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Landscapes for health and recreation

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Landscapes can contribute to human health and well-being. We explore what distinguishes these types of landscapes and how they affect people. And we investigate how landscape change affects recreational value.

The growth of settlements in Switzerland and other European countries is a major contributory factor in the transformation of landscapes. Therefore, it influences the quality of landscapes and the benefits which they provide to the public. For example, it leads to the loss of natural spaces that serve the urban population for recreation. But contact with nature is a basic human need. It contributes to people's well-being and quality of life and improves their health and relaxation. We explore the influence of nature and landscape on people and analyse which physical features of natural spaces contribute to its positive effects. One of our focal points is on the study of recreational areas such as urban and peri-urban forests, parks and agricultural areas, gardens (e.g. family and community gardens) and unused or fallow land in alpine regions.

Landscape and health

Landscape and nature provide a multitude of specific health benefits such as improving air quality in cities and opportunities for sporting and social events. We study the relationship between landscape and human health, for example relief from stress and mental fatigue. Our aim is to better understand the mechanisms of action and the underlying processes involved in this. This knowledge helps us to promote the desired positive effects of natural spaces and landscapes on people. In this way, we contribute to the development of policy and planning strategies which can be used to manage and coordinate the recreational benefits of the landscape. This important benefit of the landscape helps in the prevention of disease and the promotion of public health.

Topics

Health

Landscapes and nature provide a number of health benefits for humans, be it fresh air in cities or opportunities for sport and leisure activities.

Recreation

Landscapes offer an imporant space for recreation. We investigate the developments and possible coping strategies when conflicts of interest occur.

FURTHER INFORMATION

News

28.07.2021

In an interview in the magazine DIAGONAL, two experts discuss how our relationship with ‘nature’ shapes us.

14.06.2021

Nature against stress, medicine from the cold and the forest facing new challenges: The new issue of DIAGONAL is all about health.

02.06.2020

The lockdown saw many Swiss people go to forests more often than usual, but even more stopped visiting them entirely, a survey reveals.

Projects

ALANex

ALANeX is an inter- and transdisciplinary project that integrates benefits of LED technology and practitioner's experiences to develop future lighting transformation pathways and guide-lines for LED outdoor lighting systems based on sound scientific evidence. To do so, we bring together light engine

ProtoAIM - Enhanced Plot Design for Advanced Inventorying and Monitoring

We will enhance the design of the Swiss NFI plots to accomodate an augmented series of measurements, sampling and analysis needed to respond to pressing research question on status and change of the Swiss forest.

Suffizienzpolitik in ländlichen Gemeinden

Das Forschungsprojekt untersucht, welche Potentiale für Suffizienzpolitik es in ländlichen Gemeinden gibt, welche Faktoren eine solche Politik hemmen und fördern, und wie Bund und Kantone die Gemeinden unterstützen können, Suffizienzpolitiken zu entwickeln und zu realisieren.

ONEforest

ONEforest develops a multi-criteria planning system for strategic decision makers from forestry, politics and industry and provides information regarding potential social, ecologic and ecologic and economic impacts of alternative forest management options in a medium to long-term perspective.

Noise and Greenspaces

Can people in urban regions recover from stress in green spaces or is there too much noise? Researchers from WSL and Empa explore the audio-visual requirements green spaces have to meet to enable noise-exposed people to recover from stress.

Recipes for Biocities

Basierend auf bestehendem Wissen und der Zusammenarbeit zwischen verschiedenen Partnern im In- und Ausland entwickeln wir eine Vision für nachhaltige Städte der Zukunft, in denen urbane Wälder eine zentral Rolle spielen

Naherholung an der Glatt: Ansprüche der Bevölkerung an die Gewässeraufwertung

Mit Hilfe einer quantitativen sozialwissenschaftlichen Erhebung wurde die aktuelle Nutzung der Glatt entlang des Projektperimeters «Fil Bleu Glatt» erfasst. Dabei wurde ein spezielles Augenmerk auf die räumliche Abbildung der Streckennutzung gelegt. Mit der Analyse wurden Bedürfnisse bezüglich der optimalen Wegvariante abgebildet und weitere Anforderungen an das Naherholungsgebiet Glatt ermittelt.

Let's talk about Better Gardens

Let's talk about Better Gardens hat zum Ziel, die Ergebnisse des gleichnamigen Forschungsprojekts einer breiten Öffentlichkeit zu vermitteln und einfache und effektive Methoden zur Förderung der Biodiversität in städtischen Quartieren zu entwickeln.

Let's Talk about Better Gardens

In diesem Umsetzungsprojekt vermitteln wir die Ergebnisse eines Forschungsprojektes über den Zusammenhang von Bewirtschaftungsformen von städtischen Gärten, Biodiversität und Wohlbefinden an die Bevölkerung und entwickeln einfache Methoden, um Biodiversität in Nachbarschaften zu fördern.

Waldwahrnehmung mit allen Sinnen

Attraktivität von Wäldern wird meistens anhand von visuellen Merkmalen bestimmt. Waldwahrnehmung basiert aber nicht nur auf visuellen Eindrücken - alle Sinne spielen eine Rolle. In diesem Projekt wird die Waldwahrnehmung von Waldbesuchenden mit allen Sinnen, insbesondere des Gehörsinns, erfasst.

Expert Survey "Challenges Landscape"

10 Jahre nach der Ersterhebung werden erneut Expertinnen und Experten in der Schweiz dazu befragt, was Ihrer Meinung nach die künftigen Herausforderungen der Landschaftsentwicklung darstellen.

Effect of contact with nature during childhood on environmental attitudes, ecological behavior and environmental citizenship behavior

The project will assess the impact of a multitude of different settings on EA and EB/Environmental Citizenship Behavior by comparing children's and adults' self-report.

WaMos3

The aim of WaMos is to investigate the relationship of the Swiss population to the forest. In WaMos3, important aspects of the last household survey are replicated and the survey instrument is further developed in terms of content and methodology.

Psycho-social effects of the displacement of allotment gardeners

Which psycho-social effects does the loss of an allotment garden have on users of these gardens? Was does the loss mean for these people? It this study we examine this in Altstetten, Zurich.

SImulating REcreationists’ MOvements

Wir entwickeln ein Agenten basiertes Modell zur Simulation der linearen Fortbewegung zu und in Naherholungsgebieten in suburbanen Gemeinden. Das Modell berücksichtigt neben den Wegeigenschaften auch landschaftliche Qualitäten und die Bedürfnisse verschiedener Langsamverkehrsnutzer.

Small urban gardens

The aim of this study is to explore which present or imagined organizational forms of urban gardens are best suited to our current society.

Recreational spaces

Daily life stress can be a substantial detriment to human health and wellbeing. In comparing the stress-reduction capacities among different urban recreational spaces, this project aims at identifying the components of urban nature causing these health benefits.

Healthy Alps

Across the Alps, land-use is changing rapidly. The project investigates the consequences of this change for alpine agricultural landscape, focusing on ecosystem services, biodiversity, and effects on human health and wellbeing, as well as their possible interrelations.

Analyzing the Contribution of Participatory Environmental Planning to Social Learning

The research project studies the role of social learning in the context of participatory negotiation processes based on the case study of a complex planning project in the field of natural hazard management and use of natural resources.

WML - WaMos meets LFI

In Switzerland, there are two very different forest monitoring instruments: The National Forest Inventory NFI and the socio-cultural forest monitoring WaMos. The aim of the current project is to bridge physical and social aspects.

Strategies for better gardens

Urban gardens experience increasing social and ecological importance, yet, there are only few studies about it. This project investigates the value of urban gardening for social benefit, biodiversity and soil quality.

Visitor Study at Wildernesspark Zürich

The aim of this project is to evaluate the Wildernesspark Zürich from the visitors' perspective. We are particularly interested in what visitors do during their stay and how they perceive the park. Moreover, we also analyse in how far people report feelings of restoration after their visit, and how this self-reported restoration is associated with environmental and psychological factors of the park visit.

Evaluation of steering instruments in outdoor winter sports

Disturbances through increased recreation activities have an impact on wildlife populations, especially in winter. The nation-wide campaign “Respektiere deine Grenzen” tries to minimize the conflict between winter sports and wildlife populations in the Swiss Alps. This project analyses the outcome of the campaign.

Urban Regeneration

One of the most challenging tasks for European urban areas is to deal with demographic, economic and physical contraction processes and to plan for the future of cities worth living in. The project aims at fostering knowledge on urban regeneration in Switzerland. strategies in Switzerland.

Governance of forest recreation

he research project reviews from a governance perspective, which stakeholders, institutions and forms of coordination influence the management of forest recreation.

Stadtgrün in Bellinzona

Wie nimmt die Bevölkerung der Region Bellinzona das Grün in der Stadt und ihrer Umgebung wahr und wie werden diese Grünflächen für Erholungszwecke genutzt? Eine Umfrage

Nearby Outdoor Recreation

This project has the goal to develop a GIS-based model to forecast which near-by areas local inhabitants in Switzerland preferably use in their leisure time for outdoor recreation.

WaMos 2

The aim of the research project WaMos 2 is to assess the attitudes of the population towards forest and wood related topics. In doing so, the project revisits and builds upon work that was done in 1997. The results of WaMos 2 will serve as a basis for forest related policy, and the forest- and environment-related reporting of FOEN.

Einstellungen Regionaler Naturpark Pfyn-Finges

Im Rahmen des Projekts zur Bildung eines Regionalen Naturparks „Pfyn-Finges“ wurde untersucht, wie die lokale Bevölkerung dem Parkprojekt gegenüber eingestellt ist.

Outdoor-activities in nature and landscape

Outdoor-activities can have negative consequences on nature and landscape. A PhD student has analysed the motivation of outdoor-activists, their attitudes towards nature and landscape and their behaviour changing strategies.

Attitudes towards decaying forests

A major concern for landscape conservation strategies is the public attitude towards nature in general and towards efforts to let "nature return to the cultivated landscape". In this context the attitudes of national park visitors towards declining forest patches have been investigated.

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Publications

Naturnahe Freiräume in der Schweiz: Analysekonzept, Identifizierung und raumplanerische Sicherung

In der ganzen Schweiz werden die naturnahen, von Infrastruktur freigehaltene Landschaftsräume zusehends weniger und kleiner. Freiräume gewährleisten jedoch nicht nur lebensnotwenige ökologische Funktionen für den Menschen, sondern sind auch für die hohe Landschaftsästhetik, Lebensqualität und Standortattraktivität der Schweiz sowie für die Identifikation der Bevölkerung von fundamentaler Bedeutung.

WSL Berichte 73

2018

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Simons, N.K.; Felipe-Lucia, M.R.; Schall, P.; Ammer, C.; Bauhus, J.; Blüthgen, N.; Boch, S.; Buscot, F.; Fischer, M.; Goldmann, K.; Gossner, M.M.; Hänsel, F.; Jung, K.; Manning, P.; Nauss, T.; Oelmann, Y.; Pena, R.; Polle, A.; Renner, S.C.; ... Weisser, W.W., 2021: National forest inventories capture the multifunctionality of managed forests in Germany. Forest Ecosystems, 8: 5 (19 pp.). doi: 10.1186/s40663-021-00280-5

Felipe-Lucia, M.R.; Soliveres, S.; Penone, C.; Fischer, M.; Ammer, C.; Boch, S.; Boeddinghaus, R.S.; Bonkowski, M.; Buscot, F.; Fiore-Donno, A.M.; Frank, K.; Goldmann, K.; Gossner, M.M.; Hölzel, N.; Jochum, M.; Kandeler, E.; Klaus, V.H.; Kleinebecker, T.; Leimer, S.; ... Allan, E., 2020: Land-use intensity alters networks between biodiversity, ecosystem functions, and services. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America PNAS, 117, 45: 28140-28149. doi: 10.1073/pnas.2016210117

Komossa, F.; Wartmann, F.M.; Kienast, F.; Verburg, P.H., 2020: Comparing outdoor recreation preferences in peri-urban landscapes using different data gathering methods. Landscape and Urban Planning, 199: 103796 (10 pp.). doi: 10.1016/j.landurbplan.2020.103796

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Services and products

Web App: Attraktive Naherholungsgebiete finden

Dank dieser Web-App kann man nachschauen, welches Erholungsgebiet für einen am passendsten ist, wo Orte mit hoher Erholungsqualität sind und wo mit einiger Wahrscheinlichkeit nur wenige andere Leute anzutreffen sind. Diese Applikation stützt sich auf ein GIS basiertes Naherholungsmodell, das Forschende der WSL aufgrund von standardisierten Bevölkerungsbefragungen in allen Sprachregionen der Schweiz entwickelt haben.