by Matt Simongrist This story was originally published by grist. Sign up for Grist Weekly newsletter here.
It’s not easy to miss, but often hard to notice. A simple patch of greenery in a city may seem like a blip in the concrete jungle, but it’s a very powerful way to solve a bunch of problems at once: studies show that green spaces Improving urban mental health, Make summer more bearableAnd Prevent flooding by soaking up stormwater.
When these plots are planned — as opposed to letting vacant lots run wild, Which is valuable in its own right – They become extra strong. You’ve enjoyed it without even knowing it: “Pocket Gardening.” Tucked into pedestrian-accessible spaces, such as sidewalks, hospital grounds and campuses, they can be engineered to turn heat-absorbing concrete into air-cooled oases filled with plants and seating for people to escape the metropolitan bustle.
“This growing priority to create green space in unexpected spots and underutilized spaces in communities will not only make our communities more resilient, it will make people healthier,” said Dan Lambe, chief executive of the nonprofit Arbor Day Foundation, which promotes urban forestry. “A little green goes a long way.”
Pocket gardens are not gardens in the agriculturally productive sense, but ornamental grounds. (Though there’s nothing to stop a designer from adding a fruit tree or two.) Ideally, they host native plant species, which bring a variety of benefits. First, they attract local pollinators such as insects and birds, which provide them with a food source that enables them to travel elsewhere and fertilize plants. Like urban farm crops. And two, if the plant is adapted to a certain region or condition, it is already used to the local climate – drought-tolerant varieties, for example, will not need as much water to survive. Additionally, choosing native grasses that do not require mowing can reduce maintenance costs. And choosing trees with large canopies will increase the amount of shade for people to use as shelter from the heat. (Sorry, palm tree, That means you are ineligible.)
Biodiversity – the mix of tree species as opposed to planting 10 of the same type – is key here. This attracts a wider range of pollinators and builds resilience in the system: if you plant just one variety and a disease occurs, it can spread quickly.
And speaking of disease, plants have an additional superpower in their ability to clean urban air of pollutants that contribute to respiratory problems. Also, plants in pocket parks release water vapor, lowering the air temperature. This mitigates the urban heat island effect, where cities absorb the sun’s energy throughout the day and slowly release it at night. Combined, air pollution and temperature reductions improve public health.
There’s also the hard-to-determine bonus of people getting out of cars and congregating in public spaces, however small. “It’s really a transition toward the pedestrian — toward the person — and away from the vehicle,” said Eric Gallipo, director of campus planning and urban design at architecture firm FCA, which has integrated pocket gardens into its projects. (The photo at the top of this story is of a project by the firm at Newark Beth Israel Medical Center.) “We don’t get to spend as much time together as a society, and so this is a great opportunity to make that kind of connection.”
When the rains come, these green plots take on another role as infrastructure assets. As the planet warms, precipitation increases because a warmer atmosphere can hold more moisture. In response, cities like Los Angeles and Pittsburgh Get rid of concrete from Open up more green spacewhich absorbs rainfall, allowing it to seep underground. This reduces pressure on sewer systems that are struggling to handle increasingly heavy runoff. These systems, after all, were designed for a different climate much earlier than the conditions we are dealing with today.
When a city prioritizes green space, you can actually hear the difference. Barcelona, for example, has been developing SuperblockIt aims to improve city life by transforming car infrastructure into walkable spaces. This includes the development of “green axes” (plural of axes, not cutting tools) vegetation and walking paths. A recent one Study It found that after these spaces were pedestrianized and vehicles disappeared, the average noise level dropped by 3.1 decibels. (For context, listening to a car at 65 mph from 25 feet away 77 decibels will be.)
While 3.1 may not seem like much, each is a 10 decibel increase Loudness means a tenfold increase. And we have to consider not only the decibels but also how the noise pattern has changed with the development of the Barcelona green axis: revving engines, honking horns and even the occasional car accident voice were replaced. As the built environment changed dramatically, people on foot experienced their surroundings. “If people see green in general, the perception of sound changes,” said Samuel Nello-Deakin, a postdoctoral researcher at the Autonomous University of Barcelona and lead author of the study. “You think things aren’t as noisy as they actually are. So there’s also this interesting interaction between what you’re hearing and what you’re seeing.” Also, green space Absorption of city noiseThis keeps residents from bouncing between buildings and sidewalks, insulating them from spills.
With less noise comes greater benefits for public health. Noise pollution is an invisible crisis worldwide, as studies link stress not only to mental health, but also to mental health Physical problems like high blood pressure and heart disease. In contrast, pocket parks and other green spaces encourage people to ditch their cars and move their bodies. “There are physical health benefits from walking, biking and being outdoors throughout life that have an incrementally positive impact on what our society spends on health care,” Gallipo said.
As cities increasingly realize and harness the power of greenery, the ecological, auditory and social fabric of the urban landscape changes. “This green space has a gravity that brings people out,” Lambe said. “And all of a sudden, neighbors are connecting, generations are connecting, cultures are connecting. Trees are something everyone can agree on.”
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This article originally appeared on grist A https://grist.org/cities/pocket-gardens-the-tiny-urban-oases-with-surprisingly-big-benefits/. GRIST is a nonprofit, independent media organization dedicated to telling stories about climate solutions and a just future. Learn more at Grist.org
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