Metro nature - including trees, green space, and landscape - provides quality human habitat! Improved human health and well-being are the benefits of nature experiences – in the urban places where we live, learn, work, and play.

Studies have explored the range of such benefits, and provide another way to think about ecosystem services. The full scope of findings about nature and human health and well-being are presented here as research themes.

Human Habitat/Quality of Life/Urban Livability
Across the ages many people have noted that the experience of nature is an important factor in creating places that are livable and, supportive for humans. Life satisfaction and a positive outlook are the products of encounters with nature and greenery in cities. Contact with nature is a neednecessary for good human habitat.

Place Meaning and Attachment
The experience of place is part of our sense of self, of community, and a connectedness to everyday life. While perhaps difficult to describe, nature is a literal and symbolic aspect of many beloved places, and our attachment may be deeper than we know, as described in the “biophilia hypothesis.”

Community Capital (neighborhood & broader community)
When people are involved in community greening, remarkable social dynamics emerge. Greening leads to social interactions that help build social capacity and resilience, as stronger social ties form. This can lead to greater community wellness and stability.

Community Development (economics)
Trees, landscaping, parks and open spaces provide many intangible benefits. Economists have devised methods to measure dollar values of the many non-market benefits and services presented in this web site.

Social Ties (dyad to household to small group, social psychology)
Social interactions between individuals and within small groups are the building blocks of a healthy society. The presence of nature improves the character and outcomes of those interactions, from basic courtesies and strengthened social ties to reduced aggression.

Safety and Crime
Property and personal crime rates are influenced by physical settings. People prefer being in green spaces when outdoors and the presence of more people in a space discourages crime. The link between vegetation and injury has also been studied, such as the presence of trees along roads.

Reduced Environmental Risk
Trees and greenery in cities can reduce human exposure to certain environmental risks. Trees “capture” air pollutants and reduce ultraviolet light levels at ground level. The result is less disease and illness, such as asthma and skin cancer, for city dwellers.

Physiology & Health
Physiology is the term for basic, core functions of the human body. Stress, anxiety and illness can impair such functions. Exposure to nature aids recovery from such conditions, and the body’s positive response is remarkably fast..

Physical Activity & Health
News headlines proclaim an epidemic of overweight or obese people. Nature in built environments promotes physical activities such as walking, biking and sports in parks. Physical activity can help to control weight and the associated risk for chronic illnesses, such as diabetes and heart disease.

Healing and Therapy
Spending time in the midst of trees, gardens, and parks can help the process of recovery from illness or injury. Studies in various healthcare settings examine the link between nature and healing, suggesting that nature contact may supplement or augment medical treatment and therapy.

Mental Health and Functioning
Our everyday surroundings affect personal productivity. Greening has positive effects on mental health and functioning. Experiences of nature aid recovery from mental fatigue, increase cognitive function, and improves work capacity.

Education, Learning, Cognition & Task Attention
Outdoor settings are valuable and motivational settings for learning. The fascination of nature can enhance educational outcomes. In addition, people care for what they know. Learning in and about environment can lead to sustainability behavior.

LIFECYCLE & SPECIAL POPULATIONS
Much of the research on nature and human benefits has focused on certain populations, such as children, the elderly, or particular ethnic groups. This page repeats the reports of studies and sorts out studies across particular social groups.

LAND USES
The research on nature and human benefits can also be sorted across land uses in cities. This page repeats some study reports, describing results relevant to residential, business, school, office, and other settings.