Susnet Event Recording: Aromatic Pathways to Nature Connectedness

What happens when you bring a forest scent onto a hospital ward?

Dr Duika Burges Watson, Nature Recovery Ranger at Newcastle upon Tyne Hospitals, presents on a ward-based olfactory intervention she has been piloting with ICU nurses, OTs, patients and the public.

Using perfumer paper strips featuring a curated forest scent and its individual components, paired with a scent map of hospital green space and information for patients with olfactory disturbance, Duika presents evidence on why smell matters in healthcare and nature recovery. Emerging research shows that olfaction is a direct and undervalued pathway through which nature shapes our emotion, cognition and wellbeing. She shares what she has been learning through this pilot.