Restorative forest environments in Scania : characteristics, availability, and accessibility for individuals with stress-related exhaustion

Sammanfattning

This study investigates the physical characteristics, availability, and accessibility of restorative forest environments in Scania, southern Sweden, for individuals with stress-related exhaustion syndrome. The study is based on the working hypothesis that more natural and wild forest environments, which may be especially beneficial for this target group, are often located relatively far from the region's largest urban centers. This may make them more difficult to access for people recovering from stress-related exhaustion. Therefore, the study aims to answer the following research question: How accessible are these restorative forest environments for people with stress-related exhaustion syndrome living in Malmö, Lund, and Helsingborg? A literature review was conducted to identify forest characteristics associated with restorative qualities. The main variables identified were tree age, tree sparsity, tree height, and species composition. These findings were translated into a GIS-based analysis using basal area forest volume, 3 height, species composition, rolled noise exclusion zones, and public transport proximity. Approximate travel times by public transport and private car were also assessed for selected candidate areas near Malmö, Lund, and Helsingborg. The results show that potential restorative forest environments are present in Scania, but their accessibility is limited and uneven. Larger, more continuous forested areas were generally located farther from the main urban centers, while areas close to Malmo and Lund were more fragmented and more affected by road infrastructure. Private car access was generally easier than public transport access, which often required longer travel times and transfers. The study concludes that restorative forest environments in Scania are not entirely inaccessible, but their accessibility is limited and uneven. The initial working hypothesis was partially supported as the most continuous forested areas were often located farther from the largest urban centers, while areas close to Malmö, Lund, and Helsingborg were generally more fragmented, more affected by traffic-related noise, or required a level of traffic effort that may be demanding for individuals with stress-related exhaustion. In this sense, accessibility should be understood not only as the physical presence of forest areas near urban centers, but also in terms of travel time, transport access, quietness, and the availability of compact forested areas.