Abstract
Due to their valuable landscape and natural characteristics, protected areas (PAs) distinguish themselves from other green spaces. Studies that survey individuals on the perceived capacity of PAs to provide health benefits are very limited. However, the importance of PAs for societal health could emphasize the necessity to preserve them. In addition, studies of cross-country comparisons of nature-based activities show strong cultural differences with regard to the importance of wild nature and landscape preferences. Cross-country comparisons of the perception of PAs as a resource for personal well-being and health are lacking. An extensive survey with face-to-face questionnaires was conducted in PAs in Poland, Austria, and Italy with an overall sample size of 1390 people. It examined both emotional and physical personal well-being in the context of a stay in a PA. In general, the results showed that between the three countries, different perceptions of the capacity of PAs to contribute to personal health and well-being exist. Both diverse emotional and physical benefits were associated with a stay in a PA. Moreover, respondents from the three countries assessed the perceived capacity of a PA to reduce negative physical symptoms, such as muscular pain or tension, and negative emotional symptoms, such as depression or stress.
Highlights
The health and well-being effects of contact with nature and different natural settings have been the subject of several studies over the past thirty years (e.g., [1,2,3,4,5,6])
Several significant differences could be observed between the sub-samples, in particular
Several significant differences could be observed between the sub-samples, in particular with withtoregard to the perceived capacity
Summary
The health and well-being effects of contact with nature and different natural settings have been the subject of several studies over the past thirty years (e.g., [1,2,3,4,5,6]). Staats et al [1] refer to the change in mood in connection to specific forest landscape characteristics. They built on previous studies on the influence of landscape structures (density, accessibility, etc.) on an emotional level [8,9,10,11]. The Japanese research on Shinrin-Yoku has contributed to understanding the particular effect of forest landscapes on diverse health determinants [12,13,14]. Recreational opportunities and tourism-related economic benefits of a natural site are the main components of use values within CES. Backhaus et al [55]
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