The 1st International Forum on Biodiversity Conservation and Human Wellbeing began with the session "Renaturalising the future: Transformative strategies to conserve and restore biodiversity", which opened the meeting with an inspiring look at how to reweave the link between nature and society.
From the United Kingdom, Mike Maunder, Executive Director, Kew REACH, reminded us that restoring ecosystems is not a task for a decade, but for generations. He called on universities to be drivers of lasting change, training new generations of ambassadors for nature, where every student—regardless of their discipline—makes an active commitment to caring for it.
Noelia Álvarez de Roman, Plant Conservation Project Manager - Latin America and the Caribbean, Botanic Garden Conservation International, highlighted the essential role of botanic gardens as accessible, safe and welcoming spaces, capable of connecting biodiversity conservation with human well-being in a unique way. She also emphasised that ex situ and in situ conservation are complementary and interdependent efforts that are fundamental to restoring and protecting ecosystems.
Alejandro Peirano González, Director of the National Botanical Garden of Viña del Mar, recounted the story of resilience after the 2024 fire. His testimony showed that restoration also involves rebuilding communities and hope, integrating science, water management and citizen participation.
Trevor Walter, Landscapes Programme Coordinator and Transformational Landscape Restoration Initiative Coordinator at WWF Chile, highlighted landscape restoration as an essential tool for human and ecological well-being. He emphasised the importance of a transdisciplinary approach that combines science, public policy and community work, capable of generating environmental, social and economic benefits when based on cooperation.
Olivia Steed-Mundin, Coordinator of the Global Consortium for Nothofagus Conservation, Wakehurst Royal Botanic Garden, Kew (United Kingdom), presented the Nature Unlocked project, which aims to conserve threatened plant species and promote well-being through contact with nature. Through educational programmes and inclusive experiences, it has demonstrated positive and tangible effects on physical and emotional health, especially in children and young people.
The second session brought together representatives from academia, business and government in a dialogue that left one central idea: nature is not a resource, it is our most valuable partner.
Víctor Caro Castro, current President of the Natural Capital Committee and Head of the Information and Environmental Economics Division of the Ministry of the Environment, addressed Chile's progress in natural capital policies, emphasising that there can be no well-being without functional ecosystems. From the Pontifical Catholic University of Chile, Rodrigo Arriagada invited participants to rethink progress metrics, integrating environmental and social value into economic models, and presented Nature Invest, an initiative that seeks to mobilise private investment towards restoration.
Representing the private sector, Ezequiel Monis, Sustainability and Marketing
Manager at Natura Chile, presented the "well-being-well-being" model, which
combines regenerative innovation, responsible consumption and respect for
ecosystems. Patricio Herranz Hewitt, Head of Sustainability and Conservation at
CMPC, presented the Patagonia Project, which applies natural capital criteria to
forest management, transforming conservation into a strategy for resilience and the
future.
transformando la conservación en una estrategia de resiliencia y futuro.
The message was clear: renaturalising the future requires collaboration, innovation and cross-sector commitment. When science, business and politics come together, restoration becomes a concrete path to sustainable wellbeing.
The third session, "Landscapes healing: wellbeing in times of planetary crisis," invited reflection on the healing power of natural environments. Dr Qing Li, a pioneer of forest medicine in Japan, presented the findings of Shinrin-Yoku or "forest bathing", a practice that improves physical and mental health through sensory immersion in the forest. His research demonstrates measurable benefits in the immune system, stress, anxiety and overall wellbeing.
Sam Alford, Head of Nature Connections at the Eden Project (United Kingdom), explained the "green social prescription": a model that connects people with health problems or social isolation with outdoor community activities, such as therapeutic gardening. More than 30% of participants report significant improvements in their health and well-being.
From Croatia, Aleksandar Racz and Ljerka Armano addressed the process of professionalising forest therapy. They emphasised the need to advance ethical and scientific frameworks that consolidate this practice as a complement to health systems, combining evidence, training and respect for nature.
The conference left us with a hopeful vision: to honour the wisdom of the natural environment and the discipline of science. Forest therapy is emerging as a genuine force for human and planetary well-being.
The fourth and final session, "Sowing Awareness: Environmental Education for Action and Change" was a closing dedicated to rethinking the role of education on a planet in crisis.
Olivia Copsey, Director of Education at the Foundation for Environmental Education, proposed a new social contract for education that reconnects students with nature and values local and indigenous knowledge. From the Mapuche territory, Estela Nahuelpán Burgos shared the experience of the Monkul Wetland, an example of how teaching can unite ancestral heritage with conservation.
Ana María Vliegenthart Arntz, Presidenta de la Fundación Parque Katalapi, recordó una verdad esencial: “solo se protege lo que se ama, y solo se ama lo que se conoce”. Destacó la necesidad de experiencias educativas directas en la naturaleza que despierten asombro, cariño y compromiso por su protección. Finalmente, Winfred Espejo Contreras presentó el enfoque de Salud Planetaria impulsado por la Universidad de Concepción, que integra la salud humana con la del planeta y forma profesionales conscientes de esa interdependencia.
La sesión concluyó con un mensaje compartido: la educación ambiental no es solo informar, es transformar. Despierta empatía, curiosidad y responsabilidad, formando personas capaces de comprender que cada acción cuenta.
El foro cerró con una convicción común: regenerar nuestra relación con la biodiversidad es también regenerar nuestra forma de vivir.