Everyday green space and experienced well-being: the significance of wildlife encounters

Abstract

A broad and growing evidence base suggests the potential for time spent in natural environments to promote human health and well-being. Whilst evidence of such benefits is rapidly accumulating, we still know relatively little about the role of wildlife encounters in shaping the well-being potential of people’s routine green/blue space interactions, particularly amongst non-specialists. This article addresses this conceptual gap, drawing on the findings of a three-stage, qualitative, interpretive study which sought to understand and situate people’s natural environment well-being experiences within their everyday lives. Wildlife encounters were emphasised by study participants in the context of four types of well-being experience: social, immersive, symbolic and achievement oriented. These are explored within this paper, before discussing the influence of past experiences and current life circumstances on participants’ wildlife relationships. Consideration is also given to how environmental managers might focus activity and investment to balance opportunities for such wildlife experiences with the ongoing priorities of delivering socially inclusive, ecologically rich and climate change-resilient green spaces.

Keywords:

• Green space design
• wildlife
• well-being
• geo-narratives
• south-west England

Acknowledgements

The authors would like to thank all the participants who took part in this study, together with the European Social Fund Convergence Programme for Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly for funding Sarah Bell’s PhD scholarship.