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Everyday green space and experienced well-being: the significance of wildlife encounters

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  • Sarah L. Bell
  • Michael Westley
  • Rebecca Lovell
  • Benedict W. Wheeler

Abstract

A broad and growing evidence base suggests the potential for time spent in natural environments to promote human health and well-being. Whilst evidence of such benefits is rapidly accumulating, we still know relatively little about the role of wildlife encounters in shaping the well-being potential of people’s routine green/blue space interactions, particularly amongst non-specialists. This article addresses this conceptual gap, drawing on the findings of a three-stage, qualitative, interpretive study which sought to understand and situate people’s natural environment well-being experiences within their everyday lives. Wildlife encounters were emphasised by study participants in the context of four types of well-being experience: social, immersive, symbolic and achievement oriented. These are explored within this paper, before discussing the influence of past experiences and current life circumstances on participants’ wildlife relationships. Consideration is also given to how environmental managers might focus activity and investment to balance opportunities for such wildlife experiences with the ongoing priorities of delivering socially inclusive, ecologically rich and climate change-resilient green spaces.

Suggested Citation

  • Sarah L. Bell & Michael Westley & Rebecca Lovell & Benedict W. Wheeler, 2018. "Everyday green space and experienced well-being: the significance of wildlife encounters," Landscape Research, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 43(1), pages 8-19, January.
    • Handle: RePEc:taf:clarxx:v:43:y:2018:i:1:p:8-19
    DOI: 10.1080/01426397.2016.1267721
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    Cited by:

    1. Rocío Santo-Tomás Muro & Carlota Sáenz de Tejada Granados & Eva J. Rodríguez Romero, 2020. "Green Infrastructures in the Peri-Urban Landscape: Exploring Local Perception of Well-Being through ‘Go-Alongs’ and ‘Semi-Structured Interviews’," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(17), pages 1-26, August.
    2. Yeshey & Rebecca M. Ford & Rodney J. Keenan & Craig R. Nitschke, 2022. "Subsistence Farmers’ Understanding of the Effects of Indirect Impacts of Human Wildlife Conflict on Their Psychosocial Well-Being in Bhutan," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(21), pages 1-23, October.
    3. Jonathan P. Reeves & Conor H. D. John & Kevin A. Wood & Phoebe R. Maund, 2021. "A Qualitative Analysis of UK Wetland Visitor Centres as a Health Resource," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(16), pages 1-25, August.
    4. Atkinson, Sarah, 2021. "The toxic effects of subjective wellbeing and potential tonics," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 288(C).
    5. Weizhen Xu & Dulai Zheng & Peilin Huang & Jiao Yu & Ziru Chen & Zhipeng Zhu & Jianwen Dong & Weicong Fu, 2022. "Does Bird Diversity Affect Public Mental Health in Urban Mountain Parks?—A Case Study in Fuzhou City, China," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(12), pages 1-16, June.

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