But why does walkable green space matter so much for our well-being? What is it about nature that makes us feel better? Walking in the woods is something we humans have done since time immemorial. Some cultures venerate this experience: the Japanese, for example, have the glorious tradition of ‘forest bathing’ (shinrin-yoku): the practice of absorptive, enveloping walking in deep forests for the soothing properties of being connected to, and fully immersed in, the sights, sounds and feel of
