A new study underlines the annual AU$7 trillion (US$5 trillion) value of nature in mental health benefits, and is calling for urgent government action to expand access to nature as a frontline response to the worsening global mental health crisis.
The paper, published in Communications Health, highlights while nature has been proven to be beneficial for mental health, clinical healthcare does not provide it, and lifestyle medicine is not available to all.
“People need nature to counteract burnout,” said co-author Professor Paula Brough, Director of the Centre for Work, Organisation and Wellbeing at Australia’s Griffith University.
The study also highlighted the strong economic case for investment, citing protected areas of national parks and greenspaces already contributed an estimated AU$7 trillion (US$5 trillion) annually through mental health benefits, with further gains expected through reduced healthcare costs and improved productivity.
“Visiting national parks boosts mental health and work productivity,” said Professor Emeritus Ralf Buckley, who is also a co-lead author from Griffith University.
“Those benefits accrue to employers and health insurers, not to individuals.
“People visit nature for their own happiness, spending their own time and money to get to parks and nature.
“Worldwide, those time and transport costs total US$1 trillion a year.
“Once people get to parks, entry fees are small if not free in most countries, and nature itself is free.”
Some people, however, do not visit parks: about a third of populations in countries such as Australia or the United States did not partake in experiences in nature, with that figure doubling in countries such as China.
“People don’t have time or transport, or they are unfamiliar with the outdoors,” said co-author Diane Westaway, founder of Australian nature hiking company Coastrek.
“We give them a nudge and some social support.”
The research team, led by Griffith University, highlighted the reported global 63 per cent increase in anxiety and 26 per cent increase in depression during the past 15 years.
In response, they proposed a public health approach involving education, transport, and public parks and greenspaces, stating existing systems (such as antidepressants and counselling) were a key intervention but not always sufficient to meet the increased demand support.
Professor Emeritus Buckey and the team suggested “nature-based mental healthcare” (NBMHC) – regular, intentional exposure to natural environments – as a proven yet underused solution to improving mental health and alle
The authors called for a shift to a public health model that treated access to nature as essential infrastructure for mental wellbeing, involving coordinated action across government portfolios, including health, parks, education and transport.
“Schools should include nature areas, public transport should connect commuters to greenspace, council reserves should have walking trails, and national parks should have infrastructure for independent visitors,” Professor Emeritus Buckley said.
“And public investments are paid for by reduced healthcare costs and increased workplace productivity.
“More than 50 per cent of all doctor visits are now for mental health, not physical health, but mental health gets only half a per cent of public health funds; it’s nature that makes up that deficiency.
“If taxpayers had to fund that missing mental healthcare, it would double our healthcare spending, an extra 10 per cent of gross domestic product in developed nations such as Australia.
“National parks and nature give us that for free, so we should make it easy and cheap for people to visit, not exclusive and expensive.”
The paper ‘Public nature-based mental healthcare’ has been published in Communications Health.
UN Sustainable Development Goals11: Sustainable Cities and Communities
UN Sustainable Development Goals15: Life on Land
UN Sustainable Development Goals3: Good Health and Well-being
