Unlocking the Power of Nature: Insights from a 20-Minute Forest Visit on Well-Being

Abstract

Recent research underscores the positive effects of nature exposure on health and well-being. Growing evidence also links biodiversity within these environments to enhanced health outcomes, as diverse ecosystems may offer a broader range of multi-sensory stimuli. This experimental field study investigated the effects on psychological and physiological outcomes linked to spending time in a forest compared to an urban environment. Sixty-six healthy participants were randomly assigned to spend 20 min in either a forest environment with alternating tree species richness in the Wienerwald near Vienna, Austria, or an urban environment. Psychological data were collected using validated scales, and saliva cortisol samples were taken before and after the intervention. Findings showed that the forest visit significantly reduced negative emotions, enhanced positive affect, and lowered cortisol levels more effectively than the exposure to the urban environment. However, increased tree diversity within the forest setting did not further amplify these benefits. These results suggest potential mental health and stress reduction benefits of forest exposure in the case of the Wienerwald, supporting the consideration of nature-based interventions in urban public health initiatives. While forest biodiversity appears to have limited additional effects, future research could further investigate its role in nature-based interventions and forest therapy practices.