Over the course of human history, man has managed to colonize nearly every corner of the planet, and nearly everywhere we went, we built up cities. Urban centers have been a mainstay of human civilization since the dawn of time. At the onset of the Industrial Revolution, those cities swelled and spread with ludicrous speed. And now, in the modern age, the urban sprawl continues to grow at an unprecedented rate.
As cities become more imposing and prevalent, so too does the need for sustainable city planning and environmental protection. Fortunately, city planners and environmentalists have come up with an interesting solution that offers a myriad of benefits for both people and the environment; urban green spaces.
Urban green spaces include everything from parks and gardens, to green roofs, tree-lined streets, and other vegetated areas located in and around cities. Urban green spaces offer a number of health and environmental benefits for humans and wildlife that life in and around cities.
At first glance, the urban ecosystem may not appear as though it need to be a consideration, but it’s still an ecosystem that supports billions of living things. Plants are a necessary part of these urban centers and in this article, we will explore how green spaces improve the urban environment. At the same time, we will discern the importance of urban green spaces and examine the steps that cities can take to foster greener, healthier living spaces for humans and animals alike.
The Importance of Urban Green Spaces
As we previously stated, the world has experienced rapid urbanization in an unprecedented way in recent years. In fact, more than half of the global population is now living in cities across the globe. The rapid expansion of these cities sees them encroaching ever deeper into nearby natural habitats, which inevitably leads to the destruction of vegetation and wildlife.
Meanwhile concrete jungles themselves are filled with buildings, roads, and vehicles that dominate the urban landscape, leaving little room for any remnants of the natural world to creep their way back in. What some folks don’t understand, is that this distinct lack of green space has a negative effect on both the natural environment and the health and well-being of the people who call the city their home.
Urban green spaces are the way that we can get around this problem, however, albeit in a small way. Nevertheless, these green spaces can provide balance and act as a verdant foil to the concrete and steel of city life. Green places in cities could be a community park, a tree-lined street, or even a rooftop garden. No matter the type of space, these green oases provide a range of ecological, social, and economic benefits that contribute to the overall health and resilience of urban areas.
How Plants Help Cities Breathe: Ecological Benefits of Urban Green Spaces
The very existence of plants in cities helps to improver urban air quality. This is especially important in urban areas because these places are rife with smog-belching vehicles, industrial activity, and ceaseless energy consumption; all of which make air pollution a persistent problem. The presence of plants and green places help mitigate this pollution in several important ways:
Air Purification
Plants are natural air filters because they take in carbon dioxide (CO2) and release oxygen as a byproduct of photosynthesis into the environment. Thus, urban green places serve almost as “lungs” for their respective cities. Every grade school child knows about this oxygen/CO2 cycle, of course, but few people are aware that plants also absorb a who’s who of pollutants. Plants can remove harmful compounds like nitrogen dioxide (NO2), sulfur dioxide (SO2), carbon monoxide (CO), and particulate matter (PM) from the atmosphere.
Nearly every part of a plant aids in this process: the stems, and roots working in tandem to trap and absorb these harmful byproducts of urban life. Trees are actually highly effective at removing particulate matter…in particular. This type of pollution is one of the most dangerous air pollutants for human health, and has been known to cause respiratory issues, heart disease, and premature death, especially in vulnerable portions of the population like children and senior citizens.
Carbon Sequestration
We are in the midst of a severe climate crisis and the impact of climate change has resulted in a host of negative effects worldwide including floods, droughts, and rising global temperatures. It should be noted that an increased amount of atmospheric carbon dioxide (CO2) is one of the main drivers of climate change, and that plants are one of the only ways to slow this process down.
Plants play a crucial role in sequestering carbon, which means they absorb CO2 during photosynthesis and store it in their biomass (leaves, trunks, roots, and soil). Though their impact is fairly minimal in the grand scheme of things, uban green spaces help to offset the carbon emissions produced by human beings.
Mitigating the Urban Heat Island Effect
“Hot in the City” isn’t just a Billy Idol song, it’s a state of being. Cities tend to be a tad warmer than their surrounding rural areas, and this phenomenon is known as the urban heat island effect. It occurs because urban environments are filled with heat-absorbing materials like concrete, asphalt, and metal. Those materials trap heat during the day and radiate it out into the city proper.
Urban green spaces can actually help to bring down the temperature caused by urban heat island effect through a process known as evapotranspiration. This process happens when plant leaves release water vapor into the atmosphere. This water cools the air and reduces surface temperatures, which can be a real boon in a crowded urban area. Additionally, the shade provided by trees also helps lower the temperature in cities.
Stormwater Management and Flood Prevention
Urban areas are full of impermeable surfaces, such as roads, sidewalks, and buildings, which prevent rainwater from being absorbed into the ground. This is why many cities have storm drains or places where water can drain off during periods of extreme rain. But while these drains might seem like a good thing, they have actually been known to cause several negative side effects, including increased flooding and water pollution.
Green spaces provide cities with a permeable ground that can make great use of the excess rainwater. Stormwater can be absorbed and filtered through soil and vegetation, while plant roots strengthen the ground and prevent erosion. Green roofs, permeable pavements, and rain gardens are other good examples of green infrastructure that has recently been introduced into urban areas. All of these do much the same to help absorb excess rainwater.
Supporting Urban Biodiversity
Urban animals are constantly vying for a place to live amidst the trash, cars, humans, and pollution of the city, but green spaces do much to provide essential habitats for native wildlife. Even small parks, gardens, and tree-lined streets can be a refuge, shelter, or source of food for these animals. You’d be surprised to learn how a simple tree on the sidewalk can support an astonishing variety of urban species,
Pollinators and Native Plants
Bees, birds, and butterflies are some of most important groups of animals that benefit from urban green spaces. These pollinators play a crucial role in the plant reproduction of plants, including those grown by human agriculture. Urban parks and gardens that feature native plants help to innately support native pollinator populations, but they need all the hope they can get these days. In the face of mass extinctions due to habitat loss, pesticides, and human interference, it’s imperative that cities do all they can to protect their remaining pollinators.
Urban Wildlife Corridors
Life in the city is hard for anyone, human and animal alike, and these green spaces are a great way to maintain healthy populations of urban wildlife. Green spaces are often considered to be essential “wildlife corridors,” that allow animals to move between different areas of the city. This works because it retains connectivity by preventing genetic isolation and allowing species to find food, mates, and shelter. Without these green oases, animals may become trapped in small, isolated patches of habitat, making them more vulnerable to extinction.
Today’s city planners seem to be very mindful of this fact, and many are already designing cities with wildlife in mind. By creating continuous green spaces or finding ways to connect fragmented parks with green streets and rooftop gardens, cities can promote biodiversity in a way that has been previously unseen.
Social and Psychological Benefits of Green Spaces
The benefits of urban green spaces are not just limited to the plants and animals that call them home. These benefits extend far beyond environmental improvements and beautification as well. Indeed, the mere existence of green spaces within a city can have profound effects on the health and well-being of that city’s human residents.
Physical Health and Recreation
Green spaces are a great place for people to walk, jog, cycle, or toss around the frisbee. Anyone who has ever been to Central Park can attest to that, certainly. Parks like these are become especially important in densely populated cities like New York City, where residents may not have access to backyards or large open spaces.
In fact, studies have shown that regular physical activity in green spaces can reduce the risk of chronic diseases, such as heart disease, diabetes, and obesity. These spaces also allow folks to absorb more sunlight, which aids in the production of Vitamin D.
Mental Health and Well-Being
Some couch potatoes might not understand this right away, but spending time in nature is actually pretty good for human beings; it might even improve your mood! Merely being outside has proven to have numerous mental health benefits, including reducing stress, anxiety, and depression. Though located within the city limits, many urban green spaces offer a respite from the noise, pollution, and hectic pace of city life. These places provide people with a peaceful environment where they can just relax and unwind.
Green spaces are particularly important for the mental health of children, who need open, verdant, natural environments to develop properly. Playing in nature fosters a child’s creativity, improves their problem-solving skills, and provides myriad opportunities for positive social interaction. It also helps relieve stress and improve cognitive function.
Social Interaction and Community Building
Urban green spaces are often places where friends, relatives, and perfect strangers meet to communicate. People bond while working in community gardens, enjoy music in city parks, and share a drink on a green terrace rooftop. Many green spaces include venues for community events, festivals, and cultural activities, helping to strengthen social bonds and promote a sense of belonging.
Creating Greener Cities: Strategies for the Future
As cities continue to expand, these green spaces become more and more necessary. These days, it is essential that urban planners, policymakers, and communities work together to create greener, more sustainable urban environments.
Incorporating Green Spaces into Urban Planning
Parks, gardens, and other elements of green infrastructure should be incorporated into city designs by city planners. This could mean preserving and/or renovating existing green spaces, or creating entirely new ones in areas that are currently underserved. Green roofs, vertical gardens, and green walls can similarly be integrated into buildings to maximize the use of limited space.
Protecting and Restoring Natural Habitats
Money may be tight all around these days, but cities should invest in the protection and restoration of nearby natural habitats whenever they can. Many affected environments such as wetlands, forests, and grasslands are close to or even within urban areas, and restoring them would be a chance to improve city life for humans and nearby animal populations.
True Investigator Says…
Urban green spaces are far more than just aesthetic features designed by the wealthy benefactors of old; they are essential to the health and sustainability of cities. There is no stopping the rate of urbanization and so, the role of plants within these urban fortresses becomes even more important. We have seen that plants can help mitigate pollution, reduce heat, manage stormwater, support biodiversity, and provide a range of social, psychological, and economic benefits. Therefore, it’s only natural that we and our fellow humans endeavor to live greener lives as best we can, even if we’re living those lives in the heart of a city.
Discover more from TrueInvestigator
Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.