Ulrika K. Stigsdotter

Ulrika K. Stigsdotter is Professor of Landscape Architecture with special responsibilities in Health Design at the Department of Geosciences and Natural Resource Management, Faculty of Science, University of Copenhagen. She leads the multidisciplinary international research group 'Nature, Health & Design' and serves as project leader for the Nature, Health & Design Laboratory, which includes the Health Forest Octovia® (2014) and Therapy Forest Garden Nacadia® (2011) at Hørsholm Arboretum.

Her educational background includes:

• Doctor of Agriculture (2005), Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences (SLU)
• MSc in Landscape Architecture (1998), SLU
• BA in Art History (1993), Lund University, Sweden

Professor Stigsdotter's research focuses on evidence-based interactions between humans, health, and natural environments. Her work in Evidence-Based Health Design (EBHD) spans Therapy Gardens, Universal Design, and Nature-Based Therapy Interventions, translating scientific findings into practical guidelines for policymakers, city planners, and landscape architects. She pioneered the Rehab. Garden at Alnarp Campus (2000) and Solberga park in Stockholm (1999), and contributed to Copenhagen's Dannerhuset healing garden (2012).

Analysis of her 2022-2025 publications reveals three dominant trends: (1) Advancing accessibility for people with disabilities in natural environments using behavioral settings theory, (2) Economic evaluation of nature-based therapy interventions, and (3) Theoretical frameworks for nature's role in biopsychosocial resilience. Key themes include restorative urban forests, inclusive design processes, and evidence translation for health-promoting green spaces.

As head of the 'Nature, Health & Design' research group, she guides 134+ research outputs while maintaining active professional engagement through projects like Octovia® and Nacadia®. Her laboratory serves as a living demonstration site for translating research into therapeutic landscape design.