Nature and Health

Experiences in nature are now recognised as being fundamental to human health and well-being. Physical activity in nature has been posited as an important well-being facilitator because the presence of nature augments the benefits of physical activity while also enhancing motivation and adherence. This volume brings together a mix of cutting edge ideas in research, theory and practice from a wide set of disciplines with the purpose of exploring interdisciplinary or trans-disciplinary approaches to understanding the relationship between physical activity in nature and health and well-being.
Nature and Health: Physical Activity in Nature is structured to facilitate ease of use for the researcher, policy maker, practitioner or theorist. Section 1 covers research on physical activity in nature for a number of important health and well-being issues. Each chapter in this section considers how policy and practice might be shaped by current research findings and knowledge. Section 2 considers contemporary theoretical and conceptual understandings that help explain how physical activity in nature enhances health and well-being and also how best to design interventions and research. Section 3 provides examples of current approaches.
This book is an ideal resource for both researchers and advanced students interested in designing future-proofed research, for policy makers interested in improving community well-being and for practitioners interested in best practice applications.

Eric Brymer is a Reader in the School of Sport and Head of Person-Environment Research Lab at Leeds-Beckett university, UK. He is a behavioral scientist who specializes in researching the reciprocal nature of health and wellbeing from nature-based experiences. Eric collaborates with multidisciplined teams across the world and holds research positions in health, exercise and outdoor studies in the UK, Europe and Australia. Mike Rogerson is a Lecturer in the School of Sport, Rehabilitation and Exercise Sciences at the University of Essex, UK. He is a sport and exercise psychologist with expertise in the role of environments for exercise behaviors, experiences and outcomes. Jo Barton is a Reader in the School of Sport, Rehabilitation and Exercise Sciences at the University of Essex, UK. She is a Sport and Exercise Scientist and leading expert in 'green exercise', analyzing how exercise settings shape behaviours and health outcomes.

1. Nature, Physical Activity and Health Part 1: Research on Physical Activity in Nature 2. Understanding the Affective Benefits of Interacting with Nature 3. Green Exercise as A Potential Treatment Strategy for Type 2 Diabetes 4. Green Exercise: Actively Flourishing in Nature 5. Mind the Gap; On the Necessity of a Situational Taxonomy For Designing and Evaluating Gait Interventions Part 2: Theoretical Approaches 6. Resilience 7. Phenomenology and Human Wellbeing in Nature: An Eco-Phenomenological Perspective 8. Developing Integrated Conceptual Green Exercise Models 9. Physical Activity in Nature: An Ecological Dynamics Perspective 10. Physical Activity and Virtual Nature: Perspectives on the Health and Behavioural Benefits of Virtual Green Exercise 11. Emerging Psychological Well-Being Frameworks for Adventure Recreation, Education and Tourism 12. In Vivo Nature Exposure as a Positive Psychological Intervention: A Review of the Impact of Nature Interventions on Well-Being Part 3: Real-world Application 13. Care Farms: A Health Promoting Context for a Wide Range of Client Groups 14. The Next Frontier: Wilderness Therapy and the Treatment of Complex Trauma 15. What Can We Learn About Nature, Physical Activity and Health from Parkrun? 16. Students' Appropriation of Space in Education Outside the Classroom. Some Aspects on Physical Activity and Health from a Pilot Study with 5th-Graders in Germany 17. Outdoor and Adventurous Activities in Supporting Wounded, Injured and Sick Military Personnel and Veterans 18. Implications, Impact and Future Directions: Translation into Wider Policy and Practice