In recent years, study after study has found that living in neighborhoods with abundant green space is linked to positive health outcomes. These include better heart health, stronger cognitive development, and greater overall longevity. No wonder these areas are also linked to lower levels of Medicare spending. But when it comes to promoting human health, not all green spaces are created equal. That’s the conclusion of new Australian research, which finds higher levels of wellness in areas marked by one particular manifestation of the natural world: leafy trees.
The researchers discovered that, specifically, it is the tree canopy that does best in promoting community mental health. We’ll spare you all the little details of the study, but essentially what the researchers discovered after interviewing 46,786 adults in Australia was that people living in areas where 30 percent or more of the outdoor space is dominated by tree canopy had 31 percent lower odds of psychological stress. Although the researchers can only speculate on the reasons behind their findings, they believe the tree canopies benefit people because they dampen noise pollution, reduce urban heat, remove air pollution, and add to the biodiversity of the area.
