Summary: People who live close to urban parks, nature reserves and other green spaces report higher life satisfaction, greater happiness and a stronger sense of self-worth than those who live farther away.
Source: University of Warwick
Living within 300 m of urban green space—such as parks, nature reserves or play areas—is linked to higher life satisfaction, happiness and sense of worth, according to a new study by researchers at the University of Warwick, Newcastle University and the University of Sheffield.
Exposure to natural environments has long been associated with positive emotions, and national planning guidance reflects that belief. Yet key questions remain: how much green space is needed, and how close must it be to people’s homes to make a meaningful difference? To answer these questions the research team applied advanced geospatial analysis to measure proximity to green space at the level of individual homes and to test relationships with multiple aspects of mental wellbeing.
The study draws on survey responses from 25,518 participants in the UK government’s Annual Population Survey (APS) combined with detailed mapping of more than 20,000 public green spaces in London. Instead of using coarse administrative-area measures, the researchers modelled the exact area of greenspace within a fixed distance of each respondent’s home, allowing a more precise analysis of how nearby greenspace relates to three facets of mental wellbeing: life satisfaction, happiness and a sense of worth.
The study, published in the August issue of Applied Geography, reports several clear findings:
- There is a strong positive relationship between the amount of green space surrounding a person’s home and their reported life satisfaction, happiness and self-worth.
- Green space located within 300 m of home had the strongest association with mental wellbeing.
- An increase of 1 hectare (approximately the size of an international Rugby Union pitch) within 300 m of residents was associated with an increase of roughly 8 percentage points in life satisfaction, 7 percentage points in a sense of worth, and 5 percentage points in happiness.
- The relationship between nearby greenspace and wellbeing was weaker in parts of Central and East London.
Dr Victoria Houlden, one of the study authors, noted that the research is among the first to link greenspace to a broader, multidimensional definition of mental wellbeing. “Many studies concentrate on single outcomes like life satisfaction or on poor mental health alone,” she said. “Our work considers multiple aspects of mental wellbeing—happiness, life satisfaction and worth—and shows that proximity to greenspace matters across these dimensions.”
Professor Scott Weich, Professor of Mental Health at the University of Sheffield, commented on the methods and implications: “Until now, evidence linking greenspace to mental wellbeing has often been circumstantial. By combining advanced mapping with robust statistical models we show a clear and substantial effect. This work helps move the subject from assumption to evidence.”
Professor Stephen A. Jarvis, Director of the EPSRC Centre for Doctoral Training in Urban Science at the University of Warwick, emphasised the practical value of the findings for urban decision-making. “This is the first study to provide concrete evidence of how urban greenspaces may improve mental wellbeing in the broadest sense,” he said, “and it should inform how we design healthier, happier and more productive urban landscapes.”
Professor João Porto de Albuquerque, Director of the University of Warwick’s Institute of Global Sustainable Development, placed the findings in an international planning context. He noted that while the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals promote universal access to green and public spaces by 2030, that target is often measured by city-wide open space. “Our analysis shows that proximity matters: how close greenspace is to an individual home influences measurable wellbeing outcomes, and the strength of that effect varies across urban areas,” he said. “These insights matter for how we measure access and for planning policies that aim to create more livable cities.”
Source:
University of Warwick
Media contact:
Sheila Kiggins, University of Warwick
Image source:
The image is in the public domain.
Original research: Open access. Study title: “A spatial analysis of proximate greenspace and mental wellbeing in London.” Authors: Victoria Houlden, João Porto de Albuquerque, Scott Weich, Stephen Jarvis. Published in Applied Geography. DOI: 10.1016/j.apgeog.2019.102036
Abstract (summary)
This spatial analysis examined whether the amount of greenspace within a specified radius of individuals’ homes is associated with multidimensional mental wellbeing. Individual and household-level data were taken from the Annual Population Survey at postcode level (pooled dataset 2012–2015) and included three self-reported wellbeing measures covering life satisfaction, sense of worth and happiness, alongside socio-demographic controls. Greenspace data from the Greenspace Information for Greater London Group (GiGL) were used to calculate greenspace within a 300 m radius around each respondent. Linear regression models found statistically significant positive associations between greenspace and both life satisfaction and worth. Because spatial clustering was detected in model residuals, the team applied Geographically Weighted Regression (GWR) to account for local spatial processes and to explore geographic variation in the associations. The global GWR results indicated that an increase of 1 hectare of greenspace within 300 m was associated with statistically significant increases in life satisfaction, worth and happiness. Local GWR coefficients showed some spatial variation in strength across the study area, suggesting that further work is needed to explore whether walking distance, absolute greenspace size, accessibility or greenspace type explain those local differences.