RESEARCH

Environmental, Health, Wellbeing, Social and Equity Effects of Urban Green Space Interventions: A Meta-Narrative Evidence Synthesis

The study found that 100% of park and greenway projects using both physical improvements and promotional efforts showed significant benefits, including increased physical activity and park use. In contrast, nearly 80% of projects that only made physical changes showed no significant improvement, highlighting the importance of pairing design changes with community engagement.

Program Types: Social

Population Groups: General Population

Setting or Context: Community Gardens, Urban vs. Rural Settings, Natural Areas/Parks/Forest

Health and Wellness Outcomes: Improved Mental Health, Enhanced Emotional Well-being, Increased Sense of Belonging (Reduced Isolation), Improved Stress Management

Allied Profession Intersections: Landscape Design

Type of Activity: Outdoor Gardening, Forest/Natural Area Immersion

Evidence Type: Peer-Reviewed Studies, Qualitative Research, Quantitative Research

Measurement and Evaluation: Metrics for Mental Health, Metrics for Physical Health

Access: Free

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Summary

This review looked at how green spaces in cities—like parks, gardens, trails, and street trees—can benefit people’s health, well-being, and the environment. The researchers examined 38 studies from different countries that involved changes to urban green spaces, such as renovating parks or planting trees, and sometimes included marketing efforts to encourage people to use these spaces. They wanted to find out which types of green space projects had the most positive impact on health, social life, and environmental quality, especially in neighborhoods that needed support.

The review found that green space projects that included both physical improvements and efforts to promote their use were the most successful. These dual-approach interventions led to increased physical activity, better use of parks, and improved feelings of safety. However, projects that only made physical changes without promoting the space were often less effective. There wasn’t enough high-quality evidence to say for sure whether these interventions helped reduce health or social inequalities, but the overall trend was positive.

Link

Hunter, R.F., Cleland, C., Cleary, A. et al. (2019). Environmental, health, wellbeing, social and equity effects of urban green space interventions: A meta-narrative evidence synthesis. Environ Int., 130, 104923

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