Oxford Textbook of Nature and Public Health The role of nature in improving the health of a population

Human beings have always been affected by their surroundings. There are various health benefits linked to being able to access to nature; including increased physical activity, stress recovery, and the stimulation of child cognitive development. The Oxford Textbook of Nature and Public Health provides a broad and inclusive picture of the relationship between our own health and the natural environment. All aspects of this unique relationship are covered, ranging from disease prevention through physical activity in green spaces to innovative ecosystem services, such as climate change adaptation by urban trees. Potential hazardous consequences are also discussed including natural disasters, vector-borne pathogens, and allergies.

This book analyses the complexity of our human interaction with nature and includes sections for example epigenetics, stress physiology, and impact assessments. These topics are all interconnected and fundamental for reaching a full understanding of the role of nature in public health and wellbeing.

Much of the recent literature on environmental health has primarily described potential threats from our natural surroundings. The Oxford Textbook of Nature and Public Health instead focuses on how nature can positively impact our health and wellbeing, and how much we risk losing by destroying it. The all-inclusive approach provides a comprehensive and complete coverage of the role of nature in public health, making this textbook invaluable reading for health professionals, students, and researchers within public health, environmental health, and complementary medicine.

Matilda van den Bosch, Assistant Professor, School of Population and Public Health and Department of Forest and Conservation Sciences, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, Canada,William Bird, Chair of Physical Activity Alliance and Honorary Senior Lecturer, European Centre for Environment and Human Health European Centre for Environment and Human Health, Truro, UK

Matilda van den Bosch is a physician with a PhD in landscape planning and public health. Her work cuts across medicine and environmental sciences, exploring interactions between human health and nature. Her main focus is health benefits from natural environments and how ecosystem services protect health in a changing climate. Her work is widely acknowledged, featuring in for example National Geographic. Apart from teaching and research activities at the University of British Columbia, Matilda has worked as a consultant to WHO, UN Environmental Programme, and the US Environmental Protection Agency. She is president of the Swedish Society of Behavioural Medicine and president elect of the International Society of Doctors for the Environment.

William Bird is a GP with a special interest in the promotion of outdoor physical activity. He helped set up both the British Heart Foundation National Centre Physical Activity and Health in Loughborough University (2000) and European Centre for Environment and Human Health in Truro (2010). Between 2000 and 2005 he was clinical director at the Met Office working on the Health Forecasting service. In 2010 William was awarded the MBE for services to promote physical activity and health.

Section 1: Why is nature a health factorn
1.1. Setting the scene and how to read the book, Matilda van den Bosch and William Bird
1.2. A life course approach to public health: why early life matters, Felicia M. Low, Peter D Gluckman, and Mark A. Hanson
1.3. Systems thinking for global health and strategic sustainable development, Karl-Henrik Robert, Michael T. Hernke, Luke Fortney, and Rian Podein
1.4. The physiology of stress and stress recovery, Peter Wahrborg, Panagiota Pervanidou, and George P. Chrousos
1.5. Unifying mechanisms: nature deficiency and chronic stress and inflammation, William Bird, Elissa Epel, Jeannette Ikovics, and Matilda van den Bosch
Section 2: How nature can affect health theories and mechanisms
2.1. Environmental psychology, Agnes E. van den Berg, and Henk Staats
2.2. Therapeutic landscapes, restorative environments, place attachment, and wellbeing, Mardie Townsend, Claire Henderson-Wilson, Haywantee Ramkissoon, and Rona Weerasuriya
2.3. Microbes, the immune system and the health benefits of exposure to the natural environment, Graham Rook
2.4. Environmental enrichment: neurophysiological responses and consequences for health, Heidi Janssen, Julie Bernhardt, Frederick R. Walker, Neil J. Spratt, Michael Pollack, Anthony Hannan, and Michael Nilsson
2.5. Biological mechanisms and physiological responses to sensory impact from nature, Caroline Hagerhall, Richard Taylor, Greg Watts, Gunnar Cerwen, Matilda van den Bosch, Daniel Press, and Steven Minta
2.6. The role of nature and environment in behavioural medicine, Leonie Venhoeven, Danny Taufik, Linda Steg, Marino Bonaiuto, Mirilia Bonnes, Silvia Ariccio , Stefano de Dominicis, Massimiliano Scopelliti, Matilda van den Bosch, Paul Piff, Jia Wei Zhang, and Dacher Keltner
Section 3: Public health impact of nature contact pathways to health promotion and disease prevention
3.1. Promoting physical activity reducing obesity and NCDs, Billie Giles-Corti, Fiona Bull, Hayley Christian, Mohammad Javad Koohsari, Takemi Sugiyama, and Paula Hooper
3.2. Preventing stress and promoting mental health, Matilda van den Bosch, Catharine Ward Thompson, and Patrik Grahn
3.3. Promoting social cohesion and social capital increasing wellbeing, Birgit Elands, Karin Peters, and Sjerp de Vries
Section 4: Public health impact of nature contact intervention and rehabilitation
4.1. Using nature as a treatment option, Anna Maria Palsdottir, Joe Sempik, William Bird, and Matilda van den Bosch
4.2. The human-animal bond and animal assisted intervention, Aubrey H. Fine and Shawna Weaver
4.3. Similarities, disparities, and synergies with other complex interventions stress as a common pathway, Cecilia Stenfors, Eva Bojner Horwitz, Tores Theorell, and Walter Osika
Section 5: Public health impact of varied landscapes and environments
5.1. The great outdoors: forests, wilderness, and public health, Qing Li and Simon Bell
5.2. Blue landscapes and public health, Mathew P. White, Rebecca Lovell, Benedict W. Wheeler, Sabine Pahl, Sebastian Volker, and Michael H. Depledge
5.3. Technological nature and human wellbeing, Peter Khan
Section 6: Varied populations and interactions with nature
6.1. Children and nature, Nancy M. Wells, Francesqca E. Jimenez, and Fredrika Martensson
6.2. Nature-based treatments as an adjunctive therapy for anxiety among elderly, Mark Detweiler, Jack Carman, and Jonna G. Meinersmann-Detweiler
6.3. Vulnerable populations, health inequalities, and nature, Richard Mitchell, Julia Africa, and Alan Logan
6.4. Responses to nature from populations of varied cultural background, Caroline Hagerhall
Section 7: Threats, environmental change, and unintended consequences of nature protecting health and reducing environmental hazards
7.1. Allergenic pollen emissions from vegetation threats and prevention, Aslog Dahl, Matilda van den Bosch, and Thomas Ogren
7.2. Vector-borne diseases and poisonous plants, David Wong
7.3. The health impact of natural disasters, Eric K. Noji and Anas Khan
7.4. Risk and the perception of risk in interactions with nature, David J. Ball and Laurence N. Ball-King
7.5. Population health deficits due to biodiversity loss, climate change, and other environmental degradation, Anthony J. McMichael
Section 8: The nature of the city
8.1. The shift from natural living environments to urban population-based and neurobiological implications for public health, Florian Lederbogen, Leila Haddad, Andreas Meyer-Lindenberg, Danielle Ompad, and Matilda van den Bosch
8.2. Urban landscapes and public health, Timothy Beatley and Cecil Konijnendijk van den Bosch
8.3. Nature in buildings and health design, Stephen R. Kellert
8.4. Green infrastructure - approach and public health benefits, Raffaele Lafortezza and Cecil Konijnendijk van den Bosch
8.5. Ecosystem services and health benefits an urban perspective, Elisabet Lindgren, My S. Almqvist, and Thomas Elmqvist
8.6. The healthy settings approach: healthy cities and environmental health indicators, Evelyne de Leeuw and Premila Webster
Section 9: Natural public health across the world
9.1. Africa and environmental health trends, Emmanuel K. Boon and Albert Ahenkan
9.2. Latin America and the environmental health movement, Ana Faggi, Sylvie Nail, Carolina Ceres, Sgobaro Zanette, and German Tovar Corzo
9.3. Healthy islands, Evelyne de Leeuw, Erik Martin, and Temo Waqanivalu
Section 10: Bringing nature into public health plans and actions
10.1. The role of the health professional, Robert Zarr and William Bird
10.2. The role of environmental law, Cinnamon P. Carlarne and Jeffrey M. Bielicki
10.3. Environmental assessment and health impact assessment, Salim Vohra, Marla Orenstein, Francesca Viliani, Ben Cave, Ben Harris-Roxas, and Filipe Silva
10.4. Quantifying and valuing the role of trees and forests on environmental quality and human health, David Nowak
10.5. The role of civil society and organizations, Matilda van den Bosch, Cathey E. Falvo, Genon Jensen, Joshua Karliner, and Rachel Stancliffe
1.1. Setting the scene and how to read the book, Matilda van den Bosch and William Bird
1.2. A life course approach to public health: why early life matters, Felicia M. Low, Peter D Gluckman, and Mark A. Hanson
1.3. Systems thinking for global health and strategic sustainable development, Karl-Henrik Robert, Michael T. Hernke, Luke Fortney, and Rian Podein
Section 1: Why is nature a health factorn
1.1. Setting the scene and how to read the book, Matilda van den Bosch and William Bird
1.2. A life course approach to public health: why early life matters, Felicia M. Low, Peter D Gluckman, and Mark A. Hanson
1.3. Systems thinking for global health and strategic sustainable development, Karl-Henrik Robert, Michael T. Hernke, Luke Fortney, and Rian Podein
1.4. The physiology of stress and stress recovery, Peter Wahrborg, Panagiota Pervanidou, and George P. Chrousos
1.5. Unifying mechanisms: Nature deficiency and chronic stress and inflammation, William Bird, Elissa Epel, Jeannette Ikovics, and Matilda van den Bosch
Section 2: How nature can affect health theories and mechanisms
2.1. Environmental psychology, Agnes E. van den Berg, and Henk Staats
2.2. Therapeutic landscapes, restorative environments, place attachment, and wellbeing, Mardie Townsend, Claire Henderson-Wilson, Haywantee Ramkissoon, and Rona Weerasuriya
2.3. Microbes, the immune system and the health benefits of exposure to the natural environment, Graham Rook
2.4. Environmental enrichment: neurophysiological responses and consequences for health, Heidi Janssen, Julie Bernhardt, Frederick R. Walker, Neil J. Spratt, Michael Pollack, Anthony Hannan, and Michael Nilsson
2.5. Biological mechanisms and physiological responses to sensory impact from nature, Caroline Hagerhall, Richard Taylor, Greg Watts, Gunnar Cerwen, Matilda van den Bosch, Daniel Press, and Steven Minta
2.6. The role of nature and environment in behavioural medicine, Leonie Venhoeven, Danny Taufik, Linda Steg, Marino Bonaiuto, Mirilia Bonnes, Silvia Ariccio , Stefano de Dominicis, Massimiliano Scopelliti, Matilda van den Bosch, Paul Piff, Jia Wei Zhang, and Dacher Keltner
Section 3: Public health impact of nature contact pathways to health promotion and disease prevention
3.1. Promoting physical activity reducing obesity and NCDs, Billie Giles-Corti, Fiona Bull, Hayley Christian, Mohammad Javad Koohsari, Takemi Sugiyama, and Paula Hooper
3.2. Preventing stress and promoting mental health, Matilda van den Bosch, Catharine Ward Thompson, and Patrik Grahn
3.3. Promoting social cohesion and social capital increasing wellbeing, Birgit Elands, Karin Peters, and Sjerp de Vries
Section 4: Public health impact of nature contact intervention and rehabilitation
4.1. Using nature as a treatment option, Anna Maria Palsdottir, Joe Sempik, William Bird, and Matilda van den Bosch
4.2. The human-animal bond and animal assisted intervention, Aubrey H. Fine and Shawna Weaver
4.3. Similarities, disparities, and synergies with other complex interventions stress as a common pathway, Cecilia Stenfors, Eva Bojner Horwitz, Tores Theorell, and Walter Osika
Section 5: Public health impact of varied landscapes and environments
5.1. The great outdoors: forests, wilderness, and public health, Qing Li and Simon Bell
5.2. Blue landscapes and public health, Mathew P. White, Rebecca Lovell, Benedict W. Wheeler, Sabine Pahl, Sebastian Volker, and Michael H. Depledge
5.3. Technological nature and human wellbeing, Peter Khan
Section 6: Varied populations and interactions with nature
6.1. Children and nature, Nancy M. Wells, Francesqca E. Jimenez, and Fredrika Martensson
6.2. Nature-based treatments as an adjunctive therapy for anxiety among elderly, Mark Detweiler, Jack Carman, and Jonna G. Meinersmann-Detweiler
6.3. Vulnerable populations, health inequalities, and nature, Richard Mitchell, Julia Africa, and Alan Logan
6.4. Responses to nature from populations of varied cultural background, Caroline Hagerhall
Section 7: Threats, environmental change, and unintended consequences of nature protecting health and reducing environmental hazards
7.1. Allergenic pollen emissions from vegetation threats and prevention, Aslog Dahl, Matilda van den Bosch, and Thomas Ogren
7.2. Vector-borne diseases and poisonous plants, David Wong
7.3. The health impact of natural disasters, Eric K. Noji and Anas Khan
7.4. Risk and the perception of risk in interactions with nature, David J. Ball and Laurence N. Ball-King
7.5. Population health deficits due to biodiversity loss, climate change, and other environmental degradation, Anthony J. McMichael
Section 8: The nature of the city
8.1. The shift from natural living environments to urban population-based and neurobiological implications for public health, Florian Lederbogen, Leila Haddad, Andreas Meyer-Lindenberg, Danielle Ompad, and Matilda van den Bosch
8.2. Urban landscapes and public health, Timothy Beatley and Cecil Konijnendijk van den Bosch
8.3. Nature in buildings and health design, Stephen R. Kellert
8.4. Green infrastructure - approach and public health benefits, Raffaele Lafortezza and Cecil Konijnendijk van den Bosch
8.5. Ecosystem services and health benefits an urban perspective, Elisabet Lindgren, My S. Almqvist, and Thomas Elmqvist
8.6. The healthy settings approach: healthy cities and environmental health indicators, Evelyne de Leeuw and Premila Webster
Section 9: Natural public health across the world
9.1. Africa and environmental health trends, Emmanuel K. Boon and Albert Ahenkan
9.2. Latin America and the environmental health movement, Ana Faggi, Sylvie Nail, Carolina Ceres, Sgobaro Zanette, and German Tovar Corzo
9.3. Healthy islands, Evelyne de Leeuw, Erik Martin, and Temo Waqanivalu
Section 10: Bringing nature into public health plans and actions
10.1. The role of the health professional, Robert Zarr and William Bird
10.2. The role of environmental law, Cinnamon P. Carlarne and Jeffrey M. Bielicki
10.3. Environmental assessment and health impact assessment, Salim Vohra, Marla Orenstein, Francesca Viliani, Ben Cave, Ben Harris-Roxas, and Filipe Silva
10.4. Quantifying and valuing the role of trees and forests on environmental quality and human health, David Nowak
10.5. The role of civil society and organizations, Matilda van den Bosch, Cathey E. Falvo, Genon Jensen, Joshua Karliner, and Rachel Stancliffe