Sustainability Solutions Urban Greening & Human Well-Being

Transcription

1 Sustainability Solutions Urban Greening & Human Well-Being Kathy Wolf, Ph.D. Research Social Scientist University of Washington (Seattle) & USDA Forest Service, Pacific NW Research 17 th Water Conservation/Xeriscape Conference Albuquerque, New Mexico February 2012

2 An Integrated Approach

3 Evidence-based Metrics HUMAN HEALTH & WELL-BEING SOILS MATERIALS VEGETATION HYDROLOGY Sustainable Sites Initiative

4 Why are city trees & urban greening important? human health, functioning, & well-being collaboration opportunities!

5 Research Reviews sponsors: University of Washington USDA Forest Service, U&CF Program ARRA funding NGO partners

6 Finding that study......

7 Research Reviews first phase: June 2010 summaries complete: June 2012 additional products

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9 Urban Green :: Human Health & Well Being > 1,800 articles % distribution 9

10 1. Community Economics % distribution 10

11 City Trees & Nature Community Economics! Residential real estate values - 3-7% with trees in yard! Residential real estate values %, proximity to natural open space! Commercial property rental rates - 7%! Increased rent values ROW & yard trees (Donovan 2011)! Improved consumer environments in business districts % product spending

12 Nature & the Workplace! cubicle farms... efficient?!

13 Attention Restoration Theory" Rachel & Stephen Kaplan U of MI!

14 Kaplan, R Landscape and Urban Planning! Workplace Nature Views! Well-being! desk workers without view of nature reported 23% more ailments in prior 6 months! Job Satisfaction! less frustrated and more patient! higher overall job satisfaction and enthusiasm!

15 bottom line = $$ benefits of trees & nature the better office cubicle!

16 Trees & Retail Environments Research

17 Trees & Shopper Environments Research Research Questions trees and visual quality? trees and consumer behavior? trees and product pricing? Methods: mail out/in surveys national or local sample residents/nearby city residents partners: U of Washington, NGOs, business organizations funded by USDA Forest Service

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19 Image Categories (sorted by ratings) Pocket Parks! mean 3.72! (highest) Scale : 1=not at all, 5=like very much, 26 images Full Canopy! mean 3.63

20 Enclosed Sidewalk 3.32 Intermittent! Trees! 2.78

21 No Trees mean 1.65! (lowest)!! (high )

22 1. Place Perceptions! Place Character! Interaction with Merchants! Quality of Products 2. Patronage Behavior! travel time, travel distance! duration & frequency of visits! willingness to pay for parking! 3. Product Pricing! higher willingness to pay for all types of goods! higher in districts with trees 9-12%! Place Marketing Relationship Marketing!

23 retail & place marketing Companies stage an experience when they engage customers in a memorable way.

24 Centralia, WA

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26 Winslow, WA

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29 Austin, TX

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32 2. Active Living :: Public Health % distribution 32

33 Obesity Trends* Among U.S. Adults 1990, 1999, 2009 (*BMI 30, or about 30 lbs. overweight for 5 4 person) doubling of U.S. obesity rate since 1980s No Data <10% 10% 14% 15% 19% 20% 24% 25% 29% 30% Source: Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System, CDC.

34 Obesity Trends* Among U.S. Adults 2008 (*BMI 30, or ~ 30 lbs. overweight for 5 4 person) doubling of U.S. obesity rate since 1980s No Data <10% 10% 14% 15% 19% 20% 24% 25% 29% 30% Source: Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System, CDC.

35 Age-adjusted % of adults aged 20 years who are obese, 2007 CDC s Division of Diabetes Translation. National Diabetes Surveillance System available at MMWR 58: , 2009

36 majority of Americans not active enough goal-30 minutes per day of moderate activity to reduce risk factors for chronic diseases!(heart, stroke, cancer, diabetes) significant costs to national health services! $168 billion medical costs 17% of all U.S. medical costs CDC

37 City Trees & Nature Active Living encourage daily moderate activity

38 parks, open spaces & trails

39 Parks Prescription San Francisco Albuquerque

40 trees & green = health & happiness!

41 Nature, Human Health & Walkable Neighborhoods! Outcomes: Elderly People & Walking! less illness! lower mortality rate! Environments: Neighborhood Streets (Tokyo)! tree - lined! parks Takano, Nakamura, Watanabe Journal of Epidemiology & Community Health#

42 3. Healing & Therapy % distribution 42

43 hospital healing gardens: patients; family and friends; professional staff health care $$ savings

44 healing gardens soothing distracting calm focus

45 TKF Foundation

46 funding for integrated design & research

47 Elders & Horticulture Therapy

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50 NIRS 14 NIRS 49(3) P

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53 ! physically disabled & tree climbing!

54 recreational tree climbing (& youth therapy)

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56 Volunteer Stewardship Survey Autumn 2010/Spring 2011 Partners: ForTerra (Seattle NGO) USDA Forest Service, Pacific NW Research Station University of Washington

57 Green Cities Research Alliance Partnering for sustainable cities through science, policy, and citizen action USDA Forest Service Pacific NW Research Station UW Remote Sensing & Geospatial Lab University of Washington Parks & Recreation Division City of Seattle

58 Civic Environmental Stewardship?! mostly volunteers, including event leaders! working on public parks & green belts! urban settings

59 Stewardship Footprint Analysis units of analysis social scales

60 Place & Respondent Sampling Population: All 188 organized volunteer environmental stewardship events on forested Seattle Parks lands Oct -Dec Estimated 3,000 individuals Surveyed: 33 events, 155 volunteers Events at random People at random within events

61 Why is volunteering important to you? dependent variables rating 1-7 ForTerra USFS Pacific NW Research Station

62 Why is volunteering important to you? dependent variables rating 1-7 mean (sd) Engaged Learning 5.39 (1.10) Caring for Others 4.82 (1.65) Group Dynamics 4.11 (1.68) Self Reflection 3.77 (1.49) Social Influence 3.76 (1.5) Career Opportunity 3.18 (1.66) Solace 3.11 (1.62) ForTerra USFS Pacific NW Research Station

63 Stewardship Organization Mission King/Pierce Counties ~ 600 Wordle tag cloud Cascade Land Conservancy USFS Pacific NW Research Station

64 Veteran/Soldier Stewards! stress disorders! disengaged (family, community)! green jobs! project start early 2012 WA DNR

65 Trees & Nature Benefits better urban livability quality of life improved human habitat

66 Sustainable Sites Initiative HUMAN HEALTH & WELL-BEING SOILS MATERIALS VEGETATION HYDROLOGY Sustainable Sites Initiative

67 Reducing Atmospheric Carbon Dioxide Image courtesy of the Center for Urban Forest Research

68 Reducing Atmospheric Carbon Dioxide emissions sources? carbon emissions

69 Reducing Atmospheric Carbon Dioxide emissions sources? carbon emissions

70 Reducing Atmospheric Carbon Dioxide emissions sources? carbon emissions

71 Reducing Atmospheric Carbon Dioxide reduced emissions sources! carbon emissions

72 Reducing Atmospheric Carbon Dioxide Green Cities: Good Health reduced emissions sources! carbon emissions

73 Reducing Stormwater Runoff Image courtesy of the Center for Urban Forest Research

74 Research Reviews summaries complete: June 2012 additional products study of economic valuation with MSU s Dr. Grado

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