The abundance of parks and lakes in the Mountain West has benefits for the environment and makes the area more desirable to visit. These spaces 鈥� especially when located in a city 鈥� can also work wonders for human health.
A from the World Health Organization鈥檚 (WHO) European Center for Environment and Health highlighted several benefits of green spaces鈥攁nd 'blue' spaces, like streams and rivers鈥攊n urban areas. They not only trap carbon dioxide and improve water quality, but they also offer increased opportunities for people to meditate, socialize, and be active.
鈥淲hat we really wanted to explore is that health and well-being,鈥� said Sinaia Netanyahu, program manager of Environment and Health Impact Assessment at the WHO and an author on the report. 鈥淚f most of the people live in the city 鈥� we want to make sure that they have services, and the green and blue spaces are one of the services.鈥�
The U.S. Census Bureau reports that as of 2020, lives in urban areas. Netanyahu said as the overall population increases and cities become more dense, planners often focus on housing development, citing the high costs of natural areas in their final decision.
鈥淥ftentimes there is a dilemma,鈥� she said. 鈥淪hould we develop and build another residential area or public facility or a road or a bridge? Or, should we keep it clean, green or blue for the public, for everybody?鈥�
When they do focus on open spaces, it鈥檚 usually to increase the property value and make the surrounding area attractive, according to Netanyahu. But she said the health benefits are not always taken into account.
鈥淚t's more than just a park for concerts or a park for beautiful flowers,鈥� she said. 鈥淚t's a park for reducing heat waves, dealing with air pollution, dealing with noise.鈥�
The report drew on several case studies to back up these health benefits. One shows that the city鈥檚 parks reduced health costs by $1.19 billion per year. Roughly 40% of those costs were solely related to mental health.
The report also noted other benefits of being in nature: , more among children and , even when just looking at natural spaces. Additionally, no-cost public parks in urban areas help eliminate inequalities for groups that struggle to afford to travel to natural areas outside the city, Netanyahu said.
鈥淚f you bring together the environmental, the health, the well-being, the social, the cultural, the spiritual benefits, then they can easily outweigh the other costs,鈥� she added. 鈥淓specially if you look at it as the long-term benefits.鈥�
But the report is not all benefits-oriented. It also noted the risks when natural spaces are closer to cities: increased allergens and disease-carrying pests, as well as heightened risk for drownings or fires.
Netanyahu said stakeholders and planners should be doing more to add green and blue spaces like parks and ponds 鈥� and refurbish neglected existing spaces 鈥� in cities.
鈥淲e would like to see mayors waking up in the morning and saying, 鈥極kay, we serve the public. How can we make the public healthier and happier?鈥欌�� she said. 鈥淯rban planners need to see a person's health and well-being at the center when they plan.鈥�
This story was produced by the Mountain West 暗黑爆料 Bureau, a collaboration between Wyoming Public Media, Nevada Public Radio, Boise State Public Radio in Idaho, KUNR in Nevada, KUNC in Colorado and KANW in New Mexico, with support from affiliate stations across the region. Funding for the Mountain West 暗黑爆料 Bureau is provided in part by the .
