Nature-based mental health treatments for stress, anxiety and depression will be studied by a new Danish centre backed by DKK 100 million (€13.4 million) in funding over the next ten years.
The centre, called Arboria, has been established by the Danish 15. Juni Fonden, which says its aim is to build stronger evidence around interventions that use natural environments as part of mental health support and determine which approaches can eventually be integrated into healthcare, municipal services and workplaces.
According to the foundation’s announcement, Arboria will collect research and practical experience, test different approaches and develop models that can be used by public authorities, health services and private organisations.
Nature-based mental health programmes are already widespread
The initiative is not starting from scratch. A mapping exercise commissioned by 15. Juni Fonden found that around 75% of Danish municipalities already offer at least one nature-based programme aimed at people experiencing stress, anxiety or depression.
These initiatives vary considerably, however, both in the groups they target and in their methods and documentation. Arboria says one of its main tasks will therefore be to establish more systematic evidence about what works, for whom and under which circumstances.
Nature-based interventions can take different forms. One example given by the centre is a group programme for people experiencing stress that combines therapy, structured exercises and interaction with others in an outdoor setting.
Arboria director Kenneth Kristensen said existing research points to potentially beneficial effects, while significant uncertainties remain.
“Research shows promising results. Among other things, nature-based interventions can have positive effects on stress and anxiety.”
Kristensen added that more research is needed to establish precisely which interventions produce benefits for particular groups and how those effects arise.
That distinction is important. The centre is not presenting time spent outdoors as a replacement for established mental healthcare. Its stated objective is to examine whether specific, structured interventions can become evidence-based additions to existing forms of support.
Denmark’s high levels of stress add to the interest
The project comes as Denmark continues to record substantial levels of self-reported stress. According to the 2025 Danish National Health Profile, 29.5% of adults had a high score on the survey’s stress scale.
The same national survey was conducted with more than 135,000 people aged over 16, making it one of the main sources used to track changes in health and wellbeing across Denmark.
- Juni Fonden says the ten-year structure of Arboria is intended to address a problem it sees in the current field: individual projects exist in many places, but knowledge about their effectiveness is fragmented and has not been translated systematically into services.
The foundation says it wants successful approaches to be anchored in healthcare, municipal programmes and working life rather than remaining isolated pilot projects.
Arboria has already entered strategic partnerships with the Confederation of Danish Industry, the National Institute of Public Health, Fonden Mental Sundhed and Hørsholm Municipality.
According to 15. Juni Fonden, Arboria is part of a ten-year programme focused on strengthening adult mental health through nature-based interventions. The centre will be based in Copenhagen and is expected to operate as an independent commercial foundation with its own board.
Its challenge over the coming years will be to move beyond the broad idea that nature may be beneficial and establish which concrete interventions have sufficiently strong evidence to become part of ordinary mental health support.
