Urban Green: Essential To Human life

DO you love trees in your neigbourhood? We do. In fact, we love trees in all neighbourhoods. Why? Urban forest are essential to our health, happiness, well-being, state of mind and sense of community.

We are happy to have nature close by. An urban forest is all aspect of nature around you – the trees, the shrubs, grasses, green leaves. An urban forest is a link to nature.

People in urban environment need that association with nature. Urban nature is vital to human health and well-being. It makes urban areas more livable. More and more people live in urban areas, we are confronted with many problems. We have more and more people living in the same place at the same time.

As we get more dense, more congested, we get issues with airflow problems and with pollution. Green infrastructure can be used as a tool to fix many old and new urban issues City planning and design impacts, everyday life as well as long term risks from chronic diseases – asthma, heart diseases diabetes.

Green infrastructure can be planned and integrated to create more sustainable, healthy environments. City greening is pro-foundly important to human functioning, health and well being for all people. Science tells us that urban forests provide many benefits for urban people. Trees, parks, gardens and natural areas enhances quality of life of cities and towns.

The urban forest provides many benefits: Trees act as air filters, they clean the air, they take up pollutants, act as climate coolers, and noise buffers and they also help to manage storm water.

Meditation area in urban nature reserve, Lekki

Neighbourhood with trees are more walk-able and community wellness and cohesion are important parts of city life. Green space projects provide common ground for many social activities and involvement that strengthens neigbourhood ties, stability and resilience. Nature nearby encourages an active lifestyle and promotes physical activity.

Nature nearby can provide a backdrop for physical and mental healing and therapy. Incorporating green spaces into built environments can improve learning effectiveness and work productivity, in helping to alleviate mental stress and illness. Parks, and gardens offer a place for mental restoration, reflection and healing.

Walks in urban forests can calm the body and mind from the chaos of urban life. There are many possible benefits urban trees and nature can provide stated as: Climate change mitigation and adaptation Habitat for native and rare species Recreation and leisure Aesthetic and cultural services Provision of food and materials Erosion control There is a worldwide movement to add more trees to cities and towns.

The Greenbelt movement. A lot of these urban trees benefits are ecosystem services. Categorized as: Provisioning Services: food, fresh water, fuel wood, fiber, bio-chemicals, genetic resources. Regulating Service: Climate regulations, disease regulation, water regulation, water purification, pollination.

Freedom park, Lagos, for recreation and leisure

Cultural Services: Spiritual and religious, recreation and ecotourism, aesthetic, inspirational, educational, healthcare sense of place, cultural heritage Supporting Services: photosynthesis, plant growth The concept was popularized in the early 2000s by the Millennium Ecosystem Assessment (2003).

The environmental benefits of having green spaces are real. Trees and gardens make our blocks healthier, safer, and more valuable. It makes the city a better, beautiful and healthier place. Urban forests are key to sustainability for future generations in cities.

If you could plant a tree or advocate for maintenance, that tree is going to help you in so many ways. Our urban cities and towns need our help for more green features to help make it sustainable.

It is important now more than ever on a national scale that we think of preserving and expanding our urban forest. Urban forest and city trees equals more livable healthy cities.