On these pages we are creating an annotated list of literature on issues of forests and health. The pages are constantly under construction and we add material all the time.

1. Bibliographies:

Bibliography given by Marcus Sangster

Maller, C., Townsend, M., Brown, P., Leger, L. St. 2002. Healthy Parks Healthy People. The Health Benefits of Contact with Nature in a Park Context. An Annotated Bibliography. Social and Mental Health Priority Area. Volume Two. Occasional paper series. Report to Parks Victoria and the International Park Strategic Partners Group. (pdf)

2. Reviews:

Chivian, E. (ed). 2002. Biodiversity: Its Importance to Human Health. Interim Executive Summary. A Project of the Center for Health and the Global Environment Harvard Medical School.

Chivian, E. & Bernstein, A (eds). 2008. Sustaining Life: How Human Health Depends on Biodiversity. Center for Health and the Global Environment at Harvard Medical School.

Colfer, C. (ed). 2008. Human Health and Forests. A Global Overview of Issues, Practice and Policy. People and Plants International. Conservation Series.

Colfer, C., Sheil D. & Kishi, M. 2006. Forests and human health. Assessing the evidence. CIFOR Occasional Paper No. 45. 111 p. (pdf)

Health Council of the Netherlands and Dutch Advisory Council for Research on Spatial Planning, Nature and the Environment. 2004. Nature and Health. The influence of nature on social, psychological and physical well-being. The Hague: Health Council of the Netherlands and RMNO, 2004; publication no. 2004/09E; RMNO publication nr A02ae. (pdf)

The Second advisory report on Nature and Health for the Dutch government. 2007. English Summary (pdf)

Karjalainen, E., Sarjala, T. & Raitio, H. 2010. Promoting human health through forests: overview and major challenges. Environmental Health and Preventive Medicine 15(1): 1-8.

Morris, N. 2003. Health, Well-Being and Open Space. Openspace. (pdf)

• mental health benefits, literature review

Nilsson, K., Baines, C. & Konijnendijk, C.C. (eds.). 2007. Final report of the COST Strategic Workshop on Health and the Natural Outdoors. (pdf)

• A COST Strategic Workshop was held in April 2007 in Larnaca, Cyprus. Its purpose was to identify the extent of knowledge in this field and the implications for policy and for future research. The Workshop found that nature-based approaches can contribute significantly to health objectives in Europe.

Nilsson, K., Sangster, M., Gallis, C., Hartig, T., de Vries, S., Seeland, K. & Schipperijn, J. (eds.). 2011. Forests, Trees and Human Health. 1st Edition. 452 p. Springer. ISBN: 978-90-481-9805-4.

• Exploring the relationships between health, natural environments in general, and forests in particular, this book is the outcome of the European Union’s COST Action E39 ‘Forests, Trees and Human Health and Wellbeing’, and draws together work carried out over four years by scientists from 25 countries working in the fields of forestry, health, environment and social sciences.

O’Brien, L. 2005. Trees and woodlands: Nature's health service. UK Forest Research. (pdf)

• Information and evidence supporting the use and enjoyment of woodlands and green spaces to improve people’s overall health and well-being.

Perlis, A. (ed). 2006. Forests and human health. Unasylva no 224, vol 57, 2006/2.

Semour, L. 2003. Nature and psychological well-being. English Nature Research Reports. Report Number 533. (pdf)

Tabbush, P. & O’Brien, L. 2003. Health and well-being: Trees, Woodlands and Natural Spaces. UK Forest Research. (pdf)

• Summary of expert consultations on the connections between woodlands and the natural environment and public health and well-being held in England,Scotland and Wales during 2002

World Health Organization. 2005. Ecosystems and Human Well-being: Health Synthesis. Millenium Ecosystem Assessment. (pdf)

• The report looks at how ecosystem change and various management decisions affect human health, and considers the role of ecosystems in achieving the Millennium Development Goals with a particular focus on health.

3. Other:

Children and Nature. 2008. A Report on the Movement to Reconnect Children to the Natural World. Children & Nature Network and ecoAmerica.

Parviainen, J., Furu, P. & Kretsch, C. 2010. Tools for assessment of human health dimensions in forests. Schweizerische Zeitschrift für Forstwesen 161(3): 114-119.