Green Spaces Matter: How ‘Nature-Deprived’ Communities Are Hurting Their Residents

“Go outside and touch grass” may be the newest iteration of internet clapbacks , but experts say it can actually have a measurable impact on community and mental well-being.

When it comes to keeping communities together, reducing stress levels, and improving overall mental well-being , access to green spaces play an often-overlooked role.

Green spaces “describe either maintained or unmaintained environmental areas,” according to The National Institutes of Health. These spaces can range from urban parks, nature reserves and green paths that also assist in heat distribution to prevent heat islands and water runoff to prevent flooding.

The reasons for green spaces are countless, as studies highly analyze factors that drive the “greening” of American cities . Some of these include beautification, recreation, spirituality/symbolism, social hierarchies, community building, improving well-being, food production, environmental sustainability, and economic stimulation of the surrounding area.

Countless studies have concluded for decades the importance of green spaces, concluding that proximity to nature, environmental characteristics of areas, and simply being able to view natural elements out of a window are all strong determinants of community satisfaction and social cohesion.

The benefits of urban green spaces seem endless, so why aren’t they everywhere?

While green spaces are great, access to them is a major obstacle.

According to a 2019 study , access to urban green spaces are mostly associated with higher education and income while limited in communities with higher Black and Hispanic populations. 75% of all non-white families with children live in a community with less natural land than the state average.

Not only is the frequency of these areas tied to different groups, but the quality of the green spaces is dependent on race as well — in New York City , green spaces in predominantly white neighborhoods were nearly 4 times larger than those found in predominantly Black communities.

These “nature-deprived” communities follow a long line of widespread issues as a result of historic disparity— the health benefits and avoided costs of healthcare as a result of green spaces was estimated at over $69 million in 2013, according to the Trust for Public Land .

Greening previously vacant lots was associated with lowering heart rates and improving mood for those struggling with clinical depression, underlining the importance of green spaces as a community health issue.

Although the disparities appear dismal, calls for investments to redesign urban spaces there a “green” lens are already picking up. In 2020, the Great American Outdoors Act invested up to $9.5 million for repair in national parks and land. Three years later, the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) invested nearly $1 billion to expand access to green spaces in neighborhoods around the country, aiming to “ increase tree cover in disadvantaged communities .”

Research supports that green spaces, as tools for promoting health or simply a place to develop community building, are necessary for improving lived environments. Mitigating the ongoing damages of community divestment in communities of color could be a major step in leveling institutional inequalities.