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Nature and Health

Illuminating the connections between nature and human well-being

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    The UW Center for Nature and Health seeks to illuminate the connections between nature and human health and well-being. We work to translate that understanding into programs, practices, policies, and the design of healthcare, educational, and community settings that benefit all people and nature.

    • News and Events

    People enjoying an urban park. Researchers are trying to understand the mechanisms at play that link improved human well-being to contact with nature.
    | In the News

    Why Nature Contact Is Good for Us

    Michelle Ma · March 30, 2026
    Featuring the Center’s Co-director, Gregory Bratman, PhD

    Most people agree that time in nature is good for our mental and physical health. Whether it’s a remote wilderness backpacking trip or 15 minutes spent sitting on a park bench, people tend to feel better if they have some interactions with nature. 

    Read more at UW College of the Environment
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    Featured Research

    The Routledge Handbook of Cultural Ecosystem Services cover

    Psychological Ecosystem Services

    Psychological Ecosystem Services include the diverse ways in which nature contributes to the mental and emotional well-being of individuals and communities, and encompass the psychological benefits derived from interactions with natural environments. In this new chapter, Gregory Bratman, PhD, Nature and Health’s co-director, considers a range of studies within environmental psychology, epidemiology, and exposure science that fall under the umbrella of psychological ecosystem services.

    Support Nature & Health

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    With your support, we can better understand how nature affects human health, how to best leverage these benefits, and how to implement policies that make nature more accessible to all communities.