Plant two trees and call me in the morning ...

RELEASE: Nov. 21, 2008 – Volume XL, No. 47

We have long known that plants and trees improve air quality in cities and towns. We have also found that trees can help reduce the incidence of asthma and other respiratory illnesses. But a new study has found that even tiny open spaces in developed areas have a broad impact on human health.

In study recently published in The Lancet, one of the world's most respected medical journals, two Scottish researchers, Drs. Richard Mitchell and Frank Popham, postulated that income-related inequalities in health would be less pronounced among those with greater access to parks and green spaces. To test their theory, they examined British mortality statistics from 2001-2005.

In England, as everywhere, people living in poorer areas are more likely to be unhealthy and die earlier. This can be traced to the “health gap” generated by differences in lifestyle, diet and access to medical care – all consequences of low incomes.

The researchers found that regardless of income level, people with the greatest access to green spaces are less likely to die from all causes, most notably circulatory diseases. "The implications of this study are clear - environments that promote good health might be crucial in the fight to reduce health inequalities," Mitchell and Popham wrote.

The study emphasized the value of natural environments for psychological restoration, also known as stress reduction. Since chronic stress and physical inactivity are identified causes of circulatory diseases, it not hard to understand this conclusion.

Immersing ourselves in the natural world distances us from the minute-by-minute demands of our busy days, and helps us appreciate the beauty around us. Parks also provide opportunities for physical activities that promote heart health and reduce stress. It turns out that “slowing down to smell the roses” is more than just folksy advice.

The implications for urban planners could be far reaching. Could it be that the roots of New Jersey’s reputation for a stressed-out lifestyle lies in our addiction to sprawl? Is it possible that investment in green infrastructure like urban greenways, pocket parks and neighborhood gardens could improve the quality of life in our cities as much as multi-million dollar luxury redevelopment? Or that parks should no longer be the first things to face the axe when budgets are tight?

Previous studies have established that the incidence of heart disease varies by type of neighborhood, independent of individual risk factors. This latest study supports the growing body of research suggesting people and nature are connected in a far more complex and intimate way than we may have thought. Whether you choose to see the link as scientific, spiritual, primal or some combination, the evidence that green spaces are good for us is as close as your nearest park or woodland!

To read the Lancet article, go to http://www.thelancet.com/journals/lancet/article/PIIS0140-6736(08)61689-X/abstract. And for more information about conserving New Jersey’s precious land and natural resources, I hope you’ll contact me at info@njconservation.org, or visit New Jersey Conservation Foundation’s website at www.njconservation.org.

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