To help you keep abreast of the latest research and development in urban nature, we collate and summarise leading journal articles. This month, topics include (1) urban greening for the prevention of loneliness, (2) campus gardens and student wellbeing, (3) park characteristics that influence physical activity of children, (4) the relation between well-being and different types of nature and lastly, (5) the connection between traffic pollution, biodiversity and citizens’ wellbeing. Enjoy!
By Eline van Remortel
1. More green, less lonely? A longitudinal cohort study. (geographical scope: Australia)
Astell-Burt, T., Hartig, T., Eckermann, S., Nieuwenhuijsen, M., McMunn, A., Frumkin, H., & Feng, X. (2022). More green, less lonely? A longitudinal cohort study. International journal of epidemiology, 51(1), 99-110. https://doi.org/10.1093/ije/dyab089
- Loneliness is a state in which one feels deprived of connection, comradery and companionship. Many scientists describe loneliness as a major concern as it is linked to elevated risks of depression, dementia, heart disease, diabetes and premature death. Parks and green spaces can potentially mediate feelings of loneliness as they are settings that enable experiences, encounters and interactions with nature and people that foster greater senses of belonging.
- This study finds a relation between an increase in urban green space and a lower incidence of loneliness of participating residents in Australia. Achieving urban-greening targets of 30% total area could lower loneliness by up to 36% among adults and 52% among adults who live alone.
- Green spaces can enable the restoration of social connection, a sense of community and relief of loneliness through the connection with nature. With loneliness a rising concern, urban greening should be encouraged as a population-level intervention for the potential prevention of loneliness.
2. Campus community gardens and student health: A case study of a campus garden and student wellbeing.(geographical scope: USA)
Baur, J. (2020). Campus community gardens and student health: A case study of a campus garden and student wellbeing. Journal of American College Health, 70:2. DOI: 10.1080/07448481.2020.1751174
- Stress is a fact of life for university students. Anxiety and depressions are common afflictions among college students who must balance expectations for academic achievement, jobs and personal life.
- Research continues to reveal that time spent in nature has a positive effect on stress reduction, concentration, physical health and general wellbeing. Spending time in appreciative nature-based activities such as gardening increases connection to nature, and with that, the positive impacts nature can have on students’ quality of life.
- For universities located in densely urbanised areas, campus green spaces might represent among the best chances that many college students have to experience contact with nature. Campus gardens offer benefits of relaxation, socialisation, opportunities to be in contact with nature, and the added benefit of food provision for students who may struggle with food insecurity.
- Accessible opportunities on campus, gardens and campus farms can offer students mental and physical health support that is easy, free and enjoyable. In addition to providing students with advising and counselling services, universities seeking to help students manage stress and ill-being can do so by prioritising the integration of green spaces and nature-based activities on campus grounds.
3. Park and neighbourhood environmental characteristics associated with park-based physical activity among children in a high-density city. (geographical scope: Hong Kong)
Zhang, R., Zhang, C. Q., Lai, P. C., & Kwan, M. P. (2022). Park and neighbourhood environmental characteristics associated with park-based physical activity among children in a high-density city. Urban Forestry & Urban Greening, 127479. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ufug.2022.127479
- Despite the health benefits of physical activity for children, there is an annual decline in physical activity across all school-age children. One promising strategy for promoting children’s physical activity is to improve environments such as urban parks to encourage active behaviour. Urban parks are one of the most important settings for children’s physical activity in dense cities. This study investigated how park characteristics influence children’s physical activity.
- The authors suggest that walkable and accessible parks with different types of active facilities can increase activity among children living in low-income neighbourhoods. For those living in high-income neighbourhoods, the quality of well-maintained amenities (e.g., toilets, picnic tables and drinking fountains) and park safety infrastructure (e.g., lights and surveillance cameras) was positively associated with physical activity.
- To conclude, urban planners aiming to enhance the utility of urban parks for children living in high-density cities must investigate and incorporate children’s needs for park use and physical activity into planning and design processes.
4. Not all types of nature have an equal effect on urban residents’ wellbeing: A structural equation model approach. (geographical scope: France)
Allard-Poesi, F., Matos, L. B., & Massu, J. (2022). Not all types of nature have an equal effect on urban residents’ wellbeing: A structural equation model approach. Health & Place, 74, 102759. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.healthplace.2022.102759
- The authors of this article set out to understand how various types and characteristics of nature are related to the effect of urban nature on residents’ mental and physical wellbeing.
- Different nature types show different associations or effects on citizens’ wellbeing. This study found that less domesticated or ‘wilder’ nature – forests, fields and wetlands – significantly contribute to psychological wellbeing by favouring relaxation and calmness in nature and to physical wellbeing by supporting physical activities. Small spots of nature located close to one’s residence – balcony, patio or roof garden – were found to make a similar but smaller contribution to wellbeing.
- This study reveals that not all types of urban nature have an equal effect on urban residents’ wellbeing. Besides domesticated urban parks, ‘wilder’ nature and small pockets near one’s residence were found to be very important for wellbeing and should not be overlooked in urban planning strategies.
5. Can biodiverse streetscapes mitigate the effects of noise and air pollution on human wellbeing? (geographical scope: UK)
Fisher, J. C., Rankin, E., Irvine, K. N., Goddard, M. A., Davies, Z. G., & Dallimer, M. (2022). Can biodiverse streetscapes mitigate the effects of noise and air pollution on human wellbeing? Environmental Research, 113154. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.envres.2022.113154
- A significant share of the global population is urban, with inhabitants exposed to traffic and air pollution. This study investigates the connection between biodiversity and the impacts of pollution on citizens’ mental wellbeing.
- Traffic-related pollution was found to have a detrimental impact on pollinator and flowering plant richness – traffic exhaust can potentially degrade floral odours and subsequently interrupt pollinator foraging habitats. This could, in turn, influence wellbeing as a high flowering plant richness benefitted the mental wellbeing of participants and is related to improved motivation, reduced stress, and a sense of place.
- In addition, some plants act as a buffer to anthropogenic noise and intercept air pollutants like NO2. They are most effective in dense planting regimes, especially when species have thick stems that act as a barrier or complex foliage.
- Understanding the mechanisms through which pollution and biodiversity influence human wellbeing could help develop strategic planning initiatives that maximise human quality of life. Enhancing the diversity of plant species in streetscapes could positively affect well-being, further emphasising the vital role that biodiverse urban streetscapes play in improving the liveability of cities.