Experiencing Nature in Cities

Studies have linked nature experiences to human health and wellbeing benefits. It has also been suggested that experiencing nature constitutes an important precondition for a person to feel concern for the environment and to take conservation action. Increasing urbanisation and living in urbanised areas could result in a decline in the quantity and quality of our experiences of nature.

This has potentially harmful consequences for our health and wellbeing, and our collective action to conserve nature. Yet, evidence showing a link between environmental concern and nature experiences remain weak. Socio-cultural factors such as family values and social norms may be better associated with a person’s environmental concern.

In this talk, Rachel Oh will consider the complexity of our experiences of nature and connection with it, how they are changing, and causes of these changes. She will draw on data collected from both Singapore and Brisbane.

The speaker

Rachel Oh is a PhD candidate at the University of Queensland, and was previously with the National Parks Board of Singapore. Her research aims to contribute towards reversing the environmental and biodiversity crisis that have resulted from human actions. Much of Rachel’s work is interdisciplinary, currently focusing on the relationships between people and nature, human health and wellbeing, and pro-environmental attitudes and behaviour.

Connect with Rachel by or on external page Twitter.