Nature-Based Strategies for Improving Urban Health and Safety

Abstract

Place-based programs are being noticed as key opportunities to prevent disease and promote public health and safety for populations at-large. As one key type of place-based intervention, nature-based and green space strategies can play an especially large role in improving health and safety for dwellers in urban environments such as US legacy cities that lack nature and greenery. In this paper, we describe the current understanding of place-based influences on public health and safety. We focus on nonchemical environmental factors, many of which are related to urban abandonment and blight. We then review findings from studies of nature-based interventions regarding impacts on health, perceptions of safety, and crime. Based on our findings, we suggest that further research in this area will require (1) refined measures of green space, nature, and health and safety for cities, (2) interdisciplinary science and cross-sector policy collaboration, (3) observational studies as well as randomized controlled experiments and natural experiments using appropriate spatial counterfactuals and mixed methods, and (4) return-on-investment calculations of potential economic, social, and health costs and benefits of urban greening initiatives. KEYWORDS Urban nature, Green space, Place-based interventions, Public health, CrimeThere is growing support of place-based programs to help prevent disease and promote public health and safety. [1][2][3][4][5] This movement is largely motivated by increasing findings that public health interventions targeted at individuals or behaviors have limited effect on health and safety outcomes at a population scale. 6 For example, educational programs that promote behavioral change among very specific, targeted population groups may not impact broader societal issues such as the actual contexts within which unhealthy behaviors like tobacco use, lack of exercise, poor diet, distracted driving, and violence occur. 7-9 Moreover, programmatic impact is rarely sustained beyond the small study populations that are targeted. When funding ends, program impact thus also often ends unless, in very rare instances, the program itself somehow becomes institutionalized or part of a larger social norm.Place-based programs rest on increasing evidence that in addition to biological and individual attributes, everyday environments have a potentially strong and Kondo is with the USDA-Forest Service, Northern Research Station,

Streetscape augmentation using generative adversarial networks: Insights related to health and wellbeing

“…In addition to imagery, future studies could aim to explicitly incorporate these other factors (e.g., distance to public transport, amenities, neighbourhood walkability) in the modelling. Various studies stress the need to change policies and amend local urban environments as a method to improve health and safety, as the impact of local environment improvements may be larger than interventions targeted at individuals (e.g., Kondo et al, 2015). Eventually, GAN-based methods could be capable of suggesting amendments to specific streetscapes that improve health and wellbeing outcomes, by generating targeted interventions that also retain the current infrastructure of the local environment.…”

Modifiable Neighborhood Features Associated With Adolescent Homicide

“…The presence of parks was also associated with a reduction in the odds of homicide, suggesting that the benefit of municipal green spaces extends beyond opportunities for physical and leisure activity. 36 Parks and other green spaces encourage public gatherings and informal guardianship and have also been shown to mitigate psychological precursors to violence such as mental fatigue. 37 Although we found no association between locations with trees or public plantings and homicide, the odds of homicide were significantly increased in locations with private plantings.…”

“…Private plantings may obscure visibility along sidewalks and create opportunities for crime, potentially explaining the observed association. 36 , 38 The findings related to maintained vacant lots and green space hold promise as targets for future place-based interventions. Researchers using this urban revitalization strategy should consider studying homicide reduction as a key health outcome.…”

Effects of greening and community reuse of vacant lots on crime

“…Some vacant lot remediation programmes have already shown promising results in terms of affecting crime (Kondo et al, 2015c). Greening has also been associated with an enhanced sense of safety and feelings of security (Garvin et al, 2012).…”