Nature Conservation and Preventative Health Protection in Germany a strong Partnership Identificatio

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Nature Conservation and Preventative Health
Protection in Germany a strong
Partnership?Identification of common fields of
action in the context of recent paradigmatic
changes

• Dr. Thomas Claßen (Dipl.-Geogr.)
• Bielefeld School of Public Health, Dept. 7
  Environment Health
• Naturally better how protected landscapes can
  help deliver health and wellbeing outcomes
• Spring Seminar of the EUROPARC Atlantic Isles
  Section, 26 March 2009, Wallingford / UK

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Assumptions about the human-nature-relationship

• People perceive their environment consciously and
  unconsciously, and it has great influence on
  human physical and mental health
• Nature in a wider sense has positive effects on
  human well-being
• People are sensitized to the requirements of
  protecting our natural resources (e.g.
  biodiversity)
• Due to alienation, some people develop very
  curious ways of how to experience nature

Back to nature ? Cartoon in a German
psychological journal (April 2003)
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Opinion of a mountain romantic?

• Thousands of tired, nerve-shaken, over-civilized
  people are beginning to find out that going to
  the mountains is going home that wilderness is a
  necessity and that mountain parks and
  reservations are useful not only as fountains of
  timber and irrigating rivers, but as fountains of
  life.
• John Muir (originator of the national park idea,
  19th century)

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Assumptions regarding nature conservation

• Measures of (health-oriented) environmental
  protection nowadays are of great acceptance
  throughout the German society.
• Concrete measures of nature conservation,
  however, often still face lack of acceptance.
• For 20 years, there has been a strategic and
  conceptional paradigmatic change from
  bioecologic-ethical to modern understanding of
  nature conservation as a societal approach for
  human health wellbeing, too.
• In this respect, nature conservation is looking
  for strategic alliances.
• Could linkage to health and wellbeing (as a
  positive topic for society) contribute to image
  promotion and better acceptance of nature
  conservation?

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What is Health?

• Health
• ...is a state of complete physical, mental, and
  social well-being and not merely the absence of
  disease or infirmity. (WHO, 1946)
• or
• is a status of balance between risk factors
  and protecting factors (resources), which happens
  if a human being succeeds in managing the
  interior (physical and mental) as well as the
  exterior (social and material) requirements.
  (Hurrelmann Franzkowiak, 2006 52, translated
  from German)
• ? Salutogenetic Principle a resource-oriented
  and preventive model identifying health-promoting
  determinants (resources and competencies) for
  human life (Antonovsky 1987)

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Assumptions regarding the health sector

• Health sector in general nowadays faces severe
  challenges due to- newly identified health
  risks- demographic change- rapidly increasing
  costs in health care
• Public Health sector opens up to other
  disciplines, including environment and natural
  resources sciences (e.g. Environment and Health
  Action Programme)
• But what about nature health?
• Problem in German public health sector
  pathogenetic perspective vs. salutogenetic
  perspective

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Environment and Nature as potential health
risk - nature sciences / medical model describing
health and disease status
Environment and Nature as health
resource - Sociologic / Public Health model
describing health status
Model of Preventative Health Protection
Preventative Health Protection
Health (promotion) Disease
(prevention)
Function of Nature Conservation?
Burden
Resources
ecological health promotion, environmental
management - aim promote health by use of
environment and nature
environmental medicine environmental hygiene,
health protection - aim prevent/reduce health
risks from environment and nature
Salutogenetic perspective
Pathogenetic perspective
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While searching for synergies and obstacles

• in 2004, a pilot study was initiated by the
  German Federal Agency for Nature Conservation.
• objectives
• Are there any (potential) fields of action
  between nature conservation and preventive health
  protection?
• If so, are they realized and used
  synergistically, or do links occur by accident?
• Are there any horizontal or vertical
  communication barriers? If so, what are the
  reasons for these obstacles?
• What are the opportunities for initiating better
  co-operation between both topics, if this
  co-operation makes sense?

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Approach of the pilot study

• Synopsis of basic considerations and scientific
  concepts at the interface between nature
  conservation and health
• Assumptions regarding the perception of nature
  (conservation) and health in the public
• Conducting an inquiry of identified opinion
  leaders and stakeholders (experts) ?
  standardized survey (254 Pers./institutions)?
  semi-structured expert interviews (20 Pers.)
• Statistical analyses (quantitative) and
  (semi-)qualitative analyses
• Identification of projects, programmes,
  strategies of good practice
• Identification and analysis of strengths and
  weaknesses of previous strategies and concepts
• Highlighting recommendations

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Postal inquiry

• Information on the addressee
• Questions about the complex ofhealth
• Questions about the complex of nature
  conservation
• Questions about potential links
• Information on the person
• Notes on the questionnaire
• Inquiry 12/04 02/05? response N158 (62,2)
• Interviews 02/05 04/05(N18)

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Connections to institutions, federations,
associations etc.
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Collaboration in programmes or projects
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Points of contact with the EHAP or the (local)
Agenda 21
Agenda 21 is of interest for sure, since Agenda
21 has its own chapter on health.
nevertheless where I work and in most parts
of environmental protection, Agenda 21 is always
discussed without this health aspect. Its sort
of excluded in the discussion on sustainability.
(UG5, question 5 I, answered in question 3 I)
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Exchange, networking, dialogue structures
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Hiding behind responsibilities?

• They do not affect us, and in this respect I do
  not know them. (G 5, question 3/4 I)
• Another example
• With respect to nature conservation there is
  no organisational opinion. (G 3, question 2 I)
• But when asked to the own opinion
• We badly need health promoting environmental and
  living-conditions. I need health-oriented
  prevention of bad conditions for giving everybody
  the opportunity to promote his own health. An in
  this respect, without any doubt there is a strong
  link between nature conservation and health
  protection. (G 3, question 5 I)

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Opportunities for co-operation?

• There are topics, where nature conservation
  for sure takes profit from being one prerequisite
  for human health, and where on the other hand
  preventive health protection can take profit of
  the fact that it easily realized in a more or
  less natural environment. In this respect health
  sector should be interested in certain measures
  of nature conservation ... when aiming at
  keeping us healthy. (G 7, question 11/12 I)
• The topic has not been communicated inside the
  federations yet because the linkages are not
  clear at all to them. Nature conservation,
  environment protection, health, these are totally
  divided worlds by now. (NU3 question 6 I)

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obstacles and barriers

• Each ministry, each federal agency faces this
  compulsion for justificating the own work . It
  is always of high importance to present oneself
  in front of the minister, the boss and especially
  the public as the one and only ministry or agency
  doing really positive things. This fact often
  hinders co-operation. (UG5, question 6 I)
• The personal factor is a fact. If you face a
  blocking person in the right position, the
  whole topic is dead, no matter about other
  surrounding circumstances. And if you face
  someone who is willing to co-operate, then this
  person will manage, no matter about other
  surrounding circumstances. (UG5, question 6 I)

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Actors network communication barriers
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Potential subjects and fields for action I

• Protection of Drinking-water- and spa-wells and
  nature conservation
• Sustainable use of medicinal plants and other
  alternative methods
• Promotion of urban green as a health-promoting
  resource, environm. justice
• Healthy nutrition and sustainable food
  production,
• Cure and wellness focusing on outdoor-activities
  (e.g. outdoor-wellness)
• Physical activity in nature as a task of health
  promotion

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Potential subjects and fields for action II

• Complementary medicine and Kneipp therapies
• Territories for nature experience, health
  promotion and therapies
• Large-scale nature preserves as spaces for health
  precaution
• Public relations and environmental education
• Therapeutic / health promoting Landscapes

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Conclusion of the pilot study

• There are definitely numerous fields of action
  between nature conservation and preventive health
  protection!
• Perception of the people occurs unconsciously
  when thinking about nutrition, the good from
  nature, stress relaxation in nature etc.
• Persistent opinion of some experts in nature
  conservation that it is an ethically reasonable
  duty or that it is not strong enough for being
  perceived as a good partner
• Clear communication barriers due to divided
  responsibilities and often even the need of
  profiling the own ministry or department
  (creatorship?)
• Substantial lack of co-operation and
  communication between the disciplines in science,
  politics and planning
• Willingness or careful expectation of the
  experts, in particular of those from
  interdisciplinary fields or on a regional level
• What can be done?

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Follow-up study (2006-2008)
3 German nature parks involved
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High relevance in the media
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Project no. III internetbased portal
Information system Nature Conservation and
Health
overview and detailed texts (incl. references)

• Non-experts
• Interested public
• Children

• Experts
• Actors in nature conservation tourism
• Actors in health sector

literature database project database glossary web-
GIS
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Conclusion

• Financial and personnel resources are more
  limited than ever!
• Both topics are in need of strategic partners for
  meeting their goals!
• objectives
• Horizontal and vertical integration of strategies
  and concepts of nature conservation and
  preventative health protection
• Reduction of the immanent deficit of information
  by improved target group communication
• Reduction of situations with rivalry or conflicts
  
• Reduction of thinking only in responsibilities
  and competencies
• Remember Sustainable Development is Healthy
  Development!

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Thank you very much for your attention!

• These projects were granted by the German Federal
  Agency for Nature Conservation, financed by the
  German Federal Ministry of the Environment,
  Nature Conservation and Nuclear Safety
• project I II were carried out by the
• Institute for Hygiene and Public Health
• of the University of Bonn

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Interested in the topic???

• The project documentation (in German) has been
  published
• Claßen, Kistemann Schillhorn (2005)
  Naturschutz und Gesundheitsschutz Identifikation
  gemeinsamer Handlungsfelder. Bonn Bad Godesberg
  ( Schriftenreihe Naturschutz und Biologische
  Vielfalt, H. 23)
• 228 pages ISBN 3-7843-3923-9 Price 16,-
• My dissertation (in German) may be downloaded
• Claßen, T. (2008) Naturschutz und vorsorgender
  Gesundheitsschutz Synergie oder Konkurrenz?
  Bonn.
• http//hss.ulb.uni-bonn.de/diss_online/math_nat_fa
  k/2008/classen_thomas

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Approach of the pilot study

• Synopsis of basic considerations and scientific
  concepts at the interface between nature
  conservation and health
• Assumptions regarding the perception of nature
  (conservation) and health in the public
• Conducting an inquiry of identified opinion
  leaders and stakeholders (experts) ?
  standardized survey (254 Pers./institutions)?
  semi-structured expert interviews (20 Pers.)
• Statistical analyses (quantitative) and
  (semi-)qualitative analyses
• Identification of projects, programmes,
  strategies of good practice
• Identification and analysis of strengths and
  weaknesses of previous strategies and concepts
• Highlighting recommendations

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Scientific linkages between nature (conservation)
health

• from nature- and perception psychology(e.g.
  Biophilia vs. Biophobia, Attention-Restoration-The
  ory)
• links to nature in medicine and public health
  science(e.g. complementary medicine, Kneippian
  techings, Healing Gardens, health determinants
  concept) ?
• ecosystem science and health(e.g. ecosystem
  health vs. conservation medicine, research on
  biodiversity and on climate effects)
• environment-oriented health protection and
  ecological health promotion(e.g. importance of
  urban green, integral water body management)
• recreation, nature experience and physical
  activity
• nature- and health-oriented regional
  development(e.g. role of large-scale nature
  preserves, healthy regions)
• therapeutic ? health enhancing landscapes

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Development of therapeutic or preventative
landscapes

• Ideal with above-average density of
• Landscape elements that enhance the mental
  well-being,
• Specific health care facilities,
• Comprehensive offers for nature experience and
  health promotion,
• Graded lodging facilities,
• Spiritual centres,
• Spas and certificated locations for recreation,
• Barrier-free offers,
• and measurable success in sustainable regional
  development, in particular in the field of
  integrated planning procedures

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Relationship between nature conservation and
health protection

• Apparent synergies
• Health because of nature
• Biodiversity, nature- and phytomedicine for
  pharmaceutical uses
• Nature products as anti-allergics
• Orientation by nature as protection against
  natural hazards
• Nature for mental health, recreation, sports,
  therapies, health protection
• Organic farming as means of consumer protection
  (e.g. Drinking-water)

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Relationship between nature conservation and
health protection

• Apparent disturbances or rivalry
• Health risks due to nature
• Allergies from natural products
• Disruption of well-being and health risks due to
  nature conservation
• But on the other side
• Health delusion causing disruption of sensitive
  parts of nature
• Exploitation of natural genetic resources