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Nature, connection, and wellbeing in later life: A qualitative study of group nature-based volunteering
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Date
2026-10-05
Authors
Healy, Nessa
Cassarino, Marica
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Academic Press
Published Version
Abstract
Loneliness in later life represents a significant public health challenge, yet the processes through which community-based activities in natural environments support social connection and wellbeing remain less well understood. This qualitative study examined older adults’ experiences of group nature-based volunteering and its mechanisms of influence on psychological and social outcomes. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 10 volunteers aged 65–76, alongside focused ethnographic observation across two volunteering groups in South-West Ireland (rural conservation and urban environmental initiatives). Data was analysed using Reflexive Thematic Analysis. Three themes were developed: (1) Freedom and acceptance through culture and place, (2) Belonging and connection through group volunteering, and (3) Redefining life after retirement. Findings indicate that the natural environment functioned as an active facilitator of participation and social interaction. Environmental affordances such as open space, sensory stimuli and opportunities for movement enabled flexible, low-pressure engagement, reducing social demands and supporting self-regulation. Shared conservation tasks created forms of practical interdependence that fostered connection without requiring explicit self-disclosure, while routine activities (e.g. tea breaks) structured opportunities for social bonding. Participation contributed to multiple dimensions of wellbeing, particularly eudaimonic and social wellbeing, by supporting belonging, purpose and identity in the context of retirement. The findings extend environmental psychology perspectives by demonstrating how nature-based settings shape social processes through affordances and restorative qualities, enabling inclusive and sustainable forms of engagement. Nature-based volunteering is therefore conceptualised as a socially embedded practice that supports connection and wellbeing in later life, with implications for community interventions targeting loneliness.
Description
Keywords
Nature conservation , Older adult , Social connectedness , Wellbeing , Loneliness , Purpose , Group-based nature volunteering , Older adults , [AppliedPsychology]
Citation
Healy, N & Cassarino, M 2026, 'Nature, connection, and wellbeing in later life: A qualitative study of group nature-based volunteering', Journal of Environmental Psychology, vol. 115, 103231, pp. 1-10. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jenvp.2026.103231