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.
FURTHER INFORMATION
Publications
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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Unsere Ergebnisse aus der Umfrage zeigen, dass Fachleute im Naturschutz eine grosse Vielfalt an Informationsquellen nutzen. Der Bericht zeigt Handlungsmöglichkeiten auf, um den Austausch zwischen Wissenschaft und Praxis im Naturschutz effektiver zu gestalten.
WSL Berichte 62
2018
In dieser Studie werden erstmals gesamtschweizerisch Wanderungsbewegungen aus den Agglomerationen in den ländlichen Raum der Schweiz untersucht.
WSL Berichte 22
2015
In der vorliegenden Medienanalyse wird die Wahrnehmung und Thematisierung von Flussrenaturierungen bzw. -revitalisierungen in unterschiedlichen Zeitungstiteln der Kantone Bern und Wallis über den Zeitraum von 2000 bis 2013 rekonstruiert. Im Zentrum der Arbeit steht das Verstehen dieser medienöffentlichen Prozesse.
WSL Berichte 36
2015
Regionale Naturpärke haben oft mit der Tatsache zu kämpfen, dass der Park von einem Grossteil der Bevölkerung nicht akzeptiert wird. Das hier vorgestellte Forschungsprojekt untersuchte die Hintergründe dieser Probleme bei verschiedenen Interessengruppen.
WSL Berichte 30
2015
Die Kernfragen des WSL-Forschungsprogramm «Raumansprüche von Mensch und Natur» lauteten: Wie können sich Siedlung und Landschaft in den Fallstudienregionen Oberes Freiamt (AG), Luzerner Seetal (LU), Linthebene (SG) und Glarus Nord (GL) bis ins Jahr 2030 weiterentwickeln? Wie kann die Entwicklung in nachhaltige Bahnen gelenkt werden? Der Synthesebericht gibt Antworten.
WSL Berichte 35
2015
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Buchecker, M.; Frick, J., 2020: The implications of urbanization for inhabitants' relationship to their residential environment. Sustainability, 12, 4: 1624 (23 pp.). doi: 10.3390/su12041624
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
Young, C.; Hofmann, M.; Frey, D.; Moretti, M.; Bauer, N., 2020: Psychological restoration in urban gardens related to garden type, biodiversity and garden-related stress. Landscape and Urban Planning, 198: 103777 (12 pp.). doi: 10.1016/j.landurbplan.2020.103777
Huang, Q.; Yang, M.; Jane, H.; Li, S.; Bauer, N., 2020: Trees, grass, or concrete? The effects of different types of environments on stress reduction. Landscape and Urban Planning, 193: 103654 (11 pp.). doi: 10.1016/j.landurbplan.2019.103654
Wartmann, F.M.; Tieskens, K.F.; Van Zanten, B.T.; Verburg, P.H., 2019: Exploring tranquillity experienced in landscapes based on social media. Applied Geography, 113: 102112 (10 pp.). doi: 10.1016/j.apgeog.2019.102112
Komossa, F.; Van der Zanden, E.H.; Verburg, P.H., 2019: Characterizing outdoor recreation user groups: a typology of peri-urban recreationists in the Kromme Rijn area, the Netherlands. Land Use Policy, 80: 246-258. doi: 10.1016/j.landusepol.2018.10.017
Hussain, R.I.; Walcher, R.; Eder, R.; Allex, B.; Wallner, P.; Hutter, H.; Bauer, N.; Arnberger, A.; Zaller, J.G.; Frank, T., 2019: Management of mountainous meadows associated with biodiversity attributes, perceived health benefits and cultural ecosystem services. Scientific Reports, 9, 1: 14977 (9 pp.). doi: 10.1038/s41598-019-51571-5
Oppliger, J.; Lieberherr, E.; Hegetschweiler, K.T., 2019: Factors influencing teenagers’ recreational forest use in a densely-populated region in Switzerland. Journal of Outdoor Recreation and Tourism, 27: 100225 (11 pp.). doi: 10.1016/j.jort.2019.100225
Bubalo, M.; Van Zanten, B.T.; Verburg, P.H., 2019: Crowdsourcing geo-information on landscape perceptions and preferences: A review. Landscape and Urban Planning, 184: 101-111. doi: 10.1016/j.landurbplan.2019.01.001
Home, R.; Lewis, O.; Bauer, N.; Fliessbach, A.; Frey, D.; Lichtsteiner, S.; Moretti, M.; Tresch, S.; Young, C.; Zanetta, A.; Stolze, M., 2019: Effects of garden management practices, by different types of gardeners, on human wellbeing and ecological and soil sustainability in Swiss cities. Urban Ecosystems, 22, 1: 189-199. doi: 10.1007/s11252-018-0806-2
Năstase, I.I.; Pătru-Stupariu, I.; Kienast, F., 2019: Landscape preferences and distance decay analysis for mapping the recreational potential of an urban area. Sustainability, 11, 13: 3620 (19 pp.). doi: 10.3390/su11133620
Junge, X.; Hunziker, M.; Bauer, N.; Arnberger, A.; Olschewski, R., 2019: Invasive alien species in Switzerland: awareness and preferences of experts and the public. Environmental Management, 63, 1: 80-93. doi: 10.1007/s00267-018-1115-5
Young, C.; Frey, D.; Moretti, M.; Bauer, N., 2019: Research note: garden-owner reported habitat heterogeneity predicts plant species richness in urban gardens. Landscape and Urban Planning, 185: 222-227. doi: 10.1016/j.landurbplan.2019.01.013
Jiricka-Pürrer, A.; Tadini, V.; Salak, B.; Taczanowska, K.; Tucki, A.; Senes, G., 2019: Do protected areas contribute to health and well-being? A cross-cultural comparison. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 16, 7: 1172 (18 pp.). doi: 10.3390/ijerph16071172
Morelle, K.; Buchecker, M.; Kienast, F.; Tobias, S., 2018: Nearby outdoor recreation modelling: an agent-based approach. Urban Forestry and Urban Greening, 40: 286-298. doi: 10.1016/j.ufug.2018.07.007
Frick, J.; Bauer, N.; Von Lindern, E.; Hunziker, M., 2018: What forest is in the light of people's perceptions and values: socio-cultural forest monitoring in Switzerland. Geographica Helvetica, 73, 4: 335-345. doi: 10.5194/gh-73-335-2018
Bauer, N.; Vasile, M.; Mondini, M., 2018: Attitudes towards nature, wilderness and protected areas: a way to sustainable stewardship in the South-Western Carpathians. Journal of Environmental Planning and Management, 61, 5-6: 857-877. doi: 10.1080/09640568.2017.1382337
Muhar, A.; Raymond, C.M.; Van den Born, R.J.G.; Bauer, N.; Böck, K.; Braito, M.; Buijs, A.; Flint, C.; De Groot, W.T.; Ives, C.D.; Mitrofanenko, T.; Plieninger, T.; Tucker, C.; Van Riper, C.J., 2018: A model integrating social-cultural concepts of nature into frameworks of interaction between social and natural systems. Journal of Environmental Planning and Management, 61, 5-6: 756-777. doi: 10.1080/09640568.2017.1327424
Hofmann, M.; Young, C.; Binz, T.M.; Baumgartner, M.R.; Bauer, N., 2018: Contact to nature benefits health: mixed effectiveness of different mechanisms. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 15, 1: 31 (16 pp.). doi: 10.3390/ijerph15010031
Arnberger, A.; Eder, R.; Allex, B.; Ebenberger, M.; Hutter, H.; Wallner, P.; Bauer, N.; Zaller, J.G.; Frank, T., 2018: Health-related effects of short stays at mountain meadows, a river and an urban site – results from a field experiment. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 15, 12: 2647 (19 pp.). doi: 10.3390/ijerph15122647
Zabel, A.; Schulz, T.; Lieberherr, E., 2018: Grüne Wirtschaft: eine Annäherung an mögliche Zielkonflikte und Synergien im Wald. Schweizerische Zeitschrift für Forstwesen, 169, 3: 143-149. doi: 10.3188/szf.2018.0143
Arnberger, A.; Eder, R.; Allex, B.; Hutter, H.; Wallner, P.; Bauer, N.; Zaller, J.G.; Frank, T., 2018: Perceived health benefits of managed and unmanaged meadows in a mountain biosphere reserve – an experimental study in the Austrian Alps. eco.mont, 10, 1: 5-14. doi: 10.1553/eco.mont-10-1s5
Niță, M.R.; Badiu, D.L.; Onose, D.A.; Gavrilidis, A.A.; Grădinaru, S.R.; Năstase, I.I.; Lafortezza, R., 2018: Using local knowledge and sustainable transport to promote a greener city: the case of Bucharest, Romania. Environmental Research, 160: 331-338. doi: 10.1016/j.envres.2017.10.007
Pagliarin, S., 2017: Working leisure: entertaining guests in gated tourist resorts. Leisure Studies, 36, 6: 752-763. doi: 10.1080/02614367.2016.1261181
Wilkes-Allemann, J.; Hanewinkel, M.; Pütz, M., 2017: Forest recreation as a governance problem: four case studies from Switzerland. European Journal of Forest Research, 136, 3: 511-526. doi: 10.1007/s10342-017-1049-0
Hegetschweiler, K.T.; De Vries, S.; Arnberger, A.; Bell, S.; Brennan, M.; Siter, N.; Stahl Olafsson, A.; Voigt, A.; Hunziker, M., 2017: Linking demand and supply factors in identifying cultural ecosystem services of urban green infrastructures: a review of European studies. Urban Forestry and Urban Greening, 21: 48-59. doi: 10.1016/j.ufug.2016.11.002
Blattert, C.; Lemm, R.; Thees, O.; Lexer, M.J.; Hanewinkel, M., 2017: Management of ecosystem services in mountain forests: review of indicators and value functions for model based multi-criteria decision analysis. Ecological Indicators, 79: 391-409. doi: 10.1016/j.ecolind.2017.04.025
Keller, D.; Seidl, I.; Forrer, C.; Home, R.; Holderegger, R., 2013: Schutz der Helm-Azurjungfer Coenagrion mercuriale (Odonata: Coenagrionidae) am Beispiel des Smaragd-Gebiets Oberaargau. Entomo Helvetica, 6: 87-99.
Di Giulio, M.; Holderegger, R.; Tobias, S., 2009: Effects of habitat and landscape fragmentation on humans and biodiversity in densely populated landscapes. Journal of Environmental Management, 90, 10: 2959-2968. doi: 10.1016/j.jenvman.2009.05.002
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