Prof. Simon Bell has been invited to deliver a keynote address at the Wellness in Wetlands 2026 – 2nd International Conference on Wetlands, Wisdom and Wellbeing, taking place in Sri Lanka from 9–12 October 2026.

The conference will bring together researchers, policymakers, conservationists and public health professionals to explore how wetlands can support both environmental sustainability and human wellbeing. It builds on the success of the inaugural event in 2025, which convened leading international experts to examine the links between climate psychology, environmental identity and wetland conservation.

Prof. Bell’s invitation reflects the international recognition of OPENspace’s policy-relevant research demonstrating that well-designed and equitably distributed natural spaces are essential to healthy and sustainable communities. In the context of wetlands, many of which are located within or near urban environments, OPENspace research offers an important framework for understanding how landscape planning and ecological protection can support psychosocial resilience, climate adaptation and inclusive public health strategies.

The organisers highlighted the relevance of this work for countries in the Global South, including Sri Lanka, where wetlands are increasingly recognised as critical ecological assets and where research-informed guidance can help shape future landscape planning and conservation policy.