Understanding the Mental and Physical Benefits Behind Urban Forests

Once winter has passed and the trees once again regain their color, there is nothing quite as relaxing as taking a stroll through the streets or parks that are lined with greenery. It’s not just the incredibly beautiful view that we love so much about this, though. There have been studies that consistently show how urban forests can help improve a person’s mental and physical wellbeing. At Ben & Annie’s Trees for Tomorrow, our goal is to provide a cleaner environment within our communities and around the world—and the benefits that urban forests can also have for each and every one of us is clear to see. 

Defining urban forests 

When we talk about urban forests, we’re thinking about the trees that line the walkways outside of apartments or the parks located throughout the cities we frequent. Although the mere sight of them gives off an incredible amount of natural beauty to any location, it’s been known that adding more trees to urban areas can also lead to a number of benefits for the community and for the residents by providing cleaner air throughout the area, providing clean water, helping with flood control, reducing the crime rate in an area and so much more. 

The mental benefits of urban forests

While getting outdoors in the fresh air is always a great way to help boost your mood, there have been studies done that find walking through an area with trees is still more effective at benefitting our mental health than simply walking through an open grassy area. One reason as to why trees in particular help boost our mood is the shade they provide. On the days when the weather reaches high temperatures, individuals can sometimes feel more aggressive moods happening due to the heat—and having shaded areas to walk or sit under can drastically reduce those feelings. Having trees located in urban areas can also block out some of the noise that we typically associate with larger cities—promoting a more peaceful environment to live in and therefore, benefiting your mood as well. 

The physical benefits of urban forests

Having more trees in an area has an enormous impact on the wellbeing of both the environment as a whole and the individuals who live in those places—including in an urban forest setting. Trees play a large role in reducing any harmful pollutants that can travel throughout the air, and because of this—they quickly promote a healthier way of life for those living in larger cities. Having plenty of parks or shaded trails for walking, hiking or biking can also help promote a healthier lifestyle as it is more attainable for individuals in these areas to get into an active routine on a daily basis. 

Find out how you can help

At Ben & Annie’s Trees for Tomorrow, we love learning about new ways that planting trees can help out our communities and community members—and when we put a focus on urban areas as well, we’ll be able to see the benefits made in the cities we love. If you’d like to know how you can help achieve this within your own community, give us a call at (210) 670-5297 or fill out our online form today.