Conferences & Webinars

The issue of the environment has become a major concern of the younger generations. A 2021 study conducted in ten countries revealed that 59% of young people surveyed said they were “very” or “extremely worried” about climate change. The destruction of the environment is also a major anxiety among children and adolescents: more and more, the state of the planet affects the mental health of the adults of tomorrow. So should we continue to alert them at the cost of inciting negative eco-emotions or should we adopt another approach? An approach based on positive feelings and the fostering of an environmental identity?
Based on recent research in environmental psychology and the history of nature conservation, this conference will provide you with concrete tools for environmental education that meet the challenges of tomorrow.

The pandemic has shown that urban planning, such as the lack of green spaces for example, has a considerable impact on the mental health of city dwellers. Resting on this observation, the concept of the restorative city has gradually been built; undoubtedly a concept of the future paths of urban planning. Rather than focusing solely on reducing the negative impact of pollution (atmospheric, noise, endocrine and other), the restorative city aims to improve well-being through its architecture, facilities and regulations. It seeks to have an actual positive impact. The restorative city is based on various principles already implemented in some cities around the world with very concrete effects on mental health, crime and delinquency. In this conference we present its principles and implemented solutions.

The ecological transition is a necessity and a challenge. Too often, however, it is presented only as an accumulation of small gestures favorable to the environment. This often lets us forget that the deterioration of the natural world first stems from our perception and a certain culture of nature resulting from multiple religious, philosophical and political conditionings. To lead a real ecological transition that is not merely a succession of vain declarations, we must replace our ideology of nature as an object with a new relational culture with the living. This conference offers the bases of an innovative approach bringing together the sensitive, experiential and cognitive aspects put forward by l’Université dans la Nature. This pedagogy has been integrated into projects carried out with INDIRE (Italy), ERASMUS (Europe), and the RBC Center for Expertise in Mental Health at the University of Sherbrooke (Quebec).

Discover a positive discourse giving an insight into the incredible benefits that a renewed contact with nature inside and outside the office can have on organizations and its employees - a new education for the ecological transition. For more than 30 years, science has accumulated incredible knowledge about the benefits that connecting with nature has on our health and well-being. And we believe that it is now urgent to integrate this knowledge and put it into action. Nature impacts everything from job satisfaction and productivity to anxiety and stress, to resilience and creativity. If we want to pursue the quest for progress without paying a human and environmental price that would make this same progress useless, we can no longer forget our connection with nature.

This conference offers a critical analysis of innovative initiatives that are increasingly discussed in the media: the Japanese "Shinrin-yoku", the North American "forest bathing", sylvotherapy in France, the institution of therapeutic forests in Korea and the “nature prescriptions” from the United Kingdom. How effective are these practices? What are the “doses of nature” recommended by research? Is it profitable for public health to encourage these practices? Let’s find out.

The connection to nature is a scientific concept that has been studied extensively in recent years and is the subject of many measurement tools. But what does it cover? What are the ways to connect with nature in today's society? And what are the benefits? What actually is nature? We showcase the latest advances of a concept and practice that are increasingly capturing the attention and excitement of millions of people around the world.

Biophilic design is biophilia (the innate attraction to natural elements) applied to the design and development of the human-built environment. It is based on several more complex principles than just revegetation because it addresses the sense of sight as well as touch, hearing, smell and cognitive well-being. The positive impact of biophilic design is uncontested today: it reduces absenteeism, anxiety and stress, while it increases attention and psychological well-being. This conference presents an overview of contemporary research and simple applications that can be implemented in the workplace.