Grantham Supervisor Anna Jorgensen has co-authored a new paper on urban greenspace and health.
Greenspace spatial characteristics and human health in an urban environment: An epidemiological study using landscape metrics in Sheffield, UK was published in 2019. It reviews literature linking landscape metrics to multiple mechanisms by which greenspace exposure is posited to benefit health.
The paper shows that landscape metrics demonstrate utility in linking greenspace patterns to human health. Additionally it shows that multi-model inference identifies important metrics despite small effect sizes. Overall, large, interspersed greenspace patches are configurational characteristics that promote health. Specifically, water cover and tree planting diversity are compositional characteristics that promote health.
Further, the paper shows a successful methodology for identifying useful landscape metrics even where effect sizes are small. And it explores the challenges of translating results of landscape metric studies into policy guidance.
Other Grantham Supervisors spoke about urban greenspace and health at our 2020 Symposium.
Gardens can provide oases of green for people and creatures. Find out how gardens can help biodiversity, specifically moth populations. Read: Wildlife gardening for moths research.