Integrating green space into cities and not just on the outskirts can have both environmental and health benefits. Image source: Shutterstock (#210318229)
According to a new study by the State University of New York (SUNY), trees and other plants planted in urban areas
reduce air pollution, absorb carbon and protect people during heatwaves, saving large cities more than $500 million a year in healthcare, energy costs and environmental protection.
The research, building on the prediction that one in ten people will live in cities of more than 10 million inhabitants by 2030, argues that benefits of urban forests could even be twice as effective if more trees were planted in central areas such as sidewalks, plazas and parking lots rather than remote green spaces.
“Greening urban areas is critical,” the lead author, Theodore Endreny of SUNY’s College of Environmental Science and Forestry, said.
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