Joint Workshop For Global Engineers in Asia 2015 at Ritsumeikan University on 24 to 29 July 2015 Henry Ojobo and Ismail Said Universiti Teknologi Malaysia

Contact with natural environments enhance restoration of directed attention better than experience of other environments. Restoration encompasses the process that facilitates peoples recovery from stress acquired whilst trying to meet demands of everyday life (Hartig, 2011). Directed attention phenomenon as described by Kaplan (1995) plays a major role in human capacity and its restoration is dependent upon the components of the environment. Hence, mental stress results from interactions between persons and their environment that are perceived as straining or exceeding their adaptive capacities and threatening their well being (Annerstedt et al. 2010). Whereas stress is the general response of the body to any demand, stressor is the stress reducing agent (Selye, 1976). Assumption: Cumulative effects of contact with environment having high restorative qualities can enhance better health benefits than contact with lesser restorative quality (Hartig et al. 2011)

Components of a restorative environment include: Being away - different from everyday environments Extent – Possess Enough scope and organization Fascination – Evokes effortless attention Compatibility- A purpose fit component Being away - different from everyday environments Extent – Possess Enough scope and organization Fascination – Evokes effortless attention Compatibility- A purpose fit component While MODERN DAY environments are only created to suite everyday living and working which offer less restorative health benefits (Thompson, 2010), NATURE RELATED ENVIRONMENTS like forests, wilderness and mountains are considered to possess significantly the possibility of enhancing restoration from stress through passive and active contact.

 Previous studies have been done in quasi (confined or laboratory) environments which involved participants viewing through a window or viewing nature scenes through video, picture slides and simulations. RESEARCH MILIEU QUASI/LABORATORY White (2013), Berto et al (2010), Han, K. T. (2010), Van den Berg et al. (2010), Chang et al.(2008), Berto, (2007), Han, K. T. (2007), Hartig & Staats (2006), Berto, R. (2005), Staats & Hartig (2004), De Vries et al. (2003), Herzog et al. (2003), Laumann et al. (2003), Staats et al. (2003), Herzog et al. (2002), Laumann et al. (2001), Purcell et al. (2001), Herzog et al. (1997), Ulrich et al. (1991), Ulrich, R. S. (1981) Ulrich, R. S. (1979) REAL SITE Tsunetsugu et al. (2013), Martens et al. (2011), Annerstedt et al. (2010), Cole & Hall (2010), Hartig et al. (2003), Tennessen & Cimprich (1995) MIX MILIEU Berman et al. (2008), Kaplan, R. (2001), Hartig, T. et al. (1997)  Most of the research carried out on real-site nature related environments has been largely done in forests while mountain environments have merely been mentioned as part of picture slides or video simulations.  A large volume of published studies depended on psychometric self report measures to determine the magnitude of psychological human response to environmental stimuli. Very few have combined both psychological and physiological measures.

AIM To examine the mechanism and intricacies of the link between restorative environments, human response and wellbeing in a mountain landscape environment. OBJECTIVE 1 To identify the feature(s) of the mountain landscape environment potentially critical to human perception and psychological response OBJECTIVE 2 To investigate the magnitude to which mountain environments can stimulate human psychological and physiological well-being OBJECTIVE 3 To determine the significance of the ambient mountain environment conditions on human physiological wellbeing. RQ1 What feature of the mountain environment yield higher restorative benefits in terms of psychological wellbeing? RQ2 What degree would the mountain landscape environment influence recovery from directed attention and stress? RQ3 What aspects of the ambient mountain environment conditions combine to elicit human physiological wellbeing?

STRESS RECOVERY THEORY SRT An encounter with most unthreatening natural environment by stressed individuals would yield restorative benefits while many urban environment will mitigate recovery (Ulrich et al. 1991). Its focus is mainly on the emotional and physiological stress reduction benefits derivable through contact with natural environments. AESTHETIC-AFFECTIVE THEORY AAT Ulrich (1986) asserts that visual contact with most natural settings by a stressed individual is likely to foster positive feelings (emotions), hold interest and mitigate stressful thoughts resulting in recuperation. Aesthetic and affective responses are related to visual perceptions of natural environments. ATTENTION RESTORATION THEORTY ART Natural environments play an essential role in human functioning through the process of restorative experience (Kaplan, 1992). The theory focuses on: In-depth analysis of restoration in terms of four conceptual components of a restorative environment and Environmental configurations that are likely to contribute to restorative experience can be identified.

 is focused on measuring the benefits of human contact with the mountain landscape environment with regards to restoration of directed attention and stress mitigation. Thus, a cause and effect strategy comparing contact with the urban environment and mountain landscape environment is elucidated.

DBP-diastolic blood pressure;SBP-systolic blood pressure;PR-pulse rate and RR-respiratory rate. The experimentation was carried out between 28th January and 3 rd February The experimental protocol spanned 7 days as shown in Figure 5.6. Pretest measures were carried out at the urban environment on 28 th, 29 th and 30 th January which represent first three days of the study. Respondents were transported by road on a journey that lasted 4 hours to the Obudu mountain landscape environment on the 31 st of January Posttest measures were carried out at the mountain landscape environment the following three days, 1 st, 2nd and 3 rd February. Three qualified medics assisted in carrying out measurements at the urban environment while two assisted at the mountain landscape environment. The respondents were verbally briefed at the beginning of the study on the measures to be taken which included systolic blood pressure, diastolic blood pressure, pulse rate and respiratory rate measurements.

RO1 cultural bias due to familiarity of the individuals with the structured features and not innate human characteristics is responsible for their preference. water features contribute greatly to the perception of the mountain landscape as a fascinating environment capable of restoration of stress. perception of restorative potential of the mountain landscape environment varies across age groups RO2 Findings affirm the phenomenon of being away and compatibility as explanation for increased restorativeness and stress mitigation leading to wellbeing with regards to mountain landscape environments. the feeling of fascination and extents in the mountain landscape environment does not indicate restoration from stress. experiential contact with the mountain landscape environment influenced individual’s ability to attain a relaxed state through the reduction of their diastolic blood pressure and pulse rate. RO3 While temperature decreased at the mountain landscape environment compared to the urban environment, humidity increased. This was found to have influenced the increase in systolic blood pressure but decrease in both diastolic blood pressure and pulse rate.

The combination of findings provides support for the theoretical premise that natural environments are typically distinct from the everyday urban environments in terms of health benefits. It concludes that contact with mountain landscape environments promotes spontaneous recovery from stress and restoration of directed attention. Therefore, individuals experiencing stress from daily hassles in urban environments can seek short term relieve measures from a mountain landscape environment. The scope of environments studied in terms of landscape types and their restorative benefits have been expanded through the situatedness of this study in the mountain landscape environment. Also, with regards to the link between nature experience and human wellbeing, research has been expanded. The study represents an essential step in providing empirical evidence of the psycho-physiological benefits of mountain landscape environments. The combination of findings provides support for the theoretical premise that natural environments are typically distinct from the everyday urban environments in terms of health benefits. It concludes that contact with mountain landscape environments promotes spontaneous recovery from stress and restoration of directed attention. Therefore, individuals experiencing stress from daily hassles in urban environments can seek short term relieve measures from a mountain landscape environment. The scope of environments studied in terms of landscape types and their restorative benefits have been expanded through the situatedness of this study in the mountain landscape environment. Also, with regards to the link between nature experience and human wellbeing, research has been expanded. The study represents an essential step in providing empirical evidence of the psycho-physiological benefits of mountain landscape environments.