Longitudinal Effects on Mental Health of Moving to Greener and Less Green Urban Areas

Alcock, Ian; White, Mathew P.; Wheeler, Benedict W.; Fleming, Lora E.; Depledge, Michael H.

doi:10.1021/es403688w

Cited by 539 publications

(367 citation statements)

References 30 publications

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“…However, to date, much of the evidence of a relationship between natural environments and mental health and well-being has focused on urban rather than rural communities (Alcock, et al, 2014;Astell-Burt, et al, 2014). The aim of the current research was to begin to redress this balance.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

What accounts for ‘England's green and pleasant land’? A panel data analysis of mental health and land cover types in rural England

Alcock

White

Lovell

et al. 2015

Landscape and Urban Planning

110

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Exposure to green space is associated with a variety of positive health states. Research to date has focused primarily on 'generic' green space in urban areas, where green space is relatively scarce and where it is dominated by playing fields and parks. The current research adds to our understanding with an examination of relationships between different types of green space and mental health in rural areas in England (approximate rural population = 4 million). The aggregate land cover classes of Land Cover Map 2007 were linked to rural residential areas (Lower-level Super Output Areas) and then linked to rural participants (n = 2020) in the 18-year longitudinal British Household Panel Survey. Random effects regression of mental health (as measured by GHQ12 scores) against land cover enabled effects to be simultaneously estimated from both mean between-individual differences and from within-individual differences over time. The nine natural land cover classes (Broadleaved woodland; Coniferous woodland; Arable; Improved grassland; Semi-natural grassland; Mountain, heath and bog; Saltwater; Freshwater; Coastal) were not significantly associated with differences in mental health between individuals. However, significant relationships were observed between some types of land cover and within-individual change in mental health amongst individuals who relocated during the 18 annual waves of the panel.These findings indicate the presence of important health related ecosystem services from different land cover types that have not previously been investigated and which help more effective spatial planning and land use management.

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

What accounts for ‘England's green and pleasant land’? A panel data analysis of mental health and land cover types in rural England

Alcock

White

Lovell

et al. 2015

Landscape and Urban Planning

110

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show abstract

“…Psychological studies highlight that direct contact with nature is crucial for human well-being and psycho-physical development in a long term perspective. It is even accepted that the presence of green areas affects life expectancy [11,13,14,16]. Thus, green infrastructure can become the infrastructure of a healthy life, and are most needed in city centers, densely built-up areas or highly populated areas.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…These benefits, classified as cultural ecosystem services [10], can often be regarded as the most important services in urban areas for the citizens well-being and health [11][12][13][14][15][16], while being at the same time commonly underestimated due to difficulties in quantification [17]. Potential benefits from green infrastructure and the possibility of outdoor recreational activities are limited in many cities due to the low occurrence of good quality green space [18][19] and variations in people′s preferences [20].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

High Biodiversity of Green Infrastructure Does Not Contribute to Recreational Ecosystem Services

Sikorska¹,

Sikorski²,

Hopkins³

2017

Preprint

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Urban lakes, especially those of natural origin, provide ecosystem services, recreation being one of the most important and highly valued by the city dwellers. Fulfilling the need of city residents to relax and have contact with nature has become a priority in urbanized areas and has been proved to positively affect people's health and well-being. The recreational potential of water bodies was identified to be most important aspect of ecosystem services to the residents of the neighboring areas. Assessment of recreational ecosystem services (RES) provisioning to society based on the real time spent by the citizens, in the rural-urban gradient allowed us to show how the economic benefits of lakes differ in urbanized, suburban and rural landscapes. Growth of cities has led to increased population density in the surroundings of ecologically valuable areas, resulting in higher pressure from visitors seeking recreational values. Along with urbanization, the impoverishment of ecosystem functions takes place limiting their capability to provide ecosystem services. In this work provisioning of recreational ecosystem services of 28 floodplain lakes located in urban-rural gradient of Warsaw agglomeration was assessed. The relation between the ecological value of the water bodies, measured using naturalness indices, and the ecosystem services they can provide was assessed. The results showed that the floodplain lakes located along the urban-rural gradient are of a great importance to the citizens due to their recreational potential. However the provisioning of recreational ecosystem services is poorly connected with the ecological value of the floodplain lakes and the economic benefits are of a greatest importance in objects included in the urban green spaces.

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“…An ecologically informed approach can produce significant cost-benefits by building on the natural restoration often found on derelict sites (Handley 1996). (Chiesura 2004, Bolund andHunhammer, 1999), including human health benefits (Alcock et al 2014). Brownfield sites have great potential to help provide for this.…”

Section: Figure 2: Cabernet Abc Model For Brownfield Sites (Taken Fromentioning

confidence: 99%

Optimising value from the soft re-use of brownfield sites

Bardos

Jones²,

Stephenson³

et al. 2016

Science of The Total Environment

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Soft re-use of brownfields describes intended temporary or final re-uses of brownfield sites which are not based on built constructions or infrastructure (‘hard' re-use). Examples of soft re-uses include the creation of public green space. These are essentially uses where the soil is not sealed. Often the case for soft re-use of brownfields has not been easy to demonstrate in strictly financial terms. The purpose of this paper is to describe a value based approach to identify and optimise services provided by the restoration of brownfields to soft re-uses, on a permanent or interim basis. A ‘Brownfield Opportunity Matrix' is suggested as means of identifying and discussing soft restoration opportunities. The use of ‘sustainability linkages' is suggested as a means of understanding the sustainability of the services under consideration and providing a structure for the overall valuation of restoration work, for example as part of design or option appraisal processes, or to support the solicitation of interest in a project

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Longitudinal Effects on Mental Health of Moving to Greener and Less Green Urban Areas

Cited by 539 publications

References 30 publications

What accounts for ‘England's green and pleasant land’? A panel data analysis of mental health and land cover types in rural England

What accounts for ‘England's green and pleasant land’? A panel data analysis of mental health and land cover types in rural England

High Biodiversity of Green Infrastructure Does Not Contribute to Recreational Ecosystem Services

Optimising value from the soft re-use of brownfield sites

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