The Nature Report: Benefits of the Great Outdoors

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THE NATURE REPORT: BENEFITS OF THE GREAT OUTDOORS

1 July 2016

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WELCOME TO OUR REPORT Here at Sawday’s Canopy & Stars it isn’t a secret that we love nature. It’s the one thing our ragtag collection of yurts, treehouses and cabins all have in the common; the chance to escape it all, reconnect with the outdoors and embrace the restorative effects of being out in the wild. We know it’s true because we regularly hear from guests that they return feeling happier and more relaxed. Sun and fresh air aren’t a surprising formula for contentment, but what exactly is it about the outdoors that causes us to feel rejuvenated and what can we do to bring a bit of nature back into our everyday lives?

To find out we spoke to over 2,000 people and enlisted the help of Dr Miles Richardson, an expert on the psychological effects of the outdoors. From urbanites to self-declared nature lovers the results are surprising in just how little time we are all spending outdoors whilst being fully aware of how good it makes us feel.

Consider The Nature Report: Benefits of the Great Outdoors your five-minute introduction to welltreeing.

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60% of us spend over 20 hours a week looking at a screen

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94%

OF US THINK WE SPEND

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TOO MUCH TIME LO O K I N G

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AT A SCREEN

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City dwellers spend four times longer looking at a screen than being outdoors in nature

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97%OFUS WOULD LIKE TO SPEND

MORE TIME IN

NATURE TNR:BOTGO - 01.07.16

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Over two thirds of city dwellers wish they could spend more time in nature.

In reality half of them spend less than an hour a day anywhere near trees

” “ HALF OF US THINK WE’D FEEL

HAPPIER OR LESS STRESSED IF WE

HUGGED A TREE

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The Nature Report

A WORD FROM DR MILES RICHARDSON

CPsychol C.ErgHF

You hear a lot of people talking about stopping to smell the flowers, but spare a thought, and a hug, for the trees. It’s all too easy to hurry past the grand old fixtures of nature when actually, spending time among the trees can benefit you, and them, in a number of ways.

Busy lives and modern distractions eat up all of our time and, as this report shows, the vast majority of us aren’t spending enough of it appreciating and connecting with nature – even though we’d all like to.

It’s been a pleasure collaborating with Sawday’s Canopy & Stars to explain to tree-lovers and non-believers in kind, the importance of getting out there in nature amongst the trees and, more importantly, how you can do it.

Yours Nature-ly, Dr Miles Richardson CPsychol C.ErgHF

e Ye p, t hat’s t h Tree Doctor!

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The Nature Report

Nature is a wonder drug

It’s down to evolution

Budding branches of research show that nature is good for us, both physically and mentally [1]. A regular dose of nature has been shown to improve vitality, mood, emotional equilibrium, attention span, general happiness, caring and sharing attitudes and environmental actions [1].

Looking back at evolution, this makes sense. Our brains developed to make sense of the natural world, particularly primary features of the landscape such as trees [12].

We’re tuned in to process their shapes and movements – their soft-fascination comes easily to our eyes and has a restorative effect on both a stressed nervous system and depleted attention capacity.

Even just the ability to see trees has long been associated with benefits to wellbeing [2].

The effect, we’re calling tree-phoria (it probably won’t catch on), is not only because the patterns and rhythms of a forest are beautiful, but because when we’re in woodland, our heart rate changes, calming and re-balancing the systems that regulate our emotions. We automatically tune in to natural forms; trees have a “soft-fascination” that gently occupies our senses, providing a soothing influence.[2] Further emerging research suggests that people with a stronger connection to nature experience greater life satisfaction [3], lower cognitive anxiety [4], greater vitality [5] and meaningfulness [5, 6, 7] – all at levels associated with established factors such as personal income [8]. The formula is simple: a connection with nature brings happiness [9]; and happiness makes us feel healthier [10]. It has even been associated with a better body image [11].

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No wonder we instinctively understand that time in nature is good. Of the people who weren’t napping in bliss under trees and answered the Canopy & Stars Nature survey, an overwhelming 92% said that they were happiest in the countryside surrounded by trees and 97% of them expressed a desire to spend more time in nature.

Trees calm us and re-balance the everyday drive To feel good we need emotional balance – happiness and calm comes through balancing threat, drive and contentment. When our threat response is overactive, positive emotions are reduced and we can become anxious or depressed.

Research in Japan has shown that ‘forest bathing’ (the medicine of simply being in the forest) has a physiological impact on our bodies. Being surrounded by trees changes our heart rate, bringing contentment and calm by rebalancing our emotions. [13]

Real physical benefits, heart disease, recuperation and body image Thinking about physical health, research evidence suggests that places subjected to a loss of trees have shown increases in mortality due to health conditions such as cardiovascular illnesses and heart disease [14]. Trees also help us get better. Patients who had a hospital room with a view of trees have recovered more quickly and used fewer painkillers than patients with a view of a brick wall [15].

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The Nature Report

The bigger picture The impact of trees and green space goes beyond our personal well-being and spreads to your community, your family and your career.

Views of nature have been linked to more interconnected communities; a cohesiveness that correlates to increased happiness, improved environmental awareness and even better performance at work [16]!

Homes surrounded by trees lead to happier families with reduced internal family conflict [17].

We all want to spend more time in nature and feeling connected to nature can have a profound effect on our happiness and well-being. Being around trees rebalances our emotions, brings contentment and calm and can even improve our health, the health of our communities and our lives in general.

Dr Miles Richardson CPsychol C.ErgHF

References [1] — Richardson, M., Maspero, M., Golightly, D., Sheffield, D., Staples, V., & Lumber, R. (2016). Nature: a new paradigm for wellbeing and ergonomics. Ergonomics, 1-14.

[2] — Hartig, T., A. van den Berg, C. Hägerhäll, M. Tomalak, N. Bauer, R. Hansmann, A. Ojala, E. Syngollitou, G. Carrus, A. van Herzele, S. Bell, M.T. Camilleri Podesta and G. Waaseth. (2011). ‘Health benefits of nature experience: Psychological, social and cultural processes’, in K. Nilsson, M. Sangster, C. Gallis, T. Hartig, S. De Vries, K. Seeland and J. Schipperijn (eds) Forests, Trees, and Human Health, pp. 127–168.

Dordrecht: Springer [3] — Mayer, S. F., and Frantz, C. M. (2004.) The Connectedness to Nature Scale: A Measure of Individuals’ Feeling In Community with Nature. Journal of Environmental Psychology 24 (4): 503-515. doi: 10.1016/j.jenvp.2004.10.001 [4] — Martyn, P., and Brymer, E. 2014. The relationship between nature relatedness and anxiety. Journal of Health Psychology 1359105314555169.

[5] — Cervinka, R., Röderer, K., and Hefler, E. (2012). Are Nature Lovers Happy? On Various Indicators of Well-being and Connectedness with Nature. Journal of Health Psychology 17 (3): 379-388. doi: 10.1177/1359105311416873

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[6] — Howell, A., Passmore, H. A., and Buro, K. (2012). Meaning in Nature: Meaning in Life as a Mediator of the Relationship Between Nature Connectedness and WellBeing. Journal of Happiness Studies 11 (1): 1-16. doi: 10.1007/s10902-012-9403-x [7] — Mayer, F. S., Frantz, C. M., BruehlmanSenecal, E., and Dolliver, K. (2009).

Why Is Nature Beneficial?: The Role of Connectedness to Nature. Environment and Behavior 41 (5): 607-643.

[8] — Capaldi, C. A., Dopko, R. L., & Zelenski, J. M. (2014). The relationship between nature connectedness and happiness: a metaanalysis. Frontiers in psychology, 5, 976.

[9] — Nisbet, E., Zelenski, J., and Murphy, S. (2011). Happiness is in our Nature: Exploring Nature Relatedness as a Contributor to Subjective Well-Being. Journal of Happiness Studies 12 (2): 303-322. doi: 10.1177/0956797611418527 [10] — Richardson, M., Cormack, A., McRobert, L., & Underhill, R. (2016). 30 Days Wild: Development and Evaluation of a Large-Scale Nature Engagement Campaign to Improve Well-Being. PloS one, 11(2), e0149777.

[11] — Swami, V., von Nordheim, L., & Barron, D. (2016). Self-esteem mediates the relationship between connectedness to nature and body appreciation in women, but not men. Body image, 16, 41-44.

[12] — Kaplan, S. (1987). Aesthetics, affect, and cognition environmental preference from an evolutionary perspective.

Environment and Behavior 19: 3–32.

[13] — Lee, J., Park, B. J., Tsunetsugu, Y., Ohira, T., Kagawa, T., & Miyazaki, Y. (2011).

Effect of forest bathing on physiological and psychological responses in young Japanese male subjects. Public Health, 125(2), 93100.

[14] — Donovan GH, Butry DT, Michael YL, Prestemon JP, Liebhold AM, et al.

(2013). The relationship between trees and human health: evidence from the spread of the emerald ash borer. Am. J. Prev. Med. 44:139–45 [15] — Ulrich, R.S. (1983). Aesthetic and affective response to natural environment, in I. Altman and J.F. Wohlwill (eds) Human Behaviour and Environment: Vol. 6.

Behaviour and the Natural Environment, pp.

85–125. New York, NY: Plenum.

[16] — Weinstein, N., Balmford, A., DeHaan, C. R., Gladwell, V., Bradbury, R. B., & Amano, T. (2015). Seeing Community for the Trees: The Links among Contact with Natural Environments, Community Cohesion, and Crime.BioScience, biv151.

[17] — Kuo FE, Sullivan WC. (2001).

Aggression and violence in the inner city: effects of environment via mental fatigue.

Environ. Behav. 33:543–71

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OUR FAVOURITE ANSWER TO THE QUESTION

‘WHO WOULD BENEFIT MOST FROM HUGGING A TREE?’

MOST OF THE

WORLD

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40% of people who spend 50 hours or MORE in nature per week, STILL think they should spend longer with trees

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99%

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OF US F E E L

HAPPIER

WHEN WE’RE OUTDOORS

IN NATURE

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Connect to nature Research has proven that being around trees rebalances our emotions, brings contentment and calm and can even improve our health, the health of our communities and our lives in general. Our survey shows the stark difference between what we know is good for us and what we choose to do.

Connecting with the natural world is a huge benefit to us and to nature itself, but here’s the big question: how exactly do we get more connected with nature?

Well it’s easier than you think...

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FIVE WAYS TO GET CONNECTED TO NATURE 1. Just spend more time out there. Studies show that 20 minutes outdoors energises us more than a cup of coffee. So ditch the caffeine and get in the trees.

2. Look up! Trees are awesome and everywhere. You don’t have to be in the middle of

a forest; find trees in your city or town, stand at the base and raise your eyes to the sky.

3. Pick a favourite tree. If you don’t already have one of course. Find a tree near

where you live and notice how it changes over the seasons. Keep an eye on it and it’ll take care of you too.

4. Simply care about trees. Pay attention to what you use, what you print and what’s happening in the green spaces where you live.

5. Make contact. Hug a tree, touch the bark, smell the pine trees and listen to the

wind through the leaves. Wrap your limbs around one of our arboreal friends and feel at one with nature and the world.

FREE URBAN TREE HUGGING GUIDE We know not everyone lives in the middle of the countryside and has nature on tap, so for all you city folk we’ve put together a handy guide mapping out the most huggable trees in London, Bristol, Manchester, Edinburgh and Cardiff.

Unfold the map, Get hugging, Get happy.

London

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WIN A HOLIDAY IN THE TREES Feeling like you need a jolly holiday so you can reconnect with nature and hug as many trees as you can? We got you. Enter our ultimate tree-loving competition and you can win a week long holiday celebrating all things forest-y. It’s easy to enter…

1. Get outdoors

Wrap your arms around any of our arboreal friends

2. #TreeHug

Take a photo and share it on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram including @canopyandstars and #TreeHug

Or

Visit canopyandstars.co.uk/hugatree to upload your photo

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You don’t have to go this extreme but we’ll love it i f you do

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“ ” “ ” Over 70% of us would hug a tree if there were scientifically proven benefits — We’ve found the proof!

See pages 8 & 9, it’s all you’ll need

30%

OF US THINK THAT

DONALD TRUMP WOULD REALLY BENEFIT FROM

HUGGING A TREE

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STOP READING THIS REPO

ORT AND GET OUTDOORS

Sawday’s Canopy & Stars is a collection of inspected and selected unusual places to stay across the UK, France, Spain and Portugal. You can find anything from a stunning treehouse or a sumptuous yurt, to a fun, family safari tent, a cosy Gypsy caravan, or even a floating log cabin.

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Š Canopy & Stars 2016

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