landscapes where we can all flourish Catharine Ward Thompson - - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

Catharine Ward Thompson Professor of Landscape Architecture University of Edinburgh

Getting outdoors – landscapes where we can all flourish

UN Sustainable Development Goals

Goal 11.7: “By 2030, provide universal access to safe, inclusive and accessible, green and public spaces, in particular for women and children, older persons and persons with disabilities”

Green/blue space can be salutogenic (and equigenic)

Urban studies from e.g. Japan, England and Canada show that having green space near where you live is associated with reduced mortality rates, especially from circulatory diseases, even when income level is taken into account.

Many people walk when in natural landscapes –

physical activity has positive effects on physical health, mood and stress

Potential mechanisms linking landscape and health: Physical Activity

Social contact when in natural environments – relieves social isolation (a health risk) and may enhance activity or mood

Potential mechanisms linking landscape and health: Social Engagement

Potential mechanisms linking landscape and health: Attention Restoration

Psychological response to perceiving natural environments Attention Restoration Theory (Kaplan & Kaplan)

Potential mechanisms linking landscape and health: Independent Physiological Responses

Independent physiological response: psychoneuroendochrine mechanisms (Ulrich et al., Hartig et al, Ottoson & Grahn, Park et al)

Other studies on health benefits

• Israel, UK and Lithuania: positive associations between access to green environments and

babies’ birth weight (cause and effect not clear, perhaps maternal stress)

• Japan: Microbiomes and our immune system: Phytoncides from plants (antimicrobial volatile
• rganic compounds) reduce blood pressure and are good for our immune system, inhaling

them possibly from first few months of life may be crucial

• UK (Catharine W-Thompson):
• 1. Sense of place and connection with a place

improves ability to cope with stress.

• 2. Older people living closer to public green

spaces more likely to be active and satisfied with life

• 3. Mobile neuro-headsets measuring brain-

wave activity in busy streets vs urban park confirm attention restoration theory

• 4. People in deprived, non-working population

had healthier cortisol patterns when exposed to more green space.

• 5. Good childhood access to urban parks over

a lifetime reduces cognitive decline in people over 70