Conference Agenda

Background. Mobile applications that encourage and aid visits to nature (“nature apps”) are emerging as promising tools supporting health and wellbeing. To increase the understanding of how nature apps can effectively support nature visits, this study explored divergences between objective and subjective assessments of urban nature experiences using a novel nature app (Kobla, Drammen).

Methods. In an initial co-development phase, developers and researchers created a “green index” (GI; 0–100%) to quantify surrounding nature. In a subsequent user study, 30 participants (50% men/women; 39.6±16.1 years) completed a standardised 1.5 km walk and, at five pre-determined locations, provided ratings of perceived nature (PN; 0–100%), environmental restorativeness, and overall feeling. Background information, perceived weather, and brief interviews were also collected.

Results. The GI varied markedly across locations (52.6±26.8), reflecting specific configurations of built and natural elements. Differently, PN ratings were more stable (53.6±8.5), with substantial inter-individual variability and notable deviations from GI. PN correlated significantly with perceived restorativeness, overall feeling, and perceived weather (rho = 0.47–0.64). Interviews highlighted how individual preferences for green or blue environments and sensitivity to traffic noise influenced environmental perceptions.

Conclusions. Nature experiences are strongly shaped by individual perceptions rather than objective environmental features alone. Nature apps should therefore focus on eliciting attention to the presence of nature, emphasising personalised feedback and motivational elements over purely objective measures of nature exposure.

Funding. This study is part of Drammen’s contribution to NetZeroCities – Pilot Cities, funded by the European Union’s H2020 Research and Innovation programme (grant no. 101036519).