Landscape and well-being: A conceptual framework and an example

Area of Science:

• Environmental studies
• Human geography
• Sociology

Background:

• Human social agents are embedded within specific landscapes.
• Environmental changes and their impacts on well-being are experienced in landscapes.
• Landscape is conceptualized as an assemblage of matter, objects, and processes.

Purpose of the Study:

• To explore the crucial role of landscape in researching environment-well-being relationships.
• To integrate perspectives on the human-landscape creative relation and neo-materialism.
• To present a case study demonstrating landscape analysis in environmental change and well-being.

Main Methods:

• Conceptualizing landscape as a dynamic assemblage.
• Drawing on theories of human-landscape interaction and neo-materialism.
• Conducting a case study in Xuan Thuy National Park, Vietnam.

Main Results:

• Landscape is central to experiencing environmental change and its effects on well-being.
• The Xuan Thuy National Park case study illustrates the interconnectedness of landscape, environment, and well-being.
• Extreme weather events in coastal regions significantly impact human and non-human well-being.

Conclusions:

• A landscape approach is vital for researching environment and well-being.
• The study highlights the need to consider the material and symbolic aspects of landscapes.
• Recommendations are provided for applying this landscape approach in future research.