The Health Benefits of Greenspace. Sally Fishwick Senior Delivery Leader for Health and Environment [e-mail]

1
The Health Benefits of Greenspace.Sally
FishwickSenior Delivery Leader for Health and
EnvironmentSally.fishwick_at_naturalengland.org.uk
2
The Essentials

• Introduction
• The changing nature of disease environmental
  issues. The need to enable positive lifestyle
  choices and moderate environmental issues.
• Technical Evidence
• Whats the health value of the natural
  environment? How can this health value be
  delivered?
• Discussion
• Priorities, action, and examples.

3
The changing nature of disease

• Were living longer and overcoming more and more
  diseases .
• Poor lifestyle choices e.g. unhealthy eating,
  lack of exercise, smoking and excessive alcohol
  consumption are contributing to the burden on
  health.
• There is a rise in the diseases of 21st Century
  Living obesity, diabetes and depression.
• We face new environmental challenges like climate
  change which will impact negatively on health,
  and counter the improvements achieved in health
  life expectancy
• The cost of health care is increasing
  exponentially

4
Proposition

• Good Health is determined not just by access to
  medical care, but by a range of factors,
  including the quality of the physical
  environment.
• The physical environment affects our health and
  wellbeing and also the healing process itself.
  Exposure to natural spaces is good for our
  health.
• We can shape our physical environment to enable
  people to make healthier choices and also to
  mitigate against the health impacts of
  environmental issues such as climate change.
• STRONG SYNERGY BETWEEN ENVIRONMENT AND HEALTH
• Protecting and improving the natural
  environment also protects and improves peoples
  health.

5
Whats the health value of this?
6
Overview of Evidence
Indirect benefits Direct benefits
Reducing health inequalities Moderating impact from extreme weather
Improving mental health Shelter from UV, noise, wind
Improving physical activity Carbon sequestration
Reducing obesity Improved water and air quality
Enhancing social cohesion Food
The natural environment can help with the major
health problems facing society
7
Reducing Health Inequalities
8
Reducing Health Inequalities

• NAO report 2 July 2010 Whilst life expectancy
  has increased the gap in life expectancy between
  the richest and poorest continues to widen.
• Marmot Review 2010 reviewed strategies to reduce
  health inequalities made 6 recommendations
  including Create and develop healthy and
  sustainable places and communities
• Evidence links greenspace with decreased health
  inequalities - Nov 2008 Lancet
• Entire population study of England found those
  living near to greenspace lived longer e.g. 25
  lower all cause mortality in areas with high
  concentrations of greenspace compared to areas
  with low concentrations.
• This effect was much stronger in the most
  disadvantaged areas compared to richer areas.
• The effect is to reduce the health inequalities
  between the rich and poor.

9
Connection between Greenspace Public Health in
Bristol by Universities of Bristol East Anglia

• People living closer to greenspace were more
  physically active, and less likely to be
  overweight or obese
• These trends were independent of peoples income
  or social group
• People living furthest from public parks were 27
  more likely to be overweight or obese compared to
  those living closest.

10
Improving Physical Health

• space for physical activity.
• a destination to walk
• challenges for hard physical activity

11
People use greenspace to be more active so
greenspace improves physical health.

• being within access to greenspace can increase
  levels of physical activity
• Giles-Corti B,Donovan RJ. Relative influence of
  individual, social environmental, and physical
  environmental correlates of walking. Am J Public
  Health 2003 93(9) 15831589
• senior citizens lived longer with more space to
  walk and with nearby parks and tree lined streets
  near to where they live
• Tanaka A, Takano T,Nakamura K, et al. Health
  levels influence by urban residential conditions
  in a megacity Tokyo. Urban Stud 1996 33
  879945
• for every 10 increase in greenspace there was a
  reduction in health complaints equivalent to a
  reduction in age of five years
• De Vries, S.Nature and health the importance of
  greenspace in the urban living environment.
  Proceedings of the symposium Open space
  functions under urban pressure. Ghent 1921
  September 2001

12
People are motivated by nature! What motivates
people to continue to participate in Health
Walks. Ashley A Bartlett S Lamb Sand Steel M 1999
13
Improving Mental Health

• Nature provides reduction in stress.
• Nature provides attention restoration.
• Nature provides a sense of belonging and self
  worth.
• Nature reduces symptoms of aggression and crime

14
Biophilia Hypothesis theory linking humans
with our natural environment.
Proposed by EO Wilson in the 1970s he described
it as The desire for contact with nature is
innate i.e. A genetic imprint attracts us to
certain types of environment similar to those in
which man evolved.
15
We change when we come into contact with nature
our concentration levels are dramatically
improved.

• Attention Restoration Theory formulated by
  Stephen and Rachel Kaplan in the mid 1980s
• the natural environment allows us to restore our
  concentration levels and boost our concentration
  better than indoor or urban settings because of
  four qualities
• being away from day to day routine
• fascination
• a feeling of extent allowing exploration and a
• compatibility to our expectations

The benefits occur in the right frontal cortex
of the brain
16
Viewing Nature is Key to recovering from stress.

• Psycho-physiological stress recovery theory
  formulated by Roger Ulrich in the mid 1980s
• this response from looking at greenery causes a
  rapid reduction in stress (blood pressure, muscle
  tension, pulse rate) usually within minutes of
  exposure to nature and is most obvious when the
  body is already stressed.

a) b) c)
From EEG studies alpha waves (more calming) are
highest in a) second highest in b) and lowest in
c) Nakamura and Fujii (1990)
17
Case studies of 10 outdoor projects looking at
the impact of outdoor activity on mood and self
esteem Jules Pretty et al. (2005)

• 10 projects across the UK and a range of outdoor
  activities from mountain biking to fishing.
• Questionnaires before and after activity looking
  at mood and self esteem
• Both these things improved as a result of taking
  part in the activities
• Research shows that irrespective of the type of
  greenspace youre in, irrespective of age, sex,
  social class or activity the outdoor environment
  has a positive impact on mental health.

18
Greenspace Enhances Social Cohesion
19
Greener Neighbourhoods Enhance Social Cohesion
20
Greenspace Encourages Social Interaction.
21
Nature and aggression
Mean rates of aggression against partner during
past year in green versus barren condition
Overall Aggression
Psychological Aggression
Violence
Mild Violence
Severe Violence
22
Crime and Nature Kuo F, Sullivan WC, (2001)
Environment and Crime in the Inner City Does
vegetation Reduce Crime. Environment and
behaviour 33 May 2001 The results of this study
show that those buildings with the highest amount
of vegetation had52 fewer total crimes48
fewer property crimes and56 fewer violent
crimes
23
How can the indirect health value of the Natural
Environment be realised?

• Create a network of multifunctional greenspaces
  close to residential areas, attractive,
  accessible and well maintained.
• Provide play spaces, benches and shaded areas to
  encourage people to stay longer and interact.
• Ensure greenspace are networked together with
  walking and cycling routes as well as public
  transport so that people can use them actively.
• Promote the use of these spaces through community
  led initiatives such as health walks, green gyms
  and community gardens/allotments.
• Create therapeutic environments and use
  greenspace as part of the total health care
  offered by frontline health professionals.

24
Direct Health Benefits of Greenspace
Green infrastructure can help us moderate the
health impacts of climate change.
25
Moderating Impact of Extreme Weather

• The 2003 heat wave is estimated to have led to
  600 extra deaths in London (GLA, 2006).
• greenspaces reduce temperature by countering the
  urban heat island effect due to shading of
  surfaces and natural cooling of the atmosphere as
  leaves lose water.
• Effect most marked with woodlands where
  temperatures can be 3 to 4C cooler than
  surrounding areas. (Morecroft and others 1997)
• Urban greenspaces can give a cooling effect of 1
  to 2C (Bonan, 2008)

26
Carbon Sequestration

• The increase in greenhouse gases notably carbon
  dioxide is driving climate change.
• Soils, vegetation and the oceans are carbon
  sinks, they store carbon and play a vital role in
  regulating climate.
• 15 million tonnes of carbon dioxide was
  sequestered by forestry in 2006 and reduced the
  UKs carbon emissions by 3 per cent.
• Grasslands in the UK store 686m tonnes carbon.

27
Shelter from UV Noise and Wind

• Chronic exposure to noise such as that from
  aeroplanes is associated with hearing impairment
  and impacts on mental health.
• The trees and vegetation in greenspaces provide
  shelter from UV, reduce noise pollution and Wind.

28
Improved air quality

• Air pollution is associated with respiratory
  illness and arises mainly from road traffic.
• In 2005 air pollution was estimated to reduce
  life expectancy by 7 to 8 months.
• Greenspaces improve air quality e.g. trees can
  cut particulate pollution by as much as 25.
• The provision of green routes/corridors with
  cycle and walking routes encourages active travel
  to reduce vehicle emissions.

29
How can the indirect health value of the natural
environment be realised?

• Conserve and enhance existing green
  infrastructure to provide carbon sinks, manage
  air quality, reduce noise, and promote summer
  cooling by increased shading and evaporation.
• Climate proof new development by establishing
  networks of green infrastructure.
• Increase the green area to concrete ration to
  increase the absorption of flood water.
• Integrate land use to reduce car use and design
  neighbourhoods to promote walking, cycling and
  public transport in order to reduce Greenhouse
  gas emissions and improve air quality.

30
What does the evidence suggest?

• Good Health is determined not just by access to
  medical care, but by a range of factors,
  including the quality of the physical
  environment.
• The physical environment affects our health and
  wellbeing and also the healing process itself.
  Exposure to natural spaces is good for our
  health.
• We can shape our physical environment to enable
  people to make healthier choices and also
  mitigate against the health impacts of
  environmental issues such as climate change.
• STRONG SYNERGY BETWEEN ENVIRONMENT AND HEALTH.
• Protecting and improving natural environments
  protects and improves peoples health.

31
Points for Discussion

• What are your organisations priorities in
  relation to health and the natural environment?
  Are greenspaces seen as a low priority luxury or
  a cost effective health resource?
• Local Authorities are key agents for change. How
  can they ensure strong links/integration between
  work on green infrastructure and public health?
• How can priorities be translated into action on
  the ground?
• Where are the great regional examples of
  development which is delivering high quality
  environments for health and wellbeing.

32
Thank you!