"[This research] is a reminder that parks can be inexpensive, ubiquitous, and simple. Even at the scale of a vacant lot, simply seeing greenery can make us feel better."
See article here.
" 'The beauty of the intervention is that it’s pretty simple,' says Dr. Eugenia C. South, one of the authors on a new study that tracked hundreds of vacant lots across Philadelphia. 'Which is good for replication in other cities and being able to scale it up. Also, the cost is relatively inexpensive compared to other types of interventions you might do for health.'
"The study, published in JAMA Network Open by a group of five doctors at the University of Pennsylvania including South, is the first to observe a cause and effect between access to 'greened' vacant lots and improved mental health through a randomized controlled trial. Their research paints a vivid picture of how our neighborhoods impact our well-being and provides new evidence for why cities should be investing in low-cost but high-impact design interventions like lot greening."
Submitted by Smart Growth Sturgeon Bay, and Wisconsin Downtown Action Council.