Rural and Regional Development

Guide for Authors Submit to RRD

Green Health and Resilience in Rural Communities

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 30 November 2025.

Guest Editors (4)

Vanina Dal Bello-Haas
Prof. Dr. Vanina Dal Bello-Haas 
School of Rehabilitation Science, McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada (retired)
Interests: Neurodegenerative Diseases; Dementia; Older Adults; Rehabilitation; Quality of Living; Health and Wellness
Website: https://mira.mcmaster.ca/our-faculty/vanina-dal-bello-haas/
Constance Dupuis
Dr. Constance Dupuis 
Gilbrea Centre for Studies in Aging, McMaster University, Hamilton, Canada
Interests: Aging and Environment; Relational Care; Dementia
Website: https://scholar.google.com/citations?user=97bli6oAAAAJ&hl=en
Irene Hartigan
Dr. Irene Hartigan 
School of Nursing & Midwifery, University College Cork,  Cork, Ireland
Interests: Enriching Environments; Dementia; Sensory Engagement; Community Care; OneHealth
Website: https://research.ucc.ie/profiles/i.hartigan@ucc.ie https://www.linkedin.com/in/irene-hartigan-03021551?originalSubdomain=ie
Anthea Innes
Prof. Dr. Anthea Innes 
1 University of the Highlands and Islands, Inverness IV3 5SQ, UK
2 Department Health, Aging and Society, Faculty of Social Science, McMaster University, Hamilton, Canada
Interests: Dementia; Technology; Rurality; Creative Approaches; Co-production; Community Engagement
Website: https://www.uhi.ac.uk/en/research-enterprise/res-themes/centre-for-rural-health-sciences/staff-profiles/professor-anthea-innes/

Special Issue Information

Green health uses the natural environment to support physical, social and mental health, offering a range of activities that can be tailored to different needs and abilities. Spending time outdoors and engaging with nature can improve physical activity levels, reduce stress, enhance mental well-being, and foster social connections. Green Health Partnerships (GHPs) are examples of initiatives by health and social care providers bringing together health, social care, environment, leisure, sport, and active travel sectors to promote green health. As such green health has much to offer the support and care for people with different care needs in remote and rural communities by using the natural environment to promote health and wellbeing, and ultimately the resilience of rural communities.

The goal of this special issue is to explore and advance the use of Green Health approaches in rural communities. Specifically, we aim to highlight best practices and approaches to involving regional stakeholders in the design, implementation, and evaluation of Green Health approaches, with a focus on participatory, co-design, and other collaborative approaches to research and practice, and regional development.

We welcome the submission of any type of manuscript supported by the journal (including Original Research, Review, etc.) addressing the needs of different populations, eg older people, people with complex care needs, and on a range of topics related to Green Health. These topics may include, but are not limited to, the following:
- The design and implementation of participatory, co-design, or other collaborative approaches to research and practice development in Green Health, including methods to identify and prioritize the needs and preferences of rural communities.
- The role of patient and public involvement (PPI) and other stakeholder partnerships in the development and evaluation of Green Health initiatives including the evaluation of PPI approaches and their impact on intervention/initiative design and outcomes.
- Strategies to engage and support family members and vulnerable groups in the co-design and evaluation of Green Health interventions, including best practices in recruitment, training, and building capacity.
- The evaluation of the impact of stakeholder engagement on the acceptability, feasibility, effectiveness, and sustainability of Green Health research and interventions.
- Ethical and practical considerations in the use of participatory and co-design approaches to Green Health research, practice and regional development.
- Suitable theoretically sound frameworks to inform and guide the engagement of those who are the intended beneficiaries of the research that intends to enhance their lives.

Published Papers (2 Papers)

Open Access

Article

08 May 2025

Vulnerability Assessment of Food Crop Production and Climate Change: Implication for Agricultural Productivity and Development in Nigeria

Climate change poses significant challenges to agriculture, particularly in developing nations like Nigeria, where the sector is highly dependent on vulnerable rain-fed farming systems. Extreme weather events such as prolonged droughts, erratic rainfall, flooding, and rising temperatures threaten agricultural productivity, food security, and rural livelihoods. This study examines the vulnerability of food crops to climate change, focusing on smallholder farmers’ perceptions and adaptation strategies. Using a multistage sampling technique, data were collected from 480 smallholder farmers across selected agro-ecological zones in Nigeria. The study employed descriptive statistics and a crop vulnerability scale to assess the susceptibility of key food crops—maize, cassava, sorghum, rice, millet, soybean, and yam—to climate extremes. Findings reveal that drought is the most critical climate-induced stressor affecting food crops, with maize and cassava exhibiting the highest vulnerability indices. Flooding also presents a substantial risk, particularly to maize, while temperature fluctuations have relatively less severe immediate impacts. The study highlights the importance of climate information dissemination, cooperative memberships, and extension services in enhancing farmers’ resilience. However, limited access to climate information remains a significant barrier to adaptation. Given the observed variability in crop vulnerability, it is recommended to implement targeted climate adaptation strategies such as drought-resistant crop varieties, improved drainage systems, and early warning mechanisms. This study underscores the urgent need for climate-smart agricultural policies and resilience-building measures to safeguard food production and rural livelihoods in Nigeria amid escalating climate change threats.

Mojirayo Ayooluwa  Ayodele
Abeeb BabatundeOmotoso*
Ibrahim Opeyemi  Sulaimon
Saidat Adebola  Daud
Rural Reg. Dev.
2025,
3
(3), 10008; 
DOI: 10.70322/rrd.2025.10008
Open Access

Article

23 September 2025

Promoting Sustainable Development through Community Education on Flood- and Storm-Resistant Architecture

Pakistan is experiencing climate-induced disasters such as floods and storms with an increased frequency and intensity every single year. This study aims to explore the integration of resilient architecture into environmental education as a pathway toward sustainable development and disaster risk reduction. The research examines current levels of understanding regarding flood- and storm-resistant building practices and identifies key barriers to their adoption in high-risk regions of Pakistan. The study used a mixed-methods approach by administering surveys. These surveys were administered to 500 community members in different cities of Sindh and Punjab. The study also incorporated two in-depth case studies: the Heritage Foundation’s low-cost housing initiative in Makli, Sindh, and the Aga Khan Agency for Habitat’s Safe Housing Program in Chitral, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. These cases provide valuable insights into effective, culturally appropriate, and scalable models of resilient construction in Pakistan. Findings of the present study reveal that public awareness of resilient architecture is below a satisfactory level, with common misconceptions. Challenges, including high costs, lack of technical knowledge, and minimal government support, were identified as significant obstacles. Despite these issues, communities showed strong interest in learning about safer building practices when exposed to practical examples and local success stories. The study recommends integrating resilient construction education into community outreach, school curricula, and builder training programs. It also advocates for greater government involvement, financial incentives, and replication of proven models to foster widespread adoption of resilient architecture for long-term sustainability.

Aman Ullah*
Anosh Nadeem Butt
Mir WaliShah
Syeda  Arfa Quddusi
Demet  IrkliEryildiz
Rural Reg. Dev.
2025,
3
(4), 10014; 
DOI: 10.70322/rrd.2025.10014
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