along forest bathing trails in Northeast Italy
Authors: Patrik Grahn
Affiliation: Dept. of People and Society, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences (SLU), P.O.Box 190, 234 22 Lomma, Sweden

Title: A Forest Sensory Opportunity Spectrum: Towards a Salutogenic Index Considering Stress and Attention Restoration
Authors: Jonathan Stoltz
Affiliation: Dept. of People and Society, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences (SLU), P.O.Box 190, 234 22 Lomma, Sweden

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