Huaqing Wang, an assistant professor in USU’s Department of Landscape Architecture and Environmental Planning, is trying to fill a gap in knowledge about green spaces with a study published in Lancet Planet Health.
It’s no secret, and science backs it up, that spending time outdoors surrounded by trees and other plants is good for your health. Exposure to green spaces, scientists say, can lead to reduced stress and anxiety, lower rates of allergies and diabetes, improved pregnancy outcomes, and even faster recovery time from surgery. However, this relationship raises important questions about how to invest in urban green space to maximize health benefits. Is it more effective to create one large park, or can multiple smaller pocket parks provide the same benefits?
As projects like Salt Lake City’s Green Loop seek to transform urban areas, it is more important than ever to understand how the design and form of green spaces impact our health. I am.
Dr. Wang, along with doctoral students Simin Gholami and Amirhossein Samavatekbatan, postdoctoral fellows Wenyang Xu, Associate Professor Ole Sleibnes, and colleagues outside Utah State University, will be working on a We reviewed over 1,000 research papers and identified 29 studies to understand how size, shape, connectivity, and diversity change. Increased green space affects our health. The team’s research on ‘Where and how to invest in green space for optimal health benefits’ was recently published in Lancet Planet Health.
Mr. Wang has always been drawn to the intersection between landscape ecology and public health. For that matter, humans are no different, she observed.
“It’s remarkable how ancient philosophies like Feng Shui recognized the importance of spatial arrangement for well-being, something modern science has confirmed for the first time,” she said. Said. “Historically, people understood that space affected not only physical health but also mental health. Over time, as urbanization increased, this connection faded. Today, as we use landscape ecology indicators to measure the shape, size, and connectivity of green spaces, we understand that design elements deeply impact ecosystem services such as air quality and cooling effects. We’re rediscovering that it can also affect human behavior. It affects our health.”
The difference now is that we can quantify these relationships and provide scientific evidence to support what was once largely philosophical, Wang said.
What Wang and her colleagues discovered when reviewing the scientific literature is that the shape, size, and location of green spaces can make a difference in how they affect our health. Larger, more connected green spaces with more plant types provide more benefits than small, scattered vegetation. For example, while small green spaces planted with trees may provide some benefits to residents, parks connected by green corridors are more effective at reducing air pollution and urban heat while promoting physical activity. Excellent.
However, there are nuances for urban planners to consider beyond simply thinking bigger is better.
“Incorporating green spaces along roads allows passive contact with nature, which can have health benefits, especially for busy people,” Wang said. “Planners may also need to pay attention to size. Larger parks may offer more recreational opportunities, but smaller, more linear parks are more accessible and subject to daily use. may be promoted.”
By investigating how the shape and size of green spaces affect human health, Wang’s team also opened up a new field of research into how green spaces affect humans. .
“One key area is understanding how different types of vegetation, such as dense forests, open meadows, and urban lawns, uniquely contribute to physical and mental health.” she said. “But beyond the ecological aspects, there is a growing need to explore how green space intersects with social concerns. How can we address this? Can we design urban green spaces that not only improve environmental quality but also promote community resilience and social cohesion?”
Technologies such as remote sensing and machine learning are allowing scientists to examine the world around us in greater detail than ever before, helping to not only improve the efficiency of urban planning but also to understand cities from a holistic perspective. Wang expects to gain further insight into design, public health, and environmental justice. Happiness of city residents.
The same approach of incorporating cross-disciplinary research that Wang and her co-authors used can help make that a reality.
“I think one aspect worth highlighting is the interdisciplinary nature of this research,” she said. “This is more than just urban planning; it is an integration of public health and landscape ecology. By integrating these disciplines, we can approach urban green spaces from a more holistic perspective and improve ecological sustainability.” The ultimate goal is to create a city where green space is not just an aesthetic addition, but an active and functional element of a healthy urban fabric. That’s it.”
