Biodiversity and well-being
In the context of the current biodiversity crisis, broader public support for biodiversity is crucial. A better understanding of the relationships between biodiversity and human health can help strengthen this support. That is why INBO, in collaboration with the Agency for Nature and Forests, conducted research into three key questions:
- How do members of the public conceptualise biodiversity?
- How do they perceive the natural environment in terms of biodiversity?
- (How) do they believe that perceived biodiversity influences their mental health?
We carried out qualitative research using photo-elicitation and individual semi-structured in-depth interviews with a group of 15 participants. These participants first took photographs based on set tasks, and these photographs were then discussed to systematically explore their experiences and perceptions.
The research revealed that participants have only a limited familiarity with the concept of biodiversity: very few know exactly what it entails. Their assessment of biodiversity in their environment is primarily influenced by the degree of human intervention (or ‘wildness’), the degree of variation perceptible to the senses, and the structural characteristics of the environment.
Furthermore, participants indicated that environments with a high perceived level of biodiversity have predominantly positive effects on their mental wellbeing. Environments with a low perceived level of biodiversity, by contrast, are almost exclusively associated with negative effects.
Charlotte Noël & Karen Puttemans