The environment in healthcare facilities can influence health and recovery of service users and furthermore contribute to healthy workplaces for staff. The concept of therapeutic landscapes seems to be a promising approach in this context. The aim of this qualitative meta-analysis is to review the effects of therapeutic landscapes for different stakeholders in psychiatric care facilities. A systematic literature search was conducted in the four data bases PubMed, PsycInfo, CINAHL, and Web of Science. Thirteen predominately qualitative studies were included in this qualitative meta-analysis. The methodological quality of these qualitative studies was assessed, using an adapted version of the Journal Article Reporting Standards for Qualitative Research, and a thematic analysis was conducted. The results were categorised into the three main themes of the physical (built and natural), social, and symbolic dimensions of the therapeutic landscape. Given the heterogeneity of the summarised data and an overall methodological quality of the included studies that can be rated as medium, the results should be interpreted with caution. Current findings are based almost exclusively on qualitative studies. Therefore, there is a need for quantitative study designs that investigate the relationship between specific environmental elements and mental health outcomes for different stakeholders in psychiatric facilities.

Urban residency is associated with exposure to environmental factors, which can influence health in many ways. Neuroscientific research, as well as Public Health research, aim towards broadening evidence in the field of Urban Health. However, it is unclear whether the association between urban living and mental illnesses is causal rather than explainable by other selective effects. This review seeks to gather information on the current evidence regarding urban living and neurological outcomes to demonstrate how Public Health and Neuroscience could complement each other in the field of Urban Health. A scoping review was conducted in four electronic databases according to the PRISMA-statement guidelines. 25 empirical studies were included. Outcomes such as schizophrenia and psychotic disorders, social and cognitive functioning were scrutinised. Evidence was found for alteration of brain functioning and brain structure. Most studies researching cognitive functioning or cognitive decline displayed possible protective effects of urban living compared to rural living. The different study designs in Public Health and Neuroscience could profit from each other. Although the comparability of studies is limited by the inconsistent assessments of urbanity. Synergies and potentials to combine aspects of Public Health and Neuroscience in the field of Urban Health to improve population health became apparent.

In August 2024, the Nature Restoration Regulation came into force in the European Union (EU). This landmark legislation on ecosystem restoration may significantly improve the state of European's biodiversity and could profoundly contribute to implementing the Kunming‐Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework. To realize this potential, the EU Member States need to underpin the objectives of the Nature Restoration Regulation with effective measures. Here, we highlight five factors for the success of national nature restoration policies: increased acceptance of nature restoration and landscape change; agreed quantitative and qualified national restoration targets; improved coordination of nature restoration with other land uses; supportive organizational and legal framework conditions; and increased attractiveness of nature restoration to land users and land owners. Drawing on recommendations developed for the German context by three national policy advisory bodies, we suggest that these factors also hold relevance for advancing nature restoration policies in other EU Member States.

Nature and natural elements have been proven to promote mental health and well‐being but there is a research gap regarding psychiatric environments, despite the importance of psychiatric hospitals for mental health. It is essential to understand the particular characteristics relevant for patients in these settings. We conducted semi‐structured in‐situ interviews with patients on greenspaces around two psychiatric hospitals in Germany to identify positive and negative perceptions of natural elements and amenities. The perceptions are embedded into the perceived sensory dimensions (PSD) concept and combined with mapping data to achieve in‐depth descriptions of the psychiatric greenspaces. The results show the importance of greenspaces for psychiatric patients and their positive sentiments towards those spaces. The greenspaces have to provide for diverse needs and support different uses of patients at various stages of recovery. User‐sensitive and multifunctional greenspace design can reconcile conflicts of interest and contribute to a therapeutic landscape. We propose that the PSD can complement the concept of Therapeutic Landscapes, especially when the focus is on natural environments. ‘Policy implications’: Multifunctional greenspaces around psychiatric clinics can help patients to relax, enjoy the connection to nature and other people, and further their well‐being. The spaces have to be carefully designed and can potentially have a therapeutic effect on people with mental‐health problems and simultaneously enhance nature conservation and biodiversity. Read the free Plain Language Summary for this article on the Journal blog.