Therapeutic landscapes during the COVID-19 pandemic: increased and intensified interactions with nature

The COVID-19 pandemic has had a drastic impact on the course of everyday life for much of the world’s population and many people have experienced an unprecedented increase in anxiety and depression while their access to a range of coping mechanisms has been reduced. For those privileged enough to have nearby and safe access to natural environments, green and blue spaces have become an important enabler of everyday wellbeing. In this paper we explore the role of everyday interactions with nature for the maintenance of wellbeing, during the first and second ‘wave’ of infections in the Netherlands. Based on qualitative interviews with 30 participants in spring/summer and autumn of 2020, we detail how relationships with nature in the local surroundings and in the home qualitatively and effectively changed in response to COVID-19 induced confinement, resulting in the becoming-therapeutic of everyday micro-geographies. Amongst our participants, the conditions of semi-lockdown gave rise to increased interactions with nature, both in their outdoor surroundings and in the home. These increased interactions also led to intensified emotional and sensory experiences with nature and a greater sense of familiarity with their surroundings, which strengthened place-attachments and contributed to an increased sense of wellbeing.