Green space and access to it have long been documented to have positive health outcomes, especially in urban environments, and researchers at the University of Louisville decided to put this to the test, conducting a long-term study of how trees affected the health of around 500 people.
The Washington Post reported on GreenHeart Louisville, an initiative spearheaded by Aruni Bhatnagar that aims to prove the benefits of trees to human health. The initiative began in 2018 and is funded by a number of nonprofits, local organizations, and government agencies.
“It occurred to me that we really don’t know if trees are healthy,” Bhatnagar said.
“Over time, contractors and volunteers planted about 8,000 trees and shrubs in low- to moderate-income neighborhoods in south Louisville and measured health data for about 500 residents,” The Washington Post reported.
It’s long been known that trees and plants can have positive effects on human health, from cooling neighborhoods to improving mental health, but the Green Heart initiative is the first study aimed at getting concrete data to back up those claims.
The Washington Post reported that Bhatnagar is optimistic about the study but wants to make sure the proper procedures are followed. “I think there’s a strong indication that there could be some long-term health benefits,” Bhatnagar said, noting that the findings have not yet been peer-reviewed.
“While we caution that expectations may influence the results of the Green Heart study, we are hopeful that there will be a positive impact on the health of people in the treatment cluster compared with people in the control cluster.”
What makes this study noteworthy is the amount of data collected: The researchers collected “blood tests, urine and hair samples, wastewater runoff, air pollution samples, soil and leaf samples, bat calls, LiDAR scans, temperature and humidity measurements, crime data, psychological surveys, and sleep studies.”
Green Heart Louisville is based in low-income areas of the city. According to the group’s website, “The area served is home to 22,100 residents. Approximately 82% of residents own their home, and the median household income is $27,000.”
This is still an ongoing study, but we hope that the overall results will show us just how beneficial trees are for our health, while also demonstrating how important it is to take action to create healthier environments in our communities.
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