Frederick Law Olmstead, our nation’s pioneer landscape architect, promoted his idea for Central Park on the concept that city folks need a bit of the countryside in their midst in order to maintain mental health.
Today, there are more than 400 correlational studies that show improved health benefits related to time spent in nature. These relationships, in which trees play an important role, add another dimension to the importance of urban forestry. They provide even more evidence that community trees are far more than ornaments or the source of pleasant summer shade. They are an essential component of a sustainable, healthy environment for the men, women, and children who live in American cities of all sizes.
John Muir saw a walk in a wooded setting as “the clearest way into the universe.” He said, “Nature’s peace will flow into you as sunshine flows into trees.” Scientists today bear this out in less philosophical ways. In Japan, for example, a whole body of literature has grown up around what is called Shinrin-yoku or “forest bathing.” Benefits being cited range from improved moods and deepened friendships to strengthened immune systems and better sleep at night. Although daily access to forests and woodlands may be beyond the reach of most urban residents, natural areas in city parks and even well-treed streets can provide many of the same benefits.
A few examples of how trees affect human health are summarized in this issue. Not all the relationships are clearly understood, and research on this fascinating subject continues and deserves to be supported. But the message is clear and needs to be taken to a wider audience in order to gain the broader public appreciation for trees that is necessary for continuous, systematic stewardship.
