Public Health Experts Explore Health and Wellbeing Benefits from Urban Trees
The forthcoming Trees, People and the Built Environment 3 (TPBE3) conference will explore the benefits of urban trees with a focus on health and transport. The advantages of trees within urban spaces has been proven, by research, to produce a positive impact and has become an important subject for a diverse group of professionals.
A highly respected UK based architect, Sue James, explains: “If we are to have more urban trees and properly benefit from them, it’s vital that we embrace a cross-sector, cross-disciplinary approach for all built environment professionals including health professionals, civil engineers, architects and landscapers.”
How we design and manage our towns and cities can have a major impact on individuals’ mental and physical health. There is strong evidence to support the value of green infrastructure especially trees and green space in delivering measurable benefits to human health.
Responsibility for many health issues now lies with local authorities. Dr Ann Marie Connolly, Public Health England’s (PHE) Deputy Director, Health Equity & Mental Health, Health & Wellbeing, is leading a session which will illustrate significant issues relating to health benefits from urban trees.
Explaining the importance of her session at TPBE3, Dr Connolly said: “Last autumn I attended an event at University College London called The Big Meet. It was organised by one of TPBE3’s Conference Partners, the Place Alliance, and the delegates were all interested in urban tree development that focused on health. A forester gave such creative examples of tree use in cities that he inspired us all. So, it is fitting that I should now play a part in inspiring others in Birmingham.”
Dr Matilda van den Bosch, Assistant Professor in the Faculty of Medicine and the Faculty of Forestry, University of British Columbia, Canada, will be exploring ‘Healthy Trees, Healthy People’ and explains:
“With a changing disease scenario and increased prevalence of chronic, lifestyle-related disorders, structural, environmental and health-promoting investments are required. From this perspective, trees and urban green spaces can be considered as efficient tools for promoting healthy behaviours, encouraging physical activity and cross cultural social interactions”
There are huge inequalities that exist between place quality and health outcomes with implications for how well and how long people live. Helping to achieve a reduction in our health inequalities and seeking healthy living places for all, will require a concerted collaborative effort. This International Urban Trees Research Conference is a powerful platform for exploring research and building strong networks to work together in the future.
TPBE3 is hosted and organised by the Institute of Chartered Foresters (ICF) on behalf of a group of partner organisations.
