Table of Contents

Foreword by Shaun Barnett ..............................................................................................................................7

Preface................................................................................................................................................................11

Acknowledgements...........................................................................................................................................17

Part 1 Exploring the nature-wellbeing connection

Chapter 1: What is nature and why does it make us feel good?...................................................................21

Chapter 2: A sweep through history and scientific thought on nature and wellbeing..............................39

Chapter 3: The place of 'nature' in Aotearoa New Zealand's cultural history ............................................49

Part 2 Stories of nature and wellbeing in Aotearoa New Zealand

Chapter 4: Nature as therapy...........................................................................................................................61

Chapter 5: Nature as a classroom....................................................................................................................90

Chapter 6: People restoring nature, nature restoring people.....................................................................112

Chapter 7: Awakening potential through nature........................................................................................131

Chapter 8: Finding a sense of place and connection in nature...................................................................138

Part 3 Towards a nature-rich future

Chapter 9: Embracing nature in our everyday lives....................................................................................155

Epilogue...........................................................................................................................................................162

References........................................................................................................................................................167

Notes................................................................................................................................................................173

Index.................................................................................................................................................................184

About the Author

Dr Catherine Knight is the award-winning author of four previous books: Beyond Manapouri: 50 years of environmental
politics in New Zealand (Canterbury University Press, 2018), Wildbore: A photographic legacy (Totara Press, 2018), New
Zealand's Rivers: An environmental history (Canterbury University Press, 2016) and Ravaged Beauty: An environmental history of the Manawatu (Dunmore Press, 2014). In addition to her work as an environmental historian, Catherine is a policy and communications consultant and lives with her family on a farmlet in the Manawatu.