Impact of Park Shape on Health Benefits of Urban Green Spaces

Introduction to the Study

A recent study investigated the influence of park shapes on the health benefits derived from urban green spaces. Previous research has established that urban green areas positively affect health; however, this new study reveals that the shape of these spaces can significantly affect residents’ mortality risk. The findings were published in the journal The Lancet Planetary Health.

Study Details and Methodology

Researchers analyzed high-resolution land cover data from Philadelphia, focusing on several characteristics of green spaces, including greenness, fragmentation, connectedness, aggregation, and shape. Additionally, they assessed mortality rates across 369 census tracts due to various causes.

Key Findings

The study identified a clear protective effect of the spatial patterns of green spaces on mortality rates. Specifically, residents living in areas with intricately shaped, aggregated, and connected green spaces exhibited a reduced risk of death from conditions such as heart disease, chronic lower respiratory disease, and neoplasms. Notably, while no specific form of green space was linked to mortality risk, irregularly shaped parks showed a strong correlation with health benefits.

Expert Insights

Huaquing Wang, a PhD student in Urban and Regional Science, commented on the findings, stating, “We showed that the complexity of the park shape was positively associated with a lower risk of mortality. This association might be attributable to the increased number of access points provided by complex-shaped green spaces.”

Implications for Urban Planning

The researchers suggest that to maximize the health benefits of green spaces, individuals need to spend significant time within them to receive phytoncides and microbial inputs produced by plants. Complex-shaped parks may offer diverse facilities and activities, encouraging residents to engage more with these spaces and stay longer.

The study’s findings could serve as a valuable guide for city designers and planners, promoting healthier living environments through the thoughtful design of urban green spaces.

References

Wang, H. and Tassinary, L. (2019). Effects of greenspace morphology on mortality at the neighbourhood level: a cross-sectional ecological study. The Lancet Planetary Health, 3(11), pp.e460-e468.
EurekAlert!. (2019). Scholars find that irregularly shaped parks reduce mortality risk. [online] Available at: https://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2019-11/tau-sft112719.php [Accessed 28 Nov. 2019].
Image by Stan Petersen from Pixabay.