Det finns ett överväldigande stöd från över 30 års forskning att kontakt med naturen påverkar vårt välbefinnande avsevärt. Utöver kontakt med naturen är det också känt att medveten närvaro ger effekter på välmående. Ett växande intresse finns för kombinationen av medveten närvaro och kontakt med naturen. Syftet med denna studie var att undersöka hur skogsvistelser kan påverka olika former av medveten närvaro, känslan av samhörighet med naturen och välmående. Genom en single case experimental design, med multipla baslinjer samt pre- och postmätning med kompletterande kvalitativa frågor, fick 14 icke-kliniska deltagare (12 kvinnor och 2 män) utföra sex skogsvistelser à 15 minuter under två veckor utifrån enkla instruktioner givna vid ett tillfälle. Den här studien fann på gruppnivå en signifikant ökning på färdigheter i medveten närvaro, med stor effekt på delskalan observera. Färdigheter i medveten närvaro sågs också korrelera starkt med upplevt välmående. Visuell analys av upprepad mätning visade ingen tydlig ökning av tillstånd respektive färdigheter i medveten närvaro. Det fanns dock flertalet kvalitativa beskrivningar som kunde tolkas som uttryck för tillstånd av medveten närvaro vid skogsvistelserna. Deltagarnas beskrivningar gav också tydligt uttryck för välmående i samband med skogsvistelserna. Resultaten indikerar att korta, enkla och kostnadseffektiva interventioner i skogsmiljö kan ge ökade färdigheter i medveten närvaro samt tillstånd av medveten närvaro och välmående. Ytterligare forskning behövs för att vidare undersöka hur medveten närvaro, känslan av samhörighet med naturen och välmående påverkar varandra. / There is overwhelming support from over 30 years of research that contact with nature has a significant impact on our well-being. In addition to contact with nature, mindfulness is known to give effects on well-being. There is a growing interest in the combination of mindfulness and contact with nature. The purpose of this study was to investigate how being in forest can affect different forms of mindfulness, connectedness to nature and well-being. Through a Single Case Experimental Design with multiple baselines as well as pre- and postmeasurement with supplementary qualitative questions, 14 non-clinical participants (12 women and 2 men) carried out six forest visits à 15 minutes for two weeks based on a simple single instruction. This study found a significant increase in trait mindfulness on a group level, with a large effect on the subscale observing. Trait mindfulness were also seen to correlate strongly with perceived well-being. Visual analysis of repeated measurement showed no obvious increase of state or trait mindfulness. However, there were a number of qualitative responses that could be interpreted as state mindfulness at the forest visits. The participants' descriptions also clearly expressed well-being during the forest visits. The results indicate that short, simple and cost-effective interventions in the forest can provide increased trait mindfulness as well as state mindfulness and well-being. Further research is needed to further investigate how mindfulness, nature connectedness, and well-being affect each other.

A growing body of research indicates that nature connectedness should be an important component of environmental education programs as emerging empirical evidence shows a correlation between connectedness to nature and environmentally responsible behaviour. Despite an increased interest in further examination of the human-nature relationship, research is lacking in terms of specific factors or conditions that influence nature connectedness. In this study, a mixed methods approach was employed to quantitatively assess the impact winter camping had on nature connectedness and then qualitatively determine specific components of the camp experience that influenced this sense of nature connectedness. Nineteen scouts participated on a three day winter camp at Manning Park in British Columba, Canada, where they experienced many challenges such as sleeping in quinzees (snow caves) and learned new skills such as snowshoeing. The Nature Relatedness Scale was used to assess nature connectedness in this study. A pre-test was administered a few days before the winter camp and the post-test two days afterwards. The results from the paired sample T-test show that there was a statistically significant improvement in nature connectedness following the winter camp experience. Eleven scouts were then selected to participate in semi-structured interviews with the aim of gaining insight to the specific conditions of winter camping that influenced nature connectedness. The results indicate that the location of the camp, the condition of being immersed in nature, interacting with wildlife, the positive experience of challenges, the presence of risk, and freedom from technology are all contributing factors that influenced a sense o f nature connectedness. An increased environmental awareness was also a prevalent theme which supports research suggesting that there is a positive relationship between nature connectedness and pro-environmental behaviour. It is recommended that programs with the aim of promoting nature connectedness or environmental awareness should include as many of these components as possible. Further research should alsobe conducted to confirm that these results apply also to other populations as these results cannot be generalized with a sample size of nineteen.

Mindfulness is defined as the ‘awareness that arises through paying attention to the present moment, on purpose, non-judgmentally’. Despite ample empirical evidence of its efficacy in inducing positive behavior change, almost no work has investigated the viability of using mindfulness-based interventions (MBIs) to promote pro-environmental behavior. Some recent studies have demonstrated consistent correlational relationships between mindfulness levels and pro-environmental attitudes (e.g., connectedness to nature), intentions, and some pro-environmental behaviors (e.g., recycling, “green” purchasing decisions), but no past work has explicitly examined mindfulness in the context of energy saving behaviors. Results from both quantitative and qualitative research conducted as part of this project add to existing evidence of a link between engagement in mindfulness practices and pro-environmental engagement, including, but not limited to, household energy use behaviors. Results from a couple of quantitative studies that were a part of this project show that dispositional facets Observe and Non-React were significant predictors of self-reported household energy behaviors, along with frequent engagement with mindfulness practices such as meditation, yoga, and breathing exercises. The results from the qualitative study present mindfulness to be a complex, multidimensional concept that is understood and experienced differently by different people. Unlike usually value-neutral academic and corporate conceptualizations, long-term practitioners who engage with the concept report their practice to have strong ethical dimensions. Engagement with mindfulness as a practice impacts practitioners' perceived connectedness to nature and supports their environmental behaviors. The study provides conceptual models that attempt to explain the relationship between mindfulness practice, connectedness to nature, and pro-environmental behaviors. Results from these studies suggest the possibility that mindfulness-based interventions could provide a novel approach to improving environmental behaviors though further research is needed to determine whether this is indeed the case. Implications and limitations of the study are discussed.

The disconnection with nature as a consequence ofthe migration from rural areas to urban spaces in thelast decades, has supposed a physical and mentalchange in the population. Experiences in nature haveshown to be a restoration factor and an improvementin physical and mental health. In this research, therole of guided hikes in aspects such as natureconnectedness, place attachment and well-being willbe deepened.Hence, an experiment has been carried out in whichtwo conditions were studied, unguided and guidedwalks, with the aim of observing the impact of eachone on the experience. Well-being was studiedthrough a comparative survey, taking pre-hike andpost-hike surveys. Place attachment and NatureConnectedness were studied with a survey at the endof the walks.The results have not been able to confirm thehypotheses, but that is why the limitations that havearisen throughout the study, and the discussionaround them, are of great importance.

Two phenomena form the basis for this thesis; bad lighting for children and our connection to nature. The former has somehow largely stayed unchanged through the years, the second one is rapidly changing for the worse. Lighting in spaces designed for children in Sweden often seem like an afterthought focusing on the quantitative aspects, ignoring the qualitative; following standards but often forgetting who the space is meant for. At the same time, cities are becoming denser, making nature something many people actively have to seek out to experience - children’s definition of nature is slowly changing.How can outdoor lighting for children become better? Using the Ringmuren preschool in Uppsala, Sweden, as a case study, this thesis proposes an alternative way of thinking when designing light for children and how it can encourage a connection to nature. The design proposal was made using interviews, site analysis, research and experiments inside a digital twin custom made for RIngmuren preschool. The direct result of this project is a digital twin and a lighting concept, but it also argues that the practicalities of analysing and designing lighting is one thing; getting the people in power to understand why good lighting is important is the first, and largest, hurdle. Producing good, affordable examples of good lighting design that can be applied to varying situations is a good place to start to at the least initiate a discussion.

Malmö stad ökar snabbt i population och planerar därför att fortsätta den pågående tätbebyggelsen innanför Yttre Ringvägen för att tillgodose boende och arbetstillfällen. Planeringen skapar en osäker framtid för grönytor i Malmö som redan idag har ett av Sveriges lägsta grönyta per capita. Att ha tillgång till kvalitativa grönområden omfattas bland annat av Globala målen. Stadsrum av grönska är många människors vanligaste interaktioner med naturen och är därför viktiga för människans naturkontakt. Studien undersöker arbetet med och åsikter kring att införliva mer vild stadsnatur för syftet att förbättra kvaliteten på Malmös natur i form av biologisk mångfald för att vild stadsnatur ska bidra till en ökad naturkontakt i staden. Arbetet med och åsikter om vild stadsnatur undersöktes genom semistrukturerade intervjuer med invånare och stadsutvecklare i Malmö. Studien presenterar fyra teman som uppkommit vid intervjuerna om vild stadsnatur samt om möjligheten att knyta an till naturen i staden: naturkontakt, miljörättvisa, risk samt människans ambivalens gentemot naturen. Resultaten visar att konflikterna kring hur en stadsnatur får se ut samt huruvida en vild stadsnatur är farlig eller inte präglar diskussionen kring hur vi kan skapa en hållbar stadsutveckling om naturen inte får ta plats. Vidare visar diskussionen att man borde utöka arbetet inom stadsplanering med att främja naturkontakt för att den kan leda till miljövänligt beteende som främjar en hållbar stadsutveckling. Kunskapsförmedling om fördelar med vild stadsnatur bör även kommuniceras vidare till invånare för att öka en förståelse och acceptans till vild stadsnatur. / The city of Malmö is rapidly increasing in population and therefore plans to continue the ongoing dense development within the Yttre Ringvägen to accommodate housing and work opportunities. This development creates an uncertain future for green areas in Malmö, which already today has one of Sweden's lowest green areas per capita. Having access to qualitative green areas is covered by the Global Goals, among other things. Urban spaces of greenery are many people's most frequent interactions with nature and are therefore important for people's nature connectedness. The study examines the work with, and opinions about, incorporating more wild urban nature for the purpose of improving the quality of Malmö's nature in the form of biological diversity so that wild urban nature will contribute to increased nature connectedness in the city. The work with and opinions about wild urban nature were investigated through semi-structured interviews with residents and urban developers in Malmö. The study presents four themes that arose during the interviews about wild urban nature and the possibility of connecting with nature in the city: nature connectedness, environmental justice, risk and human ambivalence towards nature. The results show that the conflicts around what an urban nature is allowed to look like and whether a wild urban nature is dangerous or not characterize the discussion about how we can create sustainable urban development if nature is not allowed to take its place. Furthermore, the discussion shows that one should expand the work in urban planning to promote nature connectedness because it can lead to environmentally friendly behavior that promotes sustainable urban development. Knowledge transfer about the benefits of wild urban nature should also be communicated to residents to increase understanding and acceptance of wild urban nature.

The first paper is a two-phase mixed methods study that explored the relationship among nature connectedness, mental health, and childhood nature experiences in a sample of McMaster undergraduates. Study objectives were twofold: (1) to determine associations between measures of nature connectedness, positive childhood nature experiences, and mental health via an online survey (Phase One); and, (2) to compare, qualitatively, the self-reported childhood nature experiences of students who are more nature connected to those who are less nature connected via in-depth interviews (Phase Two). Quantitative findings from the Phase One survey (N=308) showed that nature connectedness is associated with higher levels of emotional and psychological well-being and also correlates positively with students’ self-recalled positive childhood nature experiences. Thematic analysis of qualitative findings from in-depth interviews held with students (n=12) in Phase Two showed that students who measured relatively higher in nature connectedness recall growing up in the vicinity of accessible, expansive, natural places, and being raised in families that modeled a love for nature and valued shared nature experiences. Overall, findings suggest that positive experiences in natural places growing up may have long-term mental health benefits through fostering a more ecological self. The second paper, an exploratory qualitative study, investigated the types of natural places that McMaster undergraduates consider beneficial to their mental health, and why. Twelve students were invited to photographically document a natural place that they consider mental health promoting. Thematic analysis of photographs and follow-up in-depth interviews revealed that students prefer familiar natural places that contain a variety of natural elements (especially mature trees and some form of water) and are separate from the context of everyday campus life (distanced from both the built and social campus environment). Overall, findings demonstrate the importance of acknowledging symbolic and social factors when assessing the potential mental health benefits of natural places for different groups and individuals. In the third paper, an argumentative essay, we argued that colleges and universities should take nature’s mental health benefits seriously by finding ways to foster student-nature relationships both on their campuses, and in their surrounding communities. We present and describe four geographically informed ways that this might be accomplished: (1) raising awareness; (2) planning for the availability and accessibility of natural spaces; (3) bringing nature indoors, and; (4) using nature-based therapies. While many students may be “bleeding at the roots”, it is not too late to graft them back onto the earth. / Thesis / Master of Arts (MA) / The first paper explored associations among childhood nature experiences, nature connectedness (a measure of the degree to which an individual includes nature in her or his identity), and mental health in McMaster undergrads. Quantitative results showed that positive childhood nature experiences, nature connectedness, and mental health are all significantly related. Qualitative findings showed that students who are more nature connected remember growing up in nature loving families and in the vicinity of expansive natural areas (e.g., a conservation area). The second paper explored the types of natural places that McMaster undergrads consider beneficial to their mental health, and why. Twelve students were invited to visit a favourite natural place and take photographs of it. Qualitative findings showed that students’ prefer familiar natural places that contain a variety of natural elements and are separate from the context of campus life. In the third paper, four strategies that post-secondary institutions can use to connect students with nature are presented: (1) raising awareness; (2) planning for the availability and accessibility of natural spaces; (3) bringing nature indoors, and; (4) using nature-based therapies. While many students may be “bleeding at the roots”, it is not too late to graft them back onto the earth.

Deforestation and climate change is a global concern and humans live in unsustainable ways. One reason to this is rooted in the increased disconnection to nature. This disconnection originates from a Westernized view of nature, which has its roots in colonialism, industrialization, religion, and capitalism. Research has shown that the disconnection with nature is one of the key factors to explain the global climate crisis. The need to reconnect to our natural world is crucial to be able to decrease negative impact on the planet, such as deforestation and loss of biodiversity. Meanwhile, many Indigenous cultures consider nature to be a living being, which we are connected to, and also regard themselves as stewards of nature. Being and feeling connected to nature is related to increased environmental concern, pro-environmental behavior and nature relatedness. Studies show that ancestral Indigenous knowledge could help to prevent negative impacts on nature and reduce loss of biodiversity and deforestation. However Indigenous peoples are still being overlooked, and their knowledge is considered less valuable. The Kichwa Indigenous Peoples of Sarayaku, in Ecuador, have introduced the declaration Kawsak Sacha, the living forest, which considers nature to be a living being with its own rights. The declaration was introduced in 2018 with the purpose to live in harmony with nature, and to stop deforestation, oil extraction and mining. This study aimed to research the views of Kawsak Sacha, Indigenous peoples’ views of nature and whether this view of nature could be a possible pathway to decrease deforestation in the Amazon rainforest. This study aimed to include Indigenous peoples’ perspectives and voices, this was done through interviews to learn and understand more about their perspectives. The study demonstrates the importance of acknowledging Indigenous knowledge in academia, and environmental decision making. It also shows that learning from Indigenous peoples’ knowledges and views of nature, could be a pathway for Westernized societies to reconnect to nature and that Kawsak Sacha could be an inspiration for other countries to include Indigenous perspectives and knowledge in environmental decision making.

Allt fler bor i urbana områden och vistas mindre ute i naturen. Samtidigt pågårklimatförändringar som bland annat påskyndas av att torrlagda våtmarker släpper utkoldioxid. Den här undersökningen utforskar hur miljöpedagoger arbetar med exkursionervid våtmarker för att stärka barns natursamhörighet, uppmärksamma våtmarkers värden, samthur exkursioner kan bidra i arbetet för Agenda 2030 och Sveriges miljömål gällandevåtmarker. Semistrukturerade intervjuer med miljöpedagoger samt observation av enexkursion vid en våtmark utfördes i undersökningen. Resultatet visar att exkursioner vidvåtmarker kan vara avgörande för barns natursamhörighet, barns förståelse för våtmarkersvärde, samt utvecklande av empatiska beteenden gentemot naturen. Under en exkursion vidvåtmarker får barn vara med och utför åtgärder för att skydda och bevara våtmarker, vilket ären viktig del för att uppnå Agenda 2030 och Sveriges miljömål. Trots att mänskligaaktiviteter vid våtmarker kan vara negativt för den biologiska mångfalden, är exkursionernödvändigt för det framtida arbetet för våtmarkers välstånd. Framtida forskning bör fokuserapå långsiktiga effekter på barn som kontinuerligt får komma ut på exkursioner inaturområden. / The number of people living in urban areas has increased significantly, and they spend lesstime in nature. At the same time climate change is taking place, which is being accelerated,among other things, by drained wetlands that emit carbon dioxide. This study explores howenvironmental educators work with excursions at wetlands to strengthen children's natureconnectedness, pay attention to the values of wetlands, and how excursions can contribute toreaching the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and Sweden's environmental goalsregarding wetlands. Semi-structured interviews with environmental educators and anobservation of an excursion to a wetland, were conducted in the study. The results show thatexcursions at wetlands can be crucial for children's nature connectedness, children'sunderstanding of the value of wetlands, and the development of empathic behaviors towardsnature. Through excursions at wetlands, children are involved with the wetlands andmeasures are taken to protect and preserve wetlands, which is an important part of achievingthe 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and Sweden's environmental goals. Althoughhuman activities in wetlands can be detrimental to biodiversity, excursions are necessary forfuture work on wetland prosperity. Future research should focus on long-term effects onchildren who are continuously on excursions in nature.