The global coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic has highlighted the importance of parks and open spaces in profound ways. 

People flocked to parks and trails, whether for a solo workout or a socially distanced class, for exercise and physical activity. A highly sought-after respite from pandemic stay-at-home orders.

“The pandemic has proven that parks are essential infrastructure. It’s a great paradox that parks have never been more used or appreciated than now. Everything else was shut down, and parks were a last refuge.” writes Adrian Benepe, with Trust for Public Lands and Parks Commissioner for New York City from 2002-2012, in Room to Roam.

The pandemic solidified knowledge that being outside in nature is good for us physically, emotionally, and mentally. Even looking at images of nature is calming, according to inmates in Oregon’s Snake River Correctional Institution.

A blue room, in which inmates can absorb 33 photos of forests, beaches, and other scenic vistas, has been named by Time magazine one of the top 25 inventions of 2014.

“The data is clear,” said Dr. Howard Frumkin, professor emeritus at the University of Washington School of Public Health, in Room to Roam.  “Parks and greenspace soothe and console us, relax and restore us, reduce our anxiety, depression, and stress.”

Studies show contact with nature, such as with plants, animals, pleasing landscapes or wilderness, lower blood pressure and cholesterol levels, enhance survival after a heart attack and speed recovery from surgery. Such contact also results in fewer minor medical complaints and lower self-reported stress, according to How Cities Use Parks to Improve Public Health.

Walkable environments became front and center during the pandemic as everyone understood the physical, psychological, and emotional strain of being confined.  It also redefined our concept of pedestrian spaces. In urban areas, we’re seeing more outdoor dining on city streets, converting streets to bike lanes and the installation of “parklets,” or linear urban parks in parking spaces and former vehicular travel lanes. Exercising in outside and in nature is shown to enhance tranquility, while reducing anxiety and depression. This “green exercise,” is an asset parks offer.

“Parks and recreation will play a greater role in supporting mental health and well-being, amplifying recent efforts to address trauma and substance-use disorders,” said Allison Colman, the National Recreation and Park Association’s director of health, in Top Trends in Parks and Recreation.

A May 2020 survey by the 10 Minute Walk Coalition of 1,000 people nationally, confirmed the critical role local parks and green spaces played in maintaining physical and mental health and helping communities navigate toward pandemic recovery. 

·     Increasing access to local parks and green spaces would help people enjoy the outdoors as states reopened, cited by 81%. 

·     Nearly 70% agreed that parks were important to maintain physical and mental health and that access to local parks has become more important during the pandemic.

·     Quality of life would improve with better access to a park or green space near their home. 

·     Those living in urban areas were more likely to value nearby green space.

·     Parks and open spaces provide many “co-benefits” for urban environments, where 80% of the US population lives.

·     Parks use lowers stress and the risk of obesity, respiratory problems, diabetes and cancer. 

·     Increased exposure to green space has been shown to improve cognitive abilities, reduce aggressive behaviors and strengthen sense of community.

Top Trends in Parks and Recreation further predicts the value of parks and greenspace will continue to be more appreciated as we recover from the pandemic’s social and emotional impact. “The skyrocketing rates of social isolation and loneliness will call for a more holistic focus on well-being and access to parks and green space. As such, a new focus on health and health equity became an emerging trend in parks and recreation, and will intertwine with a greater focus on meeting the social needs of communities.” 

HEALTH BENEFITS

Active park-users are less likely to be overweight than those who don’t use parks or who use them for passive activities. They are less likely to need to visit a doctor other than for routine checkups, according to How Cities Use Parks to Improve Public Health.

The opportunity for physical activity that parks and greenspaces offer is a boon to fitness and health, particularly for those who are overweight.

•  A whopping 95% of adults in the United States don’t meet daily recommendations for physical activity, according to the Trust for Public Lands.

• 92% of adolescents and 58% of children also fail to meet those recommendations. 

•    More than one in three children in the United States is overweight or obese, with minority and low-income children disproportionately affected, according to the National Environmental Education Foundation.

•      Every year, 3,600 children are diagnosed with type 2 diabetes for which obesity is a major risk factor. 

•      Recent school cutbacks include slashing middle school sports in middle schools and less time on the playground in favor of academics.  Children lost 25% of playtime and 50% of unstructured outdoor activity.

Regular physical activity has been shown to reduce the risk of heart disease, hypertension, colon cancer and diabetes while relieving depression and anxiety by boosting one’s mood.

A phone survey conducted for the American Public Health Association found that 75% of adults believe parks and recreation must plan an important role in addressing our country’s obesity crisis.

Researchers monitored more than 3,000 people born between 1903 and 1918, who were living in Tokyo, one of the densest cities in the world. Their study, published in the Journal of Epidemiology and Community Health, showed proximity to parks and tree-lined streets appeared to have the greatest impact on their longevity, even when taking into consideration other factors know to affect life span, like gender, marital status, income, and age.

Cleaner air, provided by a healthy tree canopy offers important health benefits for those with asthma or other respiratory diseases. Toxic air pollution increases cancer risk and particulate matter increases mortality, particularly for those with heart or lung disease, in polluted cities. 

Parks, play areas and trees filled greenways are just as important for children, whose main form of recreation is play. 

Play is a natural way for children to exercise while learning social skills. Developmental learning is enhanced when physical skills are well developed.  Children are more prepared to learn when they have had time to ‘run off their energy’.  The risk of childhood obesity, diabetes, and other weight related illness can be reduced.

Community parks, with active nature play areas, playground equipment, and open fields provide children access to safe places to exercise.  Children living within 2/3 of a mile of a park with a playground can be five times more likely to have a healthy weight. 

FOSTERING COMMUNITY & NEW PARTNERSHIPS BUILDS HEALTH

Pandemic inspired new cross-sector partnerships. Recent national parks surveys, up to 60% of agencies polled supported food distribution, food pantries, COVID-19 testing, daycare for children of essential workers and first responders, and providing a safe place for learning.

 Lower-income communities with identified food deserts (lack of grocery stores) or food swamps (surplus of fast-food outlets) reported using parks and recreation space to help with nutrition assistance programs, as had county health departments that teamed up with parks and recreation departments. 

Such social disparities, as well as racial disparities, became front and center in the pandemic. Parks and recreation departments will need to do more to address these disparities in providing services to the public.

Development of parks and open spaces is crucial to over- all community health. According to the Trust for Public Lands, the more parks a community has, the more people in that community exercise. People who live closer to parks exercise more, which reduces the impacts of aging, increases immune response, and provides social opportunities. 

 •      Exposure to nature has been shown to reduce stress levels in children as much as 28%. Even a 20-minute walk in nature can help children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder concentrate better.

•      A strong sense of community has been associated with improved wellbeing, increased feelings of safety and security, participation in community affairs and civic responsibility. High quality public spaces may be important settings for enhancing the sense of community for residents of new housing developments.

•      The addition of high-quality exercise equipment also inspires people to become more active even if residents don’t the equipment, according to the Trust for Public Lands, because those who didn’t use the equipment reported being inspired to become more active in other ways.

INTEGRATED SERVICES

Much like the pandemic has inspired different city and county departments to team up with other agencies, the Springwater District concept includes working with current community agencies and the business community to expand existing programs for healthy recreation. 

The recreational component to ‘parks and recreation’ is critical if the community wants to fully reap the benefits of parks, trails, and green space investments. 

•      Residents are more likely to use parks that link to team sports, opportunities for learning through classes, or group exercise sessions.  These have measurable health impacts.

•      Recreational opportunities can help kids stay in school. The self-confidence and social skills learned on the field or through other productive activities not only decrease obesity but build life-long recreation and social skills. They also may provide many teens with a reason to stay engaged in school. 

•     Recreation helps teens avoid drugs, alcohol, and the lure of gangs.  Youth that secure a sense of belonging and social support from a sports team or other recreational group may be better able to resist peer pressure to experiment. They may also be less likely to look for belonging or acceptance in unhealthy ways. Promiscuity, gang involvement, and drug or alcohol consumption are more likely to occur when kids are bored, unaffiliated, or unmonitored. 

Green space, trails, and parks are the access to exercise that communities need to stay healthy. Exercise and activities help teens stay in school and avoid high-risk behavior. Exercise can be as effective as drugs in preventing chronic diseases. 

And just like those inmates at Oregon’s largest prison, people who live close to a park report better mental health — regardless of whether they exercise there. This can mean fewer trips to the doctor, pharmacist, or costly therapist.  In short, parks inspire more exercise, which is good medicine, good for the waistline, and good for the entire community.

  Springwater Parks & Community District © 2021