In Europe, 1 in 9 adult struggles with mental health challenges, from depression and anxiety to severe psychiatric conditions. Many urban environments exacerbate these struggles, offering little access to green spaces and deepening social isolation… while nature can be a powerful remedy.
Around the world, individuals have found healing through gardens, forests, and urban green initiatives—sometimes in life-changing ways.
A Brazilian woman who arrived shortly before the COVID-19 pandemic, found herself trapped in an isolated situation. Seeking connection, she joined a local community garden in her neighborhood. There, she met new people, cultivated herbs, and built a sense of belonging far from home.
In Spain, a man with severe agoraphobia had spent five years relying on medical treatment without success. When he joined a therapeutic garden, everything changed. Within six months, he was thriving outdoors, actively engaging with others—something he once thought impossible.
A Finnish migrant in Sweden, who had grown up close to nature, found socializing exhausting due to anxiety. Just meeting friends for coffee would leave her bedridden for two days. Then, she tried tree therapy. After three sessions, her social life returned—one session could now sustain her for three days like any other person.
In Poland, a psychiatric patient suffering from severe depression and insomnia gazed from his hospital room at a plant nursery. One day, he asked to join. As he worked with plants, his condition steadily improved, highlighting nature’s transformative effect on mental health.
Even in academia, nature plays a role in healing. A PhD student in California, battling depression, joined a bird-watching group. What started as a simple hobby became a passion—he immersed himself in the details of every species, finding purpose and joy in the process.
In Italy, a young boy from Tunisia, once obsessed with legal struggles and fixated on buying a car, began gardening daily. Over time, the act of nurturing plants shifted his mindset, calming his anxieties and changing his perspective on life.
Recognizing nature’s impact on mental well-being, cities worldwide are reinventing urban landscapes to prioritize green spaces. Some of the most innovative transformations include:
- Barcelona (Sant Antoni) drastically restricted car access, replacing roadways with plants, seating areas, and community spaces—fostering social interaction and local engagement.
- Örebro, Sweden, once separated from its lake by a city dump, removed the landfill and reconnected the city to the waterfront. The district transformed into a vibrant recreational area, boosting property values and local well-being.
- Uppsala, Sweden restored a long-forgotten forest left unmanaged for 20 years. A collaboration between the university and the city led to new walking paths, encouraging residents to rediscover nature.
- The UK introduced mini portable gardens for vulnerable individuals, allowing the elderly and those with mobility issues to bring greenery into their homes.
- Dortmund, Germany converted a polluted former mining site into Project Phoenix, a massive urban renewal project that introduced a lake, trees, sports facilities, and community gardening—turning an industrial wasteland into a sustainable oasis.
- Rome, home to an excavation site that had been fenced off and inaccessible for two decades, allowed nature to reclaim the space, turning it into a unique urban reserve.
- Portland (Callipark) developed backyard habitat programs, encouraging residents to integrate biodiversity into their own living spaces.
The evidence is clear: when people engage with nature, whether through a shared garden, a restored forest, or a simple potted plant at home, their mental well-being improves. As urban areas evolve, embracing green spaces isn’t just an option—it’s a necessity for healthier, happier communities.