Go Green Initiative: Going Outdoors: Gathering Research Evidence on Emotions and Nature

Open access fee waiver available for high-quality papers within our Special Issue: Advances in Green Exercise and Health Promotion.

For fee waiver consideration, submit planned paper abstract by 30th November 2020 (full paper by May 30th 2021).

Do not hesitate to contact me (@Giovanna Calogiuri or giovanna.calogiuri@usn.no) or the other editors for questions and assistance in the submission of your proposed abstract.

30th May 2021 new submission deadline for our IJERPH special issue on Advances in Green Exercise and Health Promotion https://www.mdpi.com/journal/ijerph/special_issues/advances_green_exercise_health_promotion

Still time for submitting papers within our special issue on Advances in Green Exercise and Health Promotion. Guest editors: Tadhg Macintyre Børge Baklien Jo Barton and Christopher Gidlow . Four high-quality papers have been already published, and more are expected!

https://www.the42.ie/nature-moves-science-nature-benefit-5090091-May2020/

GRASS GROWS THROUGH the cobbles and a fox was spotted padding between Brown Thomas and Marks and Spencer, two small snippets from Dublin’s Grafton Street provided us all with a small chance to stop and enjoy a moment of wonder this past week.

The stay at home messaging to curb the spread of Covid-19 has decimated footfall on the capital’s primary shopping street, showing that even the most paved and scrubbed areas in the country can make room for flashes of nature.

Sport Ireland and Mental Health Ireland recently unveiled the Nature Moves campaign, highlighting benefits of even the most simple of interactions with outdoor green spaces while the acronym (notice, active, time, understand, revisit and energise)  encourages mindfulness of flora and fauna when taking exercise in the open air. 

On its surface, the message can seem fairly self-evident. Yet even people who intrinsically know the outdoors makes them feel good, a nudge back there does no harm. And although the cynics among us will find cause to brush off sage advice as anything from the blatantly obvious to tree-hugging cod science, there is a formidable body of evidence behind it.

“Nature automatically engages us in a different mindset, outside the structure of normal life or a profession. It helps us ease stress,” says Dr Tadhg MacIntyre, course director pf sport and performance psychology at the University of Limerick.

MacIntyre also heads up the GoGreen imitative – focused on the hard science behind our relationship with nature and so when he cites such benefits they are not mere claims, but  findings from an exhaustive body of research contained in a book edited by himself and Dr Aoife Donnelly last year, Physical Activity in Natural Settings.

“It does provide us with a sanctuary for recovery. In many ways, it provides us with a challenge. You don’t go for a walk in your slippers. You have to dress for it, you have to be prepared for it.  You can be rained on, you could trip. All of that is ‘a challenge’ in nature and that makes it such a wonderful environment.”

https://www.the42.ie/nature-moves-science-nature-benefit-5090091-May2020/

Susan Gritzka , Tadhg Eoghan MacIntyre , Denise Dörfel , Jordan L Baker-Blanc and Giovanna Calogiuri

Mental health in the workplace is a societal challenge with serious economical and human costs. Most prevalent mental disorders in the workforce (e.g., depression), however, are preventable. There is widespread agreement about the favorable effects of nature exposure and consequently, nature-based interventions (NBI) in the workplace have been proposed as a cost-effective approach to promote good health among employees. The objective of the present study was to systematically review scientific evidence on the effectiveness of NBI to promote mental health and well-being among actual employees in actual workplace settings. The review was conducted and presented in accordance with the PRISMA guidelines. The literature search was performed on five databases (PubMed, Embase, CENTRAL, CINHAL and PsycINFO), hand-searching of field-specific journals, and the reference lists of retrieved papers over the past five years up to November (13th, 2018). Studies were eligible for inclusion if they: 1) were randomized or non-randomized controlled trials; 2) comprised samples of actual employees; 3) implemented a workplace-based intervention with exposure to nature; 4) included comparison conditions that displayed a clear contrast to NBIs; and 5) investigated the quantitative effects on mental health or well-being. No restrictions on type of employees or workplace, publication period, or language of the publication were set. Risk of bias was assessed using the Cochrane’s RoB2 tool. Narrative synthesis was performed due to large heterogeneity in outcome variables. Of the 510 articles identified, 10 NBIs (9 papers) met the eligibility criteria. The outcomes were grouped in five categories: a) mental health indices, b) cognitive ability, c) recovery and restoration, d) work and life satisfaction, and e) psychophysiological indicators. Narrative synthesis indicates consistently positive effects on mental health indices and cognitive ability, while mixed results were found for the other outcome categories. Caution must be given when interpreting the current evidence in this emerging research field because of the diversity of NBIs and the overall high risk of bias in the individual studies. Although in this field often researchers have to balance scientific rigor and ecological validity, there is a need for large, well-designed and rigorously conducted trials grounded in contemporary theories. ...

Accepted on 31 March 2020 Front. Psychiatry doi: 10.3389/fpsyt.2020.00323

Thanks all for following this project and we have good news that we will have another project page on a specific funded project for 2020. Updates here shortly :-)

Have a GO GREEN Christmas

All welcome to join Aoife Donnelly Eric R. Igou Jürgen Beckmann Giles Warrington Stephen Smith Greig Oliver and guests at our events at the University of Limerick (430pm Millstream Common Room today) and at Glenroyal Hotel, Maynooth, 5pm Friday 22nd). All welcome,

Mario V Balzan invited me to contribute to this H2020 project event with the following presentation which had a practical element. Full presentation is available here

Nature-based solutions have emerged as an opportunity to assist cities in the transition to sustainability and resilience, mitigate the risk of climate change and degraded ecosystems, solve societal problems and foster the health and well-being of urban citizens. An extensive amount of literature demonstrates that access to green and blue spaces is constantly considered as a key contributor to good health and an attribute of good places to live. The European Commission has planned investment of 240 million in NBS projects by 2020. Urbanization and climate change together present a unique set of consequences for environmental quality and human health which require further consideration of physical activity, mental health and psychological well-being. City living compounds risk factors for non-communicable diseases with environmental co-hazards of air and noise pollution exacerbating the problem. The UN SDG 5 to reduce inequalities is central to the urban health agenda as the socially and economically disadvantaged are likely to be especially vulnerable to climate change and typically have less access to urban green space. People living in cities have a 21% increased risk of anxiety disorders and a 39% increased risk of mood disorders (e.g. depression). Neuroimaging studies using fMRI confirm that city living is associated with higher levels of activity in a brain structure that mediates negative emotions (e.g. amygdala) and a regulatory brain area associated with stress. The American Psychological Association has analyzed an often-unseen impact of the future risk of climate change are the mental health effects.Effects include loss of community well-being, post-traumatic stress for individuals and what has been termed eco-anxiety and feelings of helplessness (i.e. linked to depression). Awareness of the mental health risks of city living is fundamental to making cities more resilient and livable. Health risks from urban green spaces are possible (e.g. for those with asthma) but the potential of NBS and green infrastructure to promote a salutogenic health agenda is vast.To critically appraise the impact of NBS on health we have to acknowledge that the health determinants of citizens and communities are indeed numerous and complex in terms of non-linear dynamics and limited predictability e.g. the person’s individual characteristics and behaviours, income and social status, education, physical environment, social support networks and culture, genetics, health services and gender. A multi-dimensional conceptual framework for public health which links physical health, mental health and well-being, social health, sustainability and human-nature interactions has been proposed. Termed ‘360Health’ this approach includes key factors of physical health (e.g. sleep, physical activity, nutrition), psychological factors including cognition (e.g. attention), psychological well-being (e.g. resilience), our connectedness to nature, social health (e.g. community resilience) and sustainability (e.g. pro-environmental behaviour). Embedded within this model are contemporary theories of stress (generalised unstable theory of stress), psychological resilience (e. dual process models) and models of social learning (e.g. mirror neurons). This approach accounts for the need to need to link urban health to the complex determinants (e.g. links to co-hazards of noise and air pollution), addresses concerns about the limits of the epidemiological approach which focuses on morbidity instead of the positive dimensions of health (e.g. well-being) and connects to sustainability which aligns 360Health to UN SDGs. The evidence supporting the novel approach are presented in addition to the potential impact for the evidence base supporting NBS. NBS in light of this new model highlights a shift in attitudes towards nature being paramount to community health, well-being and sustainability.

Article Generalized Unsafety Theory of Stress: Unsafe Environments a...

Thanks to Giovanna Calogiuri who invited Susan Gritzka (TU Dresden) and I to the Environmental Psychology conference at INN-we met Jos F. Brosschot and he presented his theory which resonated with us as advancing the stress reduction approach and instead it both accounts for amelioration of stress through increased resources (linked to resilience) and the impact of urban environments on habitual stress. Suggest reading this work for NBS projects focused on environmental and human health.

This Special Issue seeks research papers on the health-promoting effects of green exercise in different populations. This may include studies investigating the additional health benefits of green exercise compared with physical activity in other environments, as well as studies determining how green exercise can contribute to increased levels of physical activity and sustained behaviour change. We prioritize (but are not limited to) well-designed randomized controlled trials, longitudinal studies, and evaluations of best-practice initiatives. We hope this Special Issue initiates a new movement of high-quality studies in the field of green exercise.

https://www.mdpi.com/journal/ijerph/special_issues/advances_green_exercise_health_promotion

Giovanna Calogiuri Tadhg Macintyre Christopher Gidlow Børge Baklien Jo Barton

Physical Activity in Natural Settings

Green and Blue Exercise

Edition1st Edition First Published2020 eBook Published23 September 2019

Pub. location London ImprintRoutledge DOI

Pages376 pages eBook ISBN9781315180144

SubjectsBehavioral Sciences, Environment and Sustainability, Sports and Leisure

Jürgen Beckmann Giovanna Calogiuri Giles Warrington Andree Walkin @SusanGritzka Aoife Donnelly

https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpsyg.2019.01233/full

Thanks to the participants for sharing their insights!

“Nature is something within which we flourish, so having it be more a part of our lives is critical, especially when we live and work in built environments.” -Richard M. Ryan

There is ever more pressure on nature in cities where most people live now and more will do so in the future, possibly resulting in less opportunities for green exercise. Therefore, in the future we need create more suitable nature spaces in cities for exercise. However, in order to reduce our global footprint, and meet the demands of the SDGs, urban societies will need to become denser. How do we future-proof our cities and still meet societal demands for healthy, livable cities? 

Christopher Gidlow Deleted Profile Giles Warrington

“The trail is the thing, not the end of the trail. Travel too fast, and you miss all you are traveling for.” Louis L'Amour

Current trends in health and fitness have highlighted the ways in which modern physical activity can take many forms and can meet a wide range of preferences and needs.  However, the increased use of technology and unrealistic societal standards for muscularity and body image have distanced us from an authentic exercise experience and distorted our relationships with our bodies and the natural world.   Furthermore, in today’s mouse wheel world of gyms, pop-training programs, and fitness technology, exercise and physical activity are becoming increasingly mindless endeavours.  People talk about “getting through” their workout, rather than experiencing it in the present moment. The current chapter identifies some of the maladaptive ways that we currently relate to physical activity and introduces an alternative paradigm, grounded in tenets of green exercise and mindfulness-based practice.  Mindfulness encourages present moment awareness, paying attention to one’s mind and body, and acceptance of experience exactly as it is (Kabat-Zinn, 1994). We define mindfulness and review the research on various health-related domains. We explore what it means to incorporate principles such as present moment awareness, non-judgment, and compassion into the exercise experience.  We discuss the process of attention restoration, as well as how acceptance and tolerance of discomfort can help us heal our relationships with our inner and outer experience.  Finally, we conclude the chapter by raising important questions around the accessibility of green spaces and the implications of this paradigm for addressing socio-cultural inequities and disparities in health-related resources and outcomes. 

“One of the first conditions of happiness is that the link between Man and Nature shall not be broken.” - Leo Tolstoy

Improved understanding of the benefits arising from participation in sport and exercise has led to increasing adoption of low-risk lifestyle behaviours. This is a significant positive social change which gyms can help to facilitate. However, their sustainability must be questioned, as well as the hidden health impacts that may be lurking within. This chapter explores the importance of the environmental quality when we exercise and suggests ways in which we can improve exercise-related sustainability. Multilevel interventions that look broadly at the physical environment in which we live will be required to develop a healthier population that engages in pro-environmental behaviour. 

Aoife Donnelly et al.

“Two world trends are powerfully reshaping human existence: the degradation…of large parts of the natural world, and unprecedented technological development. At the nexus of these two trends lies technological nature.” Kahn et al. (2009, p.37).

With a focus on so-called immersive virtual environments, this chapter explores ways in which technological nature can not only act as a tool to supplement nature experiences for people for whom access to real nature is limited, but furthermore we propose it as a strategy to reconnect people to the natural world. We contextualize this technology and summarise evidence on the extent to which it can measure-up to real nature. We then propose some insights relative to its potential applications.

Giovanna Calogiuri et al.

“Two world trends are powerfully reshaping human existence: the degradation…of large parts of the natural world, and unprecedented technological development. At the nexus of these two trends lies technological nature.” Kahn et al. (2009, p.37).

With a focus on so-called immersive virtual environments, this chapter explores ways in which technological nature can not only act as a tool to supplement nature experiences for people for whom access to real nature is limited, but furthermore we propose it as a strategy to reconnect people to the natural world. We contextualize this technology and summarise evidence on the extent to which it can measure-up to real nature. We then propose some insights relative to its potential applications.

“Childhood is that state which ends the moment a puddle is first viewed as an obstactle instead of an opportunity.” -Kathy Williams

This chapter describes, exemplifies, and advocates for education outside the classroom (EOtC) as an ‘add-in’ holistic school-based health promotion approach for child and youth populations. We draw on Danish udeskole as an illustrative example of EOtC. This chapter aims to provide a source of inspiration for developing state-of-the-art interventions to support the practice of EOtC in order to promote children’s movement, and positive experiences in green and blue spaces as a key strategy for both education and public health. 

Peter Bentsen et al.

"In every walk with nature one receives far more than he seeks”--John Muir

Occupational therapy is a client-centred health profession concerned with promoting health and wellbeing through occupation. Occupational therapists focus on what people do, the meaning of that ‘doing’ and the impact that doing has on their daily lives and their wellbeing (Creek, 2014). Until more recently, occupational therapists have worked largely within the boundaries of health and social care environments in the UK, engaging people in participation through occupation, which is defined as activity that has sociocultural and personal meaning to them (Creek, 2010).  A move away from more medical-model approaches within the profession has seen occupational therapists work towards identifying a wide range of non-traditional settings, such as gardens, farms, community green spaces and outdoor adventure settings, in order to broaden the scope of the profession and meet the needs and goals of the people they work with.  

Mike Rogerson et al

“What we see depends mainly on what we look for” John Lubbock

“Why Outdoors” – this chapter is providing information on a European Union, Erasmus Plus funded project called “The Benefits of Outdoor Sports to Society” (BOSS). It has been developed and managed by members of the European Network of Outdoor Sports (ENOS).

Barbara Eigenschenk

“We are like islands in the sea, separate on the surface but connected in the deep.” -William James

In this chapter we continue our mission, commenced in Chapter 10, of reporting the voice of the participants in outdoor exercise in natural settings. In particular, we present the cases of seven athletes in a range of activities taking places in blue-environments, such as long-distance open water swimming, white-water and ultra-endurance kayaking and big wave surfing. After examining the participants’ well-being, connectedness to nature, and environmental concerns through a set of standardized instruments, we summarized central themes that emerged from in-depth interviews with each of the participants.

Andree Walkin Giovanna Calogiuri Greig Oliver Aoife Donnelly Giles Warrington

“Research has shown that people with a greater sense of vitality don't just have more energy for things they want to do, they are also more resilient to physical illnesses. One of the pathways to health may be to spend more time in natural settings.” -Richard M. Ryan

One aspect that has been overlooked in the study of human-nature interactions is the voice of the participants in green exercise. In this chapter we strive to bridge this gap by exploring the lived experiences of six athletes in relation to the complex interplay between their sport practice and nature. Using a mixed-methods approach, we examined the athletes’ well-being, connectedness to nature, and environmental concerns through a set of standardized instruments, and subsequently, summarized central themes that emerged from interviews.

Greig Oliver Andree Walkin Giovanna Calogiuri Aoife Donnelly et al.

“Come to nature, for here is rest” - John Muir

The ever widening chasm which has emerged between humans and the natural world represents one of the priority issues which require addressing within modern society. This chapter proposes strategies for reconnecting young people to nature and how the rekindling of this relationship can be used to boost young people’s psychological resilience, ameliorate their psychological wellbeing and promote the prosocial behaviors required for the future conservation of the planet.

Stephen Smith et al.

“Those who contemplate the beauty of the earth find reserves of strength that will endure as long as life lasts”-Rachel Carson

An abundance of research in psychology, sociology, and philosophy shows that boredom is a negative emotion characterized by a lack of perceived meaning, and that it has adverse individual and social consequences (e.g. pathological gambling, aggression). We explore how experiencing natural environments could reduce boredom and thus prevent its negative consequences. We review the existing literature in light of our argument that natural environments prevent and reduce boredom and the perceived meaninglessness of one’s activities and life in general. 

Eric R. Igou

“I go to nature to be soothed and healed, and to have my senses put in tune once more” 

John Burroughs

Natural environments are increasingly recognised as having a positive impact upon well-being. Despite several decades of exploration there is a need for an evidence base with a focus on causal pathways to support policy implementation. UN SDG’s are persuasive in the goal of accessible green space with benefits for inclusion, cohesion and the environment. The field would also benefit from a greater understanding of how urban green space can be optimally designed, used and promoted to best support population health.

Patricia Darcy Christopher Gidlow Marc Jones

“I think that I shall never see A poem lovely as a tree” Joyce Kilmer

Frumkin et al. (2017, p.5) recently posed a critical question for the field: “Does nature-based physical activity confer benefits above and beyond equivalent physical activity in nature-free settings?” To answer this question, neuroscientific approaches are increasingly being recognized as a useful tool and many novel questions will be posed to enable greater specificity on the underlying mechanisms to be elucidated.

Christopher R Madan Jürgen Beckmann et al.

“Life is not primarily a quest for pleasure, as Freud believed, or a quest for power, as Alfred Adler taught, but a quest for meaning.” ― Viktor E. Frankl

Meaning in life involves having aims and being absorbed by something that stimulates awe, curiosity, pleasure and other positively evaluated experiences. Research findings show that nature can be a source of awe and positive affect and these reactions are potentially based on the activation of an archetype kind of nature mindset.  The evidence discussed in this chapter proposes that nature can mediate the experience of meaning and thereby increase individuals’ health and well-being. 

Jürgen Beckmann Eric R. Igou et al.

“To me a lush carpet of pine needles or spongy grass is more welcome than the most luxurious Persian rug.” -Helen Keller

Green exercise participation leads to beneficial health and well-being outcomes, but how? Reviewing across findings from the past 15 years of research, this chapter illustrates the two pathways that seem to deliver boosts beyond those of exercising indoors in in more urban environments. We discuss how these two pathways can interact, thereby creating further-enhanced or even reduced opportunities for health and well-being improvements arising from different aspects of the excise experience.

Mike Rogerson et al.

In this chapter we present the findings of a systematic review investigating the effects of exercising in a natural environment (green exercise) compared with indoor exercise. We examine the evidence relating to three comparisons: 1) repeated and 2) acute outdoor green exercise compared with exercising indoors; and 3) acute virtual green exercise versus exercising indoors. We also highlight methodological issues in the literature, make recommendations on how to strengthen the evidence base through the design of more robust and rigorous experiments.

“Nature contact may offer a range of human health benefits. Although much evidence is already available, much remains unknown.” -Howard Frumkin

Giovanna Calogiuri Ian Lahart Christopher Gidlow

Societal challenges currently impact upon human and environmental health posing an interconnected set of wicked problems. There is an urgent need to tackle these problems and, in this chapter, we assess the evidence for benefits for mental well-being, cognitive function and health resulting from the combination of exercise and nature. Our transdisciplinary approach includes novel innovations which have been somewhat overlooked. We propose three recommendations for research on green exercise to reach a gold standard required for an evidence-based approach.

“No doubt some of the plausible pathways ...will prove either not to contribute substantially to nature’s impact on health, or to contribute only under certain limited circumstances; here, the roles of improved air quality, environmental biodiversity and microbiota, and physical activity merit closer study.” -Ming Kuo

Aoife Donnelly Ian Lahart Giovanna Calogiuri Noel Brick Jürgen Beckmann Giles Warrington

Over three decades ago the biophilia hypothesis was postulated to account for our intrinsic bond with other living organisms. Then, Antonovsky (1979, 1987) introduced the term salutogenic to highlight a need to focus on peoples’ resources and capacity to create health than the classic focus on disease. The zeitgeist has embraced the concept of ecosystem benefits for health. In this chapter we trace the recent history of the emergence of these concepts and propose several potential avenues for future research.

David Sheffield

In Frontiers in Psychology research topic on extreme sport by Aoife Donnelly Giovanna Calogiuri Andree Walkin Jürgen Beckmann Giles Warrington Greig Oliver & SusanGritzka

Funded by Waterways Ireland and PESS Dept., University of Limerick

Traditionally, perceptions about extreme sport athletes being disconnected from nature and a risk-taking population have permeated the research literature. Drawing upon theoretical perspectives from environmental, sport, organizational and positive psychology, this qualitative study attempts to explore the lived experiences of four male and four female extreme sport athletes. The purpose of this study was to gain insight and understanding into the individuals’ attitudes towards the benefits of extreme sport activities for well-being, resilience and pro-environmental behavior. Eight participants (Mean age = 40.5 years; SD = ±12.9) provided written informed consent to partake in semi-structured interviews. Each athlete provided written consented to allow the publication of their identifiable data and in order to facilitate sharing of their autobiographical account of their experiences. After conducting thematic analysis, meta-themes that emerged from the analyses were as follows: a) early childhood experiences, b) the challenge of the outdoors, c) their emotional response to nature, d) nature for coping, e) restorative spaces and f) environmental concern. The findings convey great commonalities across the participants with regard to their mindset, their emotional well-being as well as their connectivity with nature and attitudes towards the natural environment. The cognitive-affective-social-behavioral linkage of the benefits of extreme sport participation for well-being, psychological recovery and pro-environmental behavior are highlighted. This study examining the lived experiences of extreme sportspeople provides a novel contribution to our contemporary understanding of extreme athletes’ relationship to nature and its commensurate impact upon well-being and pro-environmental attitudes. The findings suggest that extreme sport participation, while inherently risky has psychological benefits ranging from evoking positive emotions, developing resilience and life coping skills to cultivating strong affinity to and connection with nature and the natural environment

https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpsyg.2019.01233/abstract

Thanks all for your support on this.

Authors: David Sheffield, Kirsten McEwan, Miles Richardson

Authors: Tadhg MacIntyre, Giovanna Caloguiri, Aoife Donnelly, Giles Warrington, Juergen Beckmann, Ian Lahart & Noel Brick.

Authors: Ian Lahart, Patricia Darcy, Chris Gidlow & Dr. Giovanna Caloguiri

Authors: Mike Rogerson, Jo Barton, Jules Pretty, and Valerie Gladwell

Authors: Jürgen Beckmann, Eric Igou & Eric Klinger

Authors: Tadhg MacIntyre, Christopher Madan, Juergen Beckmannm & Massimiliano Cappuccio

Chapter 7. Affective responses to natural environments: From Everyday Engagement to Therapeutic Impact

Authors: Patricia Darcy, Chris Gidlow & Marc Jones

Authors: Eric R. Igou & Wijnand A. P. van Tilburg

Authors: Stephen Smith, Evan Hunt, Moya O’Brien & Deirdre MacIntyre

Chapter 10. From Tracks to Trails: Case Studies in Green Exercise

Authors: Tadhg E. MacIntyre, Greig Oliver, Andree Walkin, Giovanna Calogiuri, Aoife Donnelly, Susan Gritzka & Maire-Treasa Ni Cheallaigh

Authors: Tadhg MacIntyre, Andree Walkin, Giovanna Calogiuri, Greig Oliver, Aoife Donnelly, Susan Gritzka & Giles Warrington

Chapter 12: Why outdoors? A systematic approach to examine and value the social benefits of outdoor sports

Authors: Mike McClure, Barbara Eigenschenk

Authors: Mike Rogerson, Sinéad Kelly, Simone Coetzee, Jo Barton and Jules Pretty

Chapter 14: Greening education: Education outside the classroom in natural settings as a school-based health promotion approach for children and young people

Authors: Peter BENTSEN, Glen NIELSEN, Mads BØLLING, Lærke MYGIND, Matt P. STEVENSON, & Erik MYGIND

Part IV Future Pathways

Chapter 15: Future-Thinking through Technological Nature: Connecting or Disconnecting

Authors: Giovanna Calogiuri, Sigbjørn Litleskare & Tadhg E. MacIntyre

Authors: Aoife Donnelly, Marlena Tomkalska & Tadhg MacIntyre

Authors: Kat Longshore, Michelle McAlarnen, Ryan Sappington & Dominic Harmon

Authors: Tadhg MacIntyre , Chris Gidlow, Marcus Collier, Mark Nieuwenhuijsen, Susan Gritzka & Giles Warrington

See attached for opportunities for 8 week funded internships in Ireland. The research with partners Waterways Ireland, Mental Health Ireland, Coillte and Get Ireland Walking will explore well-being in nature from an environmental and human health perspective.

Recent interns have been hired as Research Associates on Enterprise Ireland funded H2020 proposal writing @SusanGritzka or gone on to doctoral studies e.g. IRC Scholar Jessie Barr and KBS Scholar Clodagh Butler -see below).

More than 25 expert speakers, innovators and facilitators with novel forums to co-create solutions for health and well-being based on the human-nature interactions. The event is funded primarily by EPA event support with additional support from our research partners at Waterways Ireland.

The book by global environmental leader Wallace J. Nicholls PhD called Blue Mind provides a fitting backdrop for our case study research which includes interviews with ‘nature experts.’ Masters students Andree Walkin from UL Sport (former triathlete) and Greig Oliver (Munster Rugby Academy Coach-former Scottish International), and Niamh Briggs (Irish Women's Rugby Player) and doctoral candidate Chris Bryan (Olympic Trialist in Open Water Swimming) are part of the team of researchers conducting the interviews for a forthcoming scientific publication and a Routledge text entitled Physical Activity in Natural Settings: Green and Blue Exercise.

BlueWays and Greenways provide an infrastructure which opens the door to outdoor activity from walking, biking to running, for example. Among the interviewees are Channel swimmer Rosie Foley who is a strong advocate for outdoor activities for all ages and Easkey Britton, a world expert in environmental science who has led projects using surf for therapy. Exercising outdoors confers additional benefits beyond the equivalent exercise in other settings and the stories from our case study participants will help shed light on the topic and illuminate our understanding of human-nature interactions. Video vignettes filmed by Maire Treasa Ni Cheallaigh augment the narrative approach.

Announcing a funded PhD on Nature and Well-Being: A Campus Wide Approach. The Faculty of Education and Health Sciences at the University of Limerick is sponsoring PhD research scholarships to be associated with the Health Research Institute (HRI). Six scholarships will be available for 2018/19 registration and the scholarships are for new PT or FT entrants and will cover fees and an annual pro rata stipend of €10000. One proposed project will be supervised by psychologist Dr Tadhg MacIntyre, exercise physiologist Giles Warrington (Head of Department, PESS, UL) and Professor Dominic Harmon (University Hospital Limerick). It is fitting that UL with its 133 hectare campus spanning the river Shannon, investigate the benefits and co-benefits of a healthy campus concept.

Aoife Donnelly and I are co-editors of this forthcoming Routledge text which will be available in Nov. 2018. Thanks to the 50 contributors from over 30 organisations across eight countries.

Aoife Donnelly Christopher R Madan Jürgen Beckmann Giovanna Calogiuri Marc Jones Noel Brick Mike Rogerson Christopher Gidlow Mark Nieuwenhuijsen research topics editors invite submissions to our research topic across Frontiers Journals.

Submission Deadlines

16 January 2019 Abstract

01 May 2019 Manuscript

Investment in ecosystem services for health and the emergence of nature-based solutions with co-benefits for human health and well-being are integral to the zeitgeist on human-nature interactions. Today we are facing increasing societal challenges from rapid urbanization which impacts upon the health, mental health and well-being of individuals. Diminished connectedness with nature has resulted from this urbanization, resource exploitation, and lifestyle behavior changes. Climate change may only exacerbate the societal challenges further through, for example, the amplification of the health island effect.

Urban environments provide ever increasing risks from heat, air pollution, noise stress and reduced nature connectedness. Concurrently, accumulating evidence suggests various health benefits by exposure to urban natural spaces (WHO, 2016). The extant research suggests an array of benefits of contact with nature which are linked to physical activity (e.g. green exercise), sustainable commuting and residential proximity to green infrastructure. Psychological benefits appear to be related to mood, well-being, attention and pro-environmental behavior. Despite more than three decades of research since the advent of the biophilia hypothesis, researchers conclusions have been limited by methodological limitations. Few studies have employed measures which are directly comparable with national or international surveys (e.g. WHO-5). Theoretical assumptions from environmental psychology have not been readily supported by models based on biological plausibility or neural implementation. A range of methodological approaches in the assessment of pre-disposing factors including nature connectedness and prior experience has limited the capacity of systematic reviews to conduct reliable comparisons. Some factors which clearly resonate with nature-contact and natural systems have been neglected by researchers. Few studies have addressed the concept of psychological resilience, for example.

There is a growing scientific imperative in achieving consensus on the optimum measures, methodological approaches, theoretical frameworks and concepts to enhance our understanding of human-nature interactions. Nature offers a low cost non-invasive solution for mental health and well-being, one that is arguably non-invasive. Standardization of measures and conceptual clarity among researchers would facilitate RCT’s, cross-cultural comparisons and provide clearer evidence for the future decisions on investment in nature-based solutions with the capacity to address many societal challenges.

This Research Topic aims to encompass contemporary perspectives on our conceptualization and measurement of human-nature interactions. Well-being, mental health, resilience, meaning in life, nature connection, pro-social attitudes and pro-environmental behavior are among the topics of concern.

Feature in the Sunday Independent 18, Feb. 2018 in Sppt. on the Walk of Life by Sport Ireland https://twitter.com/sportireland/status/965204350044864512

Jessie Barr Dr. Deirdre MacIntyre Dr. Moya O'Brien and Dr. Tadhg MacIntyre facilitated a one-day workshop on Optimising Nature Connectedness at Clarisford Park. The dozen attendees from counselling, research and clinical psychology shared their experiences of nature contact across their lifespans. Athlete examples of nature as a restorative space with insights from Jessie Barr and Niamh Briggs provided a stimulus for the interactive element-Walk n'Talk. A 30 minute guided walk in the Shannonside venue in Killaloe provided a perfect backdrop for the discussions over lunch in the new Wood and Bell Cafe in Killaloe.

Thanks to EPA Research funding, Waterways Ireland, W2 Exchange, Dept. of Physical Activity and Sport Sciences, UL, partners NEARHealth NUI Galway and DIT, Keynotes included David Sheffield Alan E. Donnelly Christopher Gidlow Marc Jones Giovanna Calogiuri Jürgen Beckmann Annalisa Setti Speakers included Aoife Donnelly Christopher R Madan Matthew P. Herring Giles Warrington more to follow.

European week of Sport initiative https://twitter.com/Gogreenex

https://www.eventbrite.ie/e/mindscape-summit-nature-based-solutions-for-campus-community-well-being-tickets-36362531310?aff=ehomecard Keynotes include Alan E. Donnelly Jürgen Beckmann Annalisa Setti Christopher Gidlow Marc Jones David Sheffield

Irish Environmental Network feature our forthcoming event in collaboration with NEAR Health at NUI Galway and DIT. See http://greennews.ie/ireland-host-conference-benefit-green-spaces/

Irish and international researchers will meet in October at a ground-breaking conference to examine the psychological benefits of green exercise.

The MINDSCAPE conference on Nature-Based Solutions for Community and Campus Well-Being will explore how increased physical activity in natural spaces can benefit mental and physical health.

The conference will take place on 14 October at Clarisford Park, Killaloe and Wood & Bell Cafe Co.Clare.....

Aoife Donnelly Marc Jones David Sheffield Jürgen Beckmann Annalisa Setti Alan E. Donnelly Giles Warrington Christopher Gidlow MINDSCAPE presenters at our event which is preceded by a research day at the University of Limerick for our consortium with Irish research groups interested in nature-based solutions. The theme-Nature Based Solutions for Well-Being in communities and campuses brings together researchers, practitioners in outdoor activity, state agencies and those involved in health promotion. Together we will bridge the gap between policy and practice using an evidence-based approach to shed light on human-nature interactions.

Speaking at the launch, Director Clarisford Park and Chair Healthy Ireland, Keith Wood spoke about community leadership and initiative as a conduit for change in health and wellbeing at a local level. He welcomed the support from Healthy Ireland, Sport Ireland, Clare Sports Partnership and the work of Nollaig o sullivan , Exercise Psychologist in producing a template that will best serve communities and groups across the country. He concluded that the launch is a ‘celebration of the community of Killaloe Ballina, the partnerships and togetherness that have formed throughout the process and an acknowledgement of the power of community coming together to deliver a legacy project with far reaching impacts into the future.’

Exercise Psychologist and Community Sports Hub Coordinator, Nollaig O’Sullivan stated that the ‘The Healthy Killaloe Ballina initiative is about embracing what communities have to offer, creating a community awareness of the valuable assets in their locality, whether it be facilities, local sports groups, natural resources or individuals in the pursuit of health and wellbeing was key.’

Research carried out over a 2-year period assessed the baseline health and wellbeing levels of the community prior to the implementation of physical activity and wellbeing programmes with built in psychological aspects targeted at specific groups and needs within the community. As part of the launch Tadhg MacIntyre and De Graaf Lucie conducted a Walk n'Talk session on green exercise. The session explored the air quality, biodiversity, fractals in nature and factors that influence well-being in nature.

It is a community and sport facility in Killaloe, Co. Clare. Located on the banks of the River Shannon, the park consists of intergenerational sports hall and dressing rooms, playing fields, sand based all weather facility, training paddocks, running/walking trail and a community park.

The Clarisford Project has been supported by Clare County Council, LEADER, Clare Local Development Company, The Ireland Funds, Sports Capital Programme, Clare Sports Partnership, Irish Sport, Dormant Accounts Fund in addition to local clubs, businesses and the community of Killaloe Ballina. Clarisford Park is home to Ballina Killaloe RFC, Lough Derg FC and the 5th / 22nd Killaloe Scout Group. Boru Tri Club, Derg A.C and Clarisford parkrun also use the facilities on a weekly basis.

Clarisford Park is designated as a prime wildlife conservation area in Ireland & Europe. The greater part of the site is within the Lower River Shannon Special Area of Conservation (SAC) part of the “Natura 2000” network of protected areas throughout the European Union. Mature Beech, Oak, Sycamore, Horse Chestnut, Ash and Willow are dominant within the mixed broad leaf woodland with native species of Birch, Hazel, Oak, Holly, Hawthorn and Lime planted as part of the replanting programme for Clarisford Park.

Clarisford Park is popular with bird watchers with species such as the Grey Heron, Mute Swan, Moorhen, Kingfisher, Black Headed Gull, Little Grebe, Great Crested Grebe, Swallow, Great Tit, Robin, Chaffinch, Coot, WoodPigeon, Wren, Blackbird, Chiff Chaff, and Jay. GO GREEN Ex have been monitoring air quality here supervised by Aoife Donnelly during testing for our exercise study with Giles Warrington and a team GO GREEN EX.

Noel Brick co-author with convener of symposium Maurizio Bertollo

Endurance activity in sport has been the subject of study by researchers from a cognitive perspective for almost four decades (Morgan, 1978). Recently research has employed a range of methodologies from naturalistic observations to laboratory based studies to explore the cognitions of athletes. New models have been developed which provide a more comprehensive account than early accounts grounded in an internal and external dichotomy of association versus dissociation. Brick et al. (2014) has proposed that metacognitive processes augment the active self-regulatory processes and both internal sensory and outward monitoring. Additionally, active and involuntary distraction play a role and we argue that the setting in which the activity occurs may have a key role in this process. To explain, many endurance activities and events occur in natural settings ranging from forest trails to lakeside paths. Researchers have become increasingly interested in the effect of human nature interactions. One topic of interest has been ‘green exercise’ or physical activity in natural settings (Pretty, 2003). Tentative evidence from attention restoration theory has suggested that this human nature interaction enhances cognitive function (Hartig et al. 2014). The theory posits that natural stimuli require effortless attention and thus enable rest from our more typical directed attention system. One question for researchers is whether exposure to natural stimuli is enough for these potential ergogenic effects? Is noticing nature, a more demanding level of engagement with the multi-sensory stimuli, required for these effects to emerge? How do these demands, for example in visual cognition, interact with the competing task demands of endurance running (e.g., pace control and self-regulation). Evidence for the benefits of contact with nature at a cognitive and emotional level are reviewed. Future research directions are outlined and the need for a transdisciplinary approach is advocated.

GO GREEN EX Workshop at Psychological Society of Ireland Annual Conference Going Green for Well-Being: How savouring nature can enhance well-being book via

47th Annual PSI Conference Theme: Living With Uncertainty: 08 - 11 November 2017, Radisson Blu Hotel & Spa, Limerick, Ireland

Presenters: Tadhg MacIntyre Aoife Donnelly Dr. Deirdre MacIntyre, Dr. Moya O'Brien Giles Warrington Cathal Sheridan, Jessie Barr Andree Walkin

Time: 10am – 4pm

Venue: Clarisford Park, Killaloe, Co. Clare

Maximum number of attendees: 30

Learning credits: 4

One way to promote human nature interactions is through physical activity in natural environments or what is termed green exercise. Our research has explored augmenting this activity with constructs from positive psychology to fully harness the impact of nature. The goal for the activity is to reach a flow state and to enter into mindful moments as you observe nature. A post-exercise ‘savouring activity’, based on reflecting on the emotions that emerge from reflecting on photos of the experience, further promotes well-being. Our evidence-based workshop will provide two experiences of nature interactions (2k park walk; riverbank stroll at Clarisford Park) to promote well-being. Our interdisciplinary approach will provide a participant as researcher approach and we will measure individual differences both pre and post activity. To explore the role of possible limiting environmental factors, we demonstrate the impact of air quality on well-being by measuring ambient air quality at different sites during the activity. Additionally, our athlete ambassadors will facilitate the engagement with nature by leading the activity and sharing knowledge on the natural environment. Our workshop weaves the concepts of green exercise, blue mind (connectivity with water) in a positive psychology framework which can influence individuals, group and shape our attitudes towards a sustainable environment. This workshop would be appropriate for those engaged in consulting (e.g., Clinical Psychology) those interested in workplace well-being interventions (e.g., Organisational Psychology) and those with an interest in health psychology, performance psychology or researchers in health, sport, physical activity and lifestyle change

Symposium entitled Innovative Approaches to Mental Health Promotion in Elite Sport accepted on for 23rd University Day of the German Society of Sport Science (dvs), which will be hosted by the Technical University of Munich from 13 to 15 September 2017 in Munich, Germany. Aoife Donnelly Jürgen Beckmann Emma Feerick Jessie Barr

Aoife Donnelly Giles Warrington Alan E. Donnelly Christopher Gidlow have turned me green...read on at:

https://www.siliconrepublic.com/people/green-exercise-research-ul-tadhg-e-macintyre

The research currently being carried out around the world has the power to change lives. But what do we actually know about it?

Tadhg E MacIntyre, lecturer and researcher at the Health Research Institute (HRI), University of Limerick (UL), talks us through his research into the societal and environmental impacts of ‘green exercise’, and explains why science advocacy is so important right now.

Doctoral Scholarships at UL: Our Dept. is offering PhD scholarships at the University of Limerick and if you wish to develop an application on the topic of green exercise please contact tadhg.macintyre@ul.ie ASAP submission date is June 19th but liaison with staff in advance is required.

Thanks to Aoife Donnelly Giles Warrington Alan E. Donnelly Dr. Orla Power Nollaig o sullivan De Graaf Lucie Andree Walkin and Keith Wood for the meeting of minds last week. Plans afoot for our next steps. We also received support at the Pint of Science Event at JJ Bowles Pub in Limerick which was very competitive. Jessie Barr Hannah Mccormack and Ann-Marie Creaven supported. Pinot of Science to follow in the fall we hope.

Our interaction with nature is increasingly being explored as a means to enhance both physical and mental well-being. GO GREEN EX projects are transdisciplinary by nature, and aim to bring health, sport and environmental sectors together in collaboration to bridge sectorial gaps methodological approaches, as well as to maximise impact in society. Two internships are being offered and successful candidates will collaborate with our research partners including Clarisford Park and local sport partnerships. Our funded projects on nature based solutions to well-being www.gogreenex.org have ongoing research activity which includes three distinct themes with one candidate to be assigned to each of the themes:

(1) Quantitative Assessment and Systematic Literature Searching: Desk-based research for a forthcoming grant proposal which includes the development of a work package on health impact assessment of green exercise. Health impact assessment is a novel approach that combines mixed-methods to systematically judge the potential health effects a proposed policy, program or particular intervention might have on population health and the distribution of those effects within a population (e.g. healthy equity). Reviewing the research literature on GO GREEN EX related topics will be a key task in preparation for our forthcoming text. This theme will be assigned to one candidate and the specific duties will be communicated prior to interview.

(2) Qualitative Analysis and Field Testing: Laboratory and field based research on psychophysiological aspects of green exercise and surveys of student, athlete and community samples on attitudes to nature, physical activity and the environment. Qualitative interview, focus groups, and case studies will be among the methodologies employed. Experience in qualitative data analysis, expertise in oral communication and experience in multi-stakeholder engagement in the sport, mental health and physical activity sector is important for this role. This theme will be assigned to one candidate and the specific duties will be communicated prior to interview.

(3) Survey Development: Development and validation of online survey instruments to measure mental health stigma, attitudes towards psychology and help seeking behaviour. Survey design, data collection and analysis will be required and the candidate should also be experienced in dissemination to multi-stakeholder groups. This theme will be assigned to one candidate and the specific duties will be communicated prior to interview.

The submission date for letters of interest (with CV’s) is May 12th at 6pm GMT. Subsequently interviews will be held for the positions which are expected to start with immediate effect. Successful candidates will be remunerated at a research assistant rate (circa €200 per week for 8 weeks). Further information from Dr. Tadhg MacIntyre <tadhg.macintyre@ul.ie>

Engagement with Nature: An exploratory study of nature savouring among college Students Tadhg MacIntyre UL

Authors: *MacIntyre, T.E., **Donnelly, A. A., Warrington, G., Walkin, A., O’Sullivan N., ***Beckmann, J. & ****Madan, C.R.

Affiliation: *Health Research Institute, University of Limerick **FSEH, Dublin Institute of Technology, *** Technical University of Munich ****Dept. of Psychology, Boston College

Key words: green exercise, nature based solution, well-being, attention.

Nature based solutions to well-being have been suggested as a means of jointly tackling several societal challenges. Among the main challenges are climate change, physical inactivity, mental health problems and awareness of environment issues. Engagement with nature through green exercise (physical activity in natural settings) is one possible solution to these broader problems. We suggest that the combination of exercise, natural settings together with an engagement mindset, can optimise the human-nature interaction to create synergistic benefits for mental well-being, cognitive function and health. Our approach includes priming prior to green exercise, creating conditions for flow during exercise with subsequent ‘nature savouring’ tasks. Savoring is a form of emotion regulation used to prolong and enhance positive emotional experiences. In a recent study, Passmore and Holder (2016) reported that a two-week savouring intervention increased positive affect and prosocial orientation among a ‘nature’ group when compared to controls. Students were allocated to one of three groups of students and were required to photograph and assign emotions and descriptions to the images (G1: natural settings; G2: built environment; G3 control condition. Our study at UL will advance upon the previous findings by including measures of individual differences relating to emotion regulation, cognition and familiarity with natural stimuli. The aim of the study was to investigate if these variables moderated the savouring effect. Thirty participants will be recruited for the six-week campus-based intervention. A sense cam will record the routes taken by the participants. In addition, post-hoc comparisons of images chosen by the participants will be analysed for visual complexity and ratings of pleasantness by the participants. While maintaining their normal commuting routes across campus students were asked to take photographs when they noticed that a specific object or scene evoked a strong emotion. After each 2-week condition pts. will be re-tested on standard tests of mental well-being, nature relatedness and cognitive function. A qualitative component will assess the perceptions of the Pts. and their feedback for co-design of a follow-up study. The findings of this study will be discussed in light of the need for methodological rigor in the exploration of nature based solutions for well-being.

Presented on 12th April at Environ 2017 conference AIT.

Christopher Gidlow presenting at University of Limerick, Dept. of Psychology Colloquia Series on the topic of Natural Environments and Health: Findings from the PHENOTYPE project on Friday March 31st at 3pm.

Dr. Chris Gidlow is an Associate Professor at Staffordshire University, is Academic Director for the Centre for Health and Development. His primary responsibility is to secure funding for, and undertake, research and evaluation related to physical activity, health and environmental determinants. His recent roles on European level projects includes being WP lead on www.phenotype.eu a €3.5m study exploring the mechanisms underlying human-nature interactions.

Christopher R Madan presenting at the University of Limerick on the topic of ‘Movement imagery: Measurement and role in cognition.’ His seminar on Tuesday 7th February was well attended by our Faculty and postgraduate students. Christopher R. Madan (@cMadan) is a postdoctoral research fellow in the Department of Psychology at Boston College, under the supervision of Elizabeth Kensinger (https://www2.bc.edu/elizabeth-kensinger/). Chris studies memory and decision making, with a particular emphasis on factors that make some experiences more memorable than others. He uses a variety of approaches to ask these questions, including cognitive psychology, neuroimaging, and computational modeling. You can find out more about Chris and his research interests on his personal website (http://www.cmadan.com). A contributor to a forthcoming monograph on green exercise and well-being, Chris has established expertise in visual cognition and motor imagery factors which are fundamental to our understanding of the processes underlying green exercise effects. For further info. follow @cMadan

General Commentary: Environmental Influences on Elite Sport Athletes Well Being: From Gold, Silver and Bronze to Blue, Green and Gold http://journal.frontiersin.org/article/10.3389/fpsyg.2017.00078

Well done Mike Rogerson Essex green exercise group

Article Investigating the Impact of Green Exercise on population hea...

outlining how using the natural lab that is Clarisford Park in Killaloe we will investigate a range of environmental, physiological and psychological outcomes that result from green exercise. Thanks to IRC New Foundations and EHS research office at UL and FSEH at DIT for support.

UL offers PhD fee waiver award under themes including Physical Activity and human performance

Contact us if you are interested in the topic below:

This project involves a unique transdisciplinary team with the combined objective of investigating the benefits of green exercise on wellbeing and mental health. Together the consortium have shared expertise in psychology, exercise physiology, biomechanics and environmental science. This topic clearly aligns with both global challenges (e.g., climate change, mental health) and priorities areas in sport and physical activity research (e.g. transitions and mental health). In collaboration with an NGO partners and key stakeholders, the researchers will engage in knowledge exchange, dissemination and outreach activity in order to develop sustainable relationships from which proposals for large scale research can be planned, developed and implemented.

More info. on the feee waiver award at http://www.ul.ie/ehs//node/1271 and if interested please send email. Note the closing date for the applications is Jan. 6th.

Christopher Gidlow laying the foundations for the translational workshop at the Psychological Society of Ireland. The workshop was funded by the Irish Research Council and was in collaboration with Mental Health Ireland and PSI.

Aoife Donnelly Christopher Gidlow with Jessie Barr and Cathal Sheridan at the Psychological Society of Ireland for Mental Health Week workshop on Green Exercise see

Going Green for Well-Being: A Case Study Approach to Implementing Green Exercise presented by

The Division of Sport, Exercise and Performance Psychology Date: 14th October 2016

Venue: PSI Training Room, Grantham Street

CPD Credits: 1 Time: 7-8:30pm

Clare Ní Mhurchú deserves gratitude for the design and translation of our infographic displaying our Preliminary Guidelines for Green Exercise which were developed by Team Go Green Ex in consultation with Local Sport Partnerships in Clare, Limerick, Laois and Wicklow and other stakeholders. We aim to conduct research to validate these guidelines in the coming year.

THINK IN for our research team in Dublin on 9-10th Sept.

Consultation Workshop on Guidelines Sept. 8th at PESS University of Limerick 6-9pm. All stakeholders in sport and physical activity promotion are welcome.

rsvp to gogreenex@gmail.com

A consultation process is ongoing to develop age appropriate guidelines for participation in Green Exercise. Part of our consultation process is engagement with the Local Sport Partnerships across Ireland and other key stakeholders including Sport Ireland, Healthy Ireland, Mental Health Ireland and community partnerships like Clarisford Park in Killaloe, Co. Clare.

Published version of Donnelly et al. see http://journal.frontiersin.org/article/10.3389/fpsyg.2016.01167/full

and other papers on mental health in research topic at

PERSPECTIVE ARTICLE

Front. Psychol. | doi: 10.3389/fpsyg.2016.01167

Environmental influences on Elite Sport Athletes Well Being: From Gold, Silver and Bronze to Blue Green and Gold

Aoife A. Donnelly1*, Tadhg E. MacIntyre2, Giles Warrington2, Nollaig O'Sullivan2, Drew Harrison2, Eric R. Igou3, Marc Jones4, Chris Gidlow4, Ross Cloak5, Ian Lahart5, Noel Brick6 and Andrew M. Lane

This paper considers the environmental impact on well-being and performance in elite athletes during Olympic competition. The benefits of exercising in natural environments are recognised, but less is known about the effects on performance and health in elite athletes. Although some Olympic events take place in natural environments, the majority occur in the host city, usually a large densely populated area where low exposure to natural environments is compounded by exposure to high levels of air, water and noise pollution in the ambient environment. By combining methods and expertise from diverse but inter-related disciplines including environmental psychology, exercise physiology, biomechanics, environmental science and epidemiology, a transdisciplinary approach will facilitate a greater understanding of the effects of the environment on Olympic athletes.http://journal.frontiersin.org/article/10.3389/fpsyg.2016.01167/abstract

Two day meeting in Limerick with presentation in Portlaoise by Prof. Marc Jones. The workshop involves case studies and is coordinated by Laois LSP and Mental Health Ireland.