Characteristics of urban green space positively linked to human well-being include structure, biodiversity, and naturalness

Reyes-Riveros, R. ., Altamirano, A. ., Barrera, F. D. L., Rozas-Vasquez, D. ., Vieli, L. ., & Meli, P. . (2021). Linking public urban green spaces and human well-being: A systematic review. Urban Forestry & Urban Greening, 61. https://doi.org/http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.ufug.2021.127105

Numerous studies across a variety of disciplines show that public urban green spaces provide many benefits for humans. This systematic review of the literature analyzed the relationships between public urban green spaces' characteristics and human well-being components. The aim of the study was to assist in future planning and design of urban green spaces to maximize the benefits for humans. It's understood, however, that focusing on the benefits of urban green space for humans does not detract from the benefits such spaces provide for the environment. Urban green spaces can help people and the planet adapt to the urban environment in the face of climate change.

A systematic search of the scientific literature was conducted in November of 2020 to identify empirical studies relating specific characteristics of public urban green spaces to different dimensions of human well-being. Only studies published in academic journals since 2009 were included. A total of 153 articles met the inclusion criteria. While the articles came from 40 different countries, most of the studies (65%) came from just nine countries, with the highest number of articles coming from the USA, China, and the UK. Over half (55 %) of the articles were published between 2018 and 2020.

Green spaces' characteristics found in the included articles were divided in four groups: structure, biodiversity, naturalness, and others. Dimensions of human well-being were also divided into four groups: health, security, good social relations, and freedom of choice and action. The effects of the green space characteristics on human well-being dimensions were classified as positive, negative or neutral. Research methods used in the different studies were classified into three main groups: (1) objective measurements, (2) perception (subjective measurements), and (3) mixed. The strength of evidence of the effects of green spaces' characteristics on human well-being was evaluated by considering the number of articles reporting the effect and the proportion of these articles documenting the effects through statistical analyses (strong evidence) or not (weak evidence).

The structural characteristics of green space (size, tree cover, number, connectivity, distance and distribution) were most studied in the articles reviewed. Biodiversity and naturalness emerged as important contributors in more recent years. The most-studied dimension of human well-being was health. Most of the studies were based on subjective assessments of the green space users. Green space characteristics most highly rated in the literature were structure and biodiversity. Both biodiversity and naturalness were found to promote positive social relations and improvements in health -- particularly mental health.

While this review supports the idea that structure-related variables of green space are essential for promoting human benefits of green space, it also highlights the importance of biodiversity and naturalness for promoting human well-being. “This information may provide decision-makers tools to justify even more strongly the integration of green spaces into planning, identifying which specific characteristics of public urban green spaces promote health, security and freedom of choice and action in a context of climate change.”

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