The more the merrier? Perceived forest biodiversity promotes short‐term mental health and well‐being—A multicentre study

Author:

Rozario Kevin1234ORCID,Oh Rachel Rui Ying23ORCID,Marselle Melissa5ORCID,Schröger Erich4ORCID,Gillerot Loïc67ORCID,Ponette Quentin8ORCID,Godbold Douglas910ORCID,Haluza Daniela11ORCID,Kilpi Katriina12ORCID,Müller Dagmar4ORCID,Roeber Urte4ORCID,Verheyen Kris6ORCID,Muys Bart7ORCID,Müller Sandra13ORCID,Shaw Taylor13ORCID,Bonn Aletta123ORCID

Affiliation:

1. Institute of Biodiversity Friedrich Schiller University Jena Jena Germany

2. Department of Ecosystem Services Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research—UFZ Leipzig Germany

3. German Centre for Integrative Biodiversity Research (iDiv) Halle‐Jena‐Leipzig Leipzig Germany

4. Wilhelm Wundt Institute for Psychology Leipzig University Leipzig Germany

5. School of Psychology, Environmental Psychology Research Group University of Surrey Guilford UK

6. Forest & Nature Lab, Department of Environment Ghent University Ghent Belgium

7. Division of Forest, Nature and Landscape, Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences KU Leuven Leuven Belgium

8. Department of Environmental Science, Earth and Life Institute Université catholique de Louvain Louvain‐la‐Neuve Belgium

9. Institute of Forest Ecology University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences (BOKU) Vienna Austria

10. Department of Forest Protection and Wildlife Management Mendel University in Brno Brno Czech Republic

11. Department of Environmental Health, Center for Public Health Medical University of Vienna Vienna Austria

12. BOS+ Melle Belgium

13. Faculty of Biology, Chair of Geobotany University of Freiburg Freiburg Germany

Abstract

Abstract Forests can foster mental health and well‐being. Yet, the contribution of forest biodiversity remains unclear, and experimental research is needed to unravel pathways of biodiversity–health linkages. Here, we assess the role of tree species richness, both actual and perceived, and how stress reduction and attention restoration can serve as potential mediating pathways to achieve positive mental health and well‐being outcomes. We conducted an experimental, multicentric field study in three peri‐urban forests in Europe, employing a mixed design with 223 participants, that comprised 20‐min stays in forests with either low, medium or high tree species richness or a built control. Participants' short‐term mental health and well‐being and saliva cortisol as a biomarker of stress were measured before and after the intervention. Forest visits for 20 min were found to be beneficial for participants' short‐term mental health, short‐term mental well‐being, subjective stress, subjective directed attention and perceived restorativeness compared with a built environment. No differences were found for the physiological stress indicator saliva cortisol, which decreased in both the forest and the built environments. Increased perceived biodiversity—possibly linked to structural forest attributes—was significantly associated with well‐being outcomes, while no association was found for differences in actual tree species richness. Structural equation modelling indicates that higher levels of perceived biodiversity had an indirect effect on short‐term mental health and well‐being through enhancing perceived restorativeness. While we found no evidence of actual tree species richness effects, perceived biodiversity was associated with positive short‐term mental health and well‐being outcomes. Understanding these biodiversity–health linkages can inform conservation management and help develop effective nature‐based interventions for promoting public health through nature visits. Read the free Plain Language Summary for this article on the Journal blog.

Funder

Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft

Publisher

Wiley

Subject

Ecology, Evolution, Behavior and Systematics

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