Public Places
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Parks provide a rich mosaic of habitats for specific types of wildlife/biodiversity; trees, woodland and hedgerows; parks, open spaces and gardens are the UK’s largest ‘nature reserve’
Carefully planned mowing regimes at Kew Gardens, London
resulted in lowered blood pressure, reduced blood toxin levels, reduced stress, improved cognitive performance and enhanced memory retention; any exercise taken was a bonus. Hospital patients overlooking green spaces and gardens recover quicker, have less complications and require less pain relief than those overlooking buildings or car parks.
The exact mechanism for this effect is not known, but the research identified three main theories, none of which exclude the others, to explain how these underpinning health benefits work. The Biophilia Hypothesis, proposed by the
A heron catches a frog in Edinburgh Botanical Garden
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eminent biologist Edward O. Wilson (who coined the term ‘biodiversity’) suggests that humans are genetically ‘hard-wired’ to be more contented and function better in natural environments, both physiologically, emotionally and cognitively. He explains this is due to humankind evolving over hundreds of thousands of years, living with, depending on, and eventually manipulating nature. Attention Restoration Theory proposes
The conclusions showed clearly that there was convincing evidence of the beneficial impact of just being in green space on both physical and mental health
that, compared with ‘hard’ indoor or urban environments, natural environments are more effective in allowing our brains to recharge and recover what is termed ‘direct attention’ or concentrated focus on a particular task, such as writing reports, developing spreadsheets, accounts, driving, studying etc. These activities can be hard work, are
important, but often uninteresting, and can soon tire the brain, leading to negative symptoms such as displacement activity, distraction, irritability, anxiety and emotional reactivity. Being present in good quality green space helps our brains recover from fatigue, and this effect is currently recognised in many school’s activity plans. The third theory is the Psychological Stress
Recovery Theory regarding the clear evidence for reduced blood pressure, pulse rate, blood stress-toxin levels, muscle tension and anxiety in people and patients within
92 I PC OCTOBER/NOVEMBER 2015
fifteen minutes of being present in green space. This effect even worked, to a lesser extent, when they were shown pictures or videos of landscapes. Interestingly, the most effective pictures at producing this effect showed undulating grassland, dotted with trees, a body of water, and evidence of human habitation, such as paths or a mid- distant dwelling. Like the Biophilia explanation, this effect was thought to be the result of deep-seated genetic hard- wiring.
The implications for health services, schools, universities, mental health carers etc. of the phenomenon of improved physical health, mental well-being and happiness, through connection with nature, is only just beginning to register. The impact of this knowledge on education service and child physical and cognitive development, on tackling the obesity and diabetes crisis, and on the caring professions should be profound. Every year, more research exposes the amazing healing and health-giving properties of green spaces yet, somehow, every year, parks and green spaces become more invisible.
What is the future for Public Parks and Green Spaces?
The role that parks and green spaces play in our individual lives, and in society, have changed significantly since the park movement emerged in the Victorian era. Changes in lifestyles and the challenges of the austerity era have left parks with an uncertain role in the 21st century and defining their future purpose and maintenance level is now essential to prevent repeating the decline seen in the 1970s and 80s. In November 2013, NESTA (the National Endowment for Science Technology and the Arts), a public body designed to promote creativity, talent and innovation, provided almost £1 million to fund research into new business models and funding streams for
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