Ecominds-effects-on-mental-wellbeing-evaluation-report

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16 <strong>Ecominds</strong> <strong>effects</strong> on mental wellbeing1.5 Using ecotherapy for wellbeing1.5.1 Ecotherapy and the Five Ways to WellbeingEcotherapy approaches can potentially enhancewellbeing through all of the Five Ways to Wellbeing,thus providing multiple health outcomes. Ecotherapycan encourage individuals to connect to others andto nature. Participation in green exercise activitiesoften directly and indirectly promotes socialinteraction 65 . This connection may be facilitatedthrough participation in environmental conservationactivities, attending an allotment or a STH project.Many ecotherapy participants say that being withother like minded people or with those with mentalhealth problems can be very supportive. Ecotherapy(and green exercise in general) has been foundto build stronger communities and connect peoplethrough groups and networks. In addition, ecotherapyinterventions have been proven to increase participantconnection to nature, which in itself is an importantpredictor of subjective wellbeing and ecologicalbehaviour 66 . The evidence base has highlighted thehealth and wellbeing benefits of both contact andconnection with nature, and when combined withthe concerns that we are becoming more and moredisconnected from the natural world, ecotherapycan therefore help with the resultant drive toreconnect us with the outdoors 67 .Undertaking physical activities in outdoor greenenvironments could also offer a more viable andappealing option in maintaining long-term activitylevels in adults and children alike, as often it is theinteraction with nature and the social contact thatare the main incentives rather than the ‘exercise’per se (even though they often provide greaterimprovements in self-esteem and mood than physicalactivity alone 68 ). In this situation, the health benefitsgained from the physical activity are not the mainfocus and so become a secondary outcome. Withthe current concerns over an increasingly inactivepopulation, many of whom fearful of attending a gymor exercise class, exploring the use of ecotherapyto encourage physical activity could prove to be abenefit for all 69 .65 NEA 201166 Mayer and Frantz 2004, Hine et al, 2008b67 See for example NE 2009, RSPB 2010, Moss 201268 Pretty et al, 2005, 2007; Barton and Pretty 201069 Mind 2007
An evaluation for Mind 17Taking notice of the environment around us,particularly if it is a natural environment can haveimportant benefits for health and wellbeing 70 .Nature and green spaces are perceived as placesto relax, escape and unwind from the daily stressesof modern life and can have positive influences onwellbeing. Furthermore, the more frequent the visitsto natural spaces the lower the incidence of stress 71 .Noticing the natural environment is also likely toincrease connection to nature, for example feelingsof connectedness to nature reported after wildernessexperiences range from the aesthetic appreciation ofbeautiful scenery and landscapes to a deep sense ofbelonging to the natural world. In this context natureconnection has also been taken to include feelings ofpeacefulness and harmony; a sense of timelessness;creation of a sense of vulnerability which is humbling;learning a respect for nature and developing a senseof place 72 . People should therefore be encouraged toaccess and take notice of nature as far as possible,as this is likely to have substantial consequences fortheir health and wellbeing.Many ecotherapy approaches encourage and enableparticipants to learn something new, develop newskills and increase healthy and environmentallyfriendly behaviours, thus contributing to increasedwellbeing. Whether this new knowledge is growingfruit and vegetables, learning bushcraft skills orsimply taking part in a new activity, it all has thepotential to enhance wellbeing through learning.Similarly, many green exercise activities also enableindividuals to give to others. This may be throughgrowing food on an allotment for the community;building a community natural area or helping othersachieve goals through a shared green exercise group.In addition some ecotherapy interventions (particularlyenvironmental conservation and ecotherapy) alsoencourage individuals to give something back tonature either directly through direct tasks or indirectlythrough environmentally friendly behaviours.Ecotherapy can contribute both directly and indirectlyto wellbeing and therefore can facilitate each of theFive Ways to Wellbeing. Incorporating more greenexercise activities into daily routines and lifestyles andsupporting more ecotherapy opportunities has thepotential to increase wellbeing for both individuals andcommunities alike.1.5.2 Wellbeing and the environment - linkingenvironmental enhancement and conservation activitiesLeading on from the Five Ways to Wellbeing, therehas been a growing recognition of the multiplehealth and wellbeing impacts of contact with naturein a range of different settings and contexts. Arecent piece of research by the European Centrefor Environment and Human Health, University ofExeter Medical School and the Peninsula TechnologyAssessment Group (which included a systematicreview 73 ) examined a wide variety of differentquantitative and qualitative studies of people takingpart in environmental activities. From this research,a model has been developed which illustratesthe pathways through which multiple health andwellbeing impacts may occur for those participatingin environmental enhancement and conservationactivities. Although specifically developed forenvironmental enhancement and conservationactivities the model could also be adapted for andapplied to other nature based interventions and mayprovide a useful framework for several ecotherapyapproaches (see Box 2).1.5.3 Ecotherapy and healthy life pathwaysContact with nature does not only affect immediatehealth and wellbeing but also can also affect healththroughout a lifetime. There is growing evidence toshow that contact with nature and consequent levels ofphysical activity in childhood affects not only wellbeingat the time but also in later life 74 . Many of the socialand environmental conditions of childhood can predictor track adult health status and childhood physical andmental ill-health is carried forward in later life 75 . Lateremotional wellbeing and cognitive capacity is alsoprofoundly influenced by early social development 76 .In the same way childhood experiences innature appear to fix environmental sensitivity (apredisposition to be interested in learning about caringfor and conserving nature 77 ) in adults, suggesting aneed to establish good behaviours early 78 .70 Mitchell and Popham 2008; Hine et al 201171 Cooper-Marcus and Barnes 1995; Whitehouse et al 2001; Ulrich 2002-72 Russell et al. 1998; Russell 1999, 2001; Russell et al, 2000; Caulkins et al.2006; Hine et al 200973 Husk et al 201374 Wells and Lekies 2006, Frenn et al 2005, Pretty et al 201075 Danner et al 2001, Foresight 200876 Ainsworth and Bell 1970, Ainsworth et al. 197477 Chalwa 199878 Chawla and Cushing 2007, Cheng and Monroe 2010, Ernst and Theimer 2011
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