Nature facilitates eudaimonic well‐being through promoting connection with self and others

Abstract

<p>Urban nature is an important source of cultural ecosystem services (CES), providing well-being benefits. Currently, well-being is often conceptualized too narrowly to capture the more intangible benefits of urban nature. The concept of eudaimonic well-being takes a long-term, value-based approach to the well-being effects of the human-nature connection. There is a recognized need to study the deep, qualitative benefits of CES, as well as to understand the role of nature in people's eudaimonic well-being. <br></p><p>We used a qualitatively dominated mixed-method design to study the eudaimonic well-being benefits of nature and their links to the CES expressed by youth (ages 15-24) and elderly (age 60+) citizens in a mid-sized Nordic city. To gain understanding of engagement with outdoor environments, geospatial data were collected via a map-based survey. After this, in-depth qualitative data were collected via creative writing. We reflect on the understanding these two data sets provide on the role of nature in both age groups' eudaimonic well-being and how this could be better recognized in urban planning. <br></p><p>We discovered that both age groups gain notable eudaimonic well-being benefits from urban nature, linked to multiple deep-level CES. While the groups showed differences in where and how they spend time in urban nature and what benefits they gain, they also shared many perspectives. For both groups, nature supports eudaimonic well-being by allowing people to connect with deeper values and their most authentic selves. Nature also promotes connection with other people, as well as with other species. <br></p><p>The results show two cross-cutting aspects of eudaimonic well-being: change and temporality. Both age groups find a feeling of permanence and continuity in nature, contributing to their eudaimonic well-being. However, eco-crisis-especially human-induced change in nature-and the negative emotions related to these changes can hinder these well-being benefits. <br></p><p>This study highlights how urban nature contributes to eudaimonic well-being, suggesting that planning approaches, which more systematically incorporate these benefits are likely to better support long-term good life in urban environments.</p>