A ndrea Mechelli, a clinical psychologist and neuroscientist, is professor of early intervention in mental health at King’s College London. He is the project lead on Urban Mind , a research study co-developed with arts foundation Nomad Projects and landscape architects J&L Gibbons which since 2018 has been looking at how aspects of the urban environment affect mental wellbeing globally. Its recent findings suggest that nature – and certain features such as natural diversity and birdsong – can boost our mental health.
We know being outdoors – walking, jogging or playing sports – is good for our physical health, but what role does nature play in our mental health? Several studies show that people who live near parks, canals, rivers – any green space – are less likely to struggle with mental health issues. And this is the case even after we account for individual differences in socioeconomics. The risk of developing depression is about 20% lower in people who live near or spend a significant amount of time near green spaces.
But what we don’t know is which specific aspects of the natural environment are beneficial. How can we access the psychological benefits of being in nature? One of the key findings from our Urban Mind project is that you don’t need a large park to ensure that people can benefit from nature: even small pockets of green spaces can lead to measurable improvements in mental wellbeing that last over time. It’s important to reframe nature as so.
