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Cumulative Frequency of Nature Dose: How Continuous and Regular Forest Walking Improves Nature Relatedness, Restorativeness, and Learning Engagement in College Students

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  • Wan-Yu Chou

    (Graduate Institute of Landscape Architecture and Recreation Management, National Pingtung University of Science & Technology, Pingtung 912301, Taiwan)

  • Shih-Han Hung

    (Department of Horticulture and Landscape Architecture, National Taiwan University, Taipei 106032, Taiwan)

Abstract

Forest is a natural resource that provides natural walking as a popular leisure activity for urban residents. From the perspective of “dose of nature”, continuous contact with natural environments and engagement in natural activities can gradually promote positive health benefits. This study aims to explore the “cumulative frequency of nature dose” through regular forest walking. Ten college students were recruited to walk once a week for 30 min in the campus forest. Eight weeks of forest walking experiences were collected by administering questionnaires on nature relatedness, mental health, restorativeness, and learning engagement before the first walk, as well as after the fourth and the eighth walks. The findings of this study revealed that regular forest activities can induce accumulated natural benefits. By taking at least 30 min of forest walks once a week continuously for eight weeks, the subjects improved their mental health, increased learning engagement in school, gained more attention recovery and reflection experiences, and re-established a relationship with nature. In addition, different doses of natural benefits were observed for different cumulative processes.

Suggested Citation

  • Wan-Yu Chou & Shih-Han Hung, 2021. "Cumulative Frequency of Nature Dose: How Continuous and Regular Forest Walking Improves Nature Relatedness, Restorativeness, and Learning Engagement in College Students," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(20), pages 1-12, October.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:13:y:2021:i:20:p:11370-:d:656548
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    1. Florian Lederbogen & Peter Kirsch & Leila Haddad & Fabian Streit & Heike Tost & Philipp Schuch & Stefan Wüst & Jens C. Pruessner & Marcella Rietschel & Michael Deuschle & Andreas Meyer-Lindenberg, 2011. "City living and urban upbringing affect neural social stress processing in humans," Nature, Nature, vol. 474(7352), pages 498-501, June.
    2. Elizabeth Nisbet & John Zelenski & Steven Murphy, 2011. "Happiness is in our Nature: Exploring Nature Relatedness as a Contributor to Subjective Well-Being," Journal of Happiness Studies, Springer, vol. 12(2), pages 303-322, April.
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    Cited by:

    1. David Sheffield & Carly W. Butler & Miles Richardson, 2022. "Improving Nature Connectedness in Adults: A Meta-Analysis, Review and Agenda," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(19), pages 1-23, September.

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