Why Cities Need More Green: The Health and Social Benefits of Urban Nature
We may be modern individuals living in bustling cities, but our need to connect with nature remains deeply ingrained. This instinctive desire, known as biophilia, “has a strong effect on our general psychological state,” explains Tony Matthews, an award-winning urban and environmental planner and lecturer at Griffith University in Queensland, Australia. His research into the psychological benefits of urban greenery reveals that vegetation affects our well-being more than we might realise.
The Psychological Power of Urban Greenery
Cities endowed with trees, parks, plants and flowers tend to have happier, healthier residents. In contrast, areas with sparse greenery discourage walking and contribute to higher rates of obesity, illness and depression. “If you think about a city as part of the psychological environment, then one of the things that help good psychological and good mental health outcomes is lots of greenery,” says Tony Matthews. As awareness of these links grows, planners and policymakers are beginning to prioritise green infrastructure.
Green Spaces as Third Places
One of the most immediate benefits of green spaces is the opportunity for socialisation. Parks and community gardens serve as what sociologists call ‘third places’—venues for recreation and social encounters without a commercial transaction. Tony Matthews describes these areas as “places where social, not commercial, activity is the primary reason for being there.” Unlike cafés or restaurants, public green spaces allow people to stay as long as they wish, fostering casual encounters and community ties.
Such spaces are also vital in reducing loneliness, “probably the largest form of poor mental health in cities,” Matthews warns. If urban dwellers lack accessible third places, they miss opportunities to interact, exacerbating feelings of isolation. Studies have linked loneliness to higher risks of depression, cardiovascular disease and even premature mortality, making green spaces a crucial intervention.
Nature’s Healing Touch
Interactions with urban wildlife further strengthen our bond with nature. Even simple activities such as feeding ducks promote feelings of connection and contentment, while observing the changing colours of leaves or the growth of trees contributes to “an improved individual and social experience,” according to Tony Matthews. These low-level encounters can boost mood and encourage stewardship of the natural world.
Green spaces also offer a chance for mental recharging. “We decompress and recharge better in nature than we do in other spaces,” Matthews observes. Numerous studies have shown that time spent in vegetation reduces stress, elevates mood and restores attention. Natural environments demand less directed focus, allowing the brain to recover from the fatigue associated with intense concentration.
The healing power of greenery extends to clinical settings as well. Recovery times in hospitals are significantly quicker when patients can see trees or gardens through their windows. “That’s partially because of the mental effects of nature,” highlights Matthews. His current research on green infrastructure in aged care facilities investigates how shade, seating, fresh air and sunshine can improve both physical and mental health among older residents.
Greenness for Young Minds
For children, access to nature is vital for cognitive development and academic performance. Research conducted by McGraw-Hill Construction finds that green schools and classrooms offer better acoustics, lighting and thermal comfort, leading to improved grades and general well-being. However, Matthews warns that the rise of vertical schools in Australia raises concerns about adequate green space for play, exercise and unstructured interaction. “And that’s a huge problem,” he argues.
Embedding Greenery in City Planning
Ideally, each citizen should be within 400 metres of a green space, with as many street trees as possible. According to the World Health Organization, a minimum of 9 m² of green space per individual is recommended. In practice, urban land ownership, maintenance costs and liability concerns often limit greenery provision. Yet, without investing in nature today, cities may face far higher public health bills in the future: mental illness in Europe alone costs around €600 billion annually.
Despite these challenges, “the general awareness that greenery is good and should be prioritised is growing within the group of people who are involved in making decisions about cities – city planners, architects, policymakers, engineers, property developers, urban designers,” says Tony Matthews. Urban green space has evolved from a vague concept to a deliberate element of city planning.
In an era of rising mental health concerns, it is time to recognise greenery not as an aesthetic luxury, but as essential infrastructure. From stress reduction and social connection to faster healing and better developmental outcomes, the benefits of nature in cities are clear. The challenge now lies in turning this understanding into action.
This article was curated, reviewed, and verified by the Conservation Mag team. Further reading: https://citychangers.org/psychological-effects-of-greenery/.
