What are the effects of lack of open space?

Children growing up in the least green urban areas tend to score higher on risk-taking than urban children in greener areas. They showed a strong preference for fast decision-strategies, i.e. more risk-taking behaviours. Limited availability in urban areas of natural or semi-natural areas, partially or completely covered by vegetation, that provide habitat for wildlife and can be used for recreation is related to the process of choice under risk in children. This is an important antecedent of mental health but also a host of outcomes related to motivation, including educational and socio-economic, both short and long-term. Life History Theory proposes that exposure to environmental harshness leads to a focus on the immediate future and the production of fast strategies. Our study indeed showed that long-term greenspace deprivation was related to children’s risk-taking.

The consequences of this Nature Gap take a toll on the mental, emotional and physical well-being of affected communities. According to the National Recreation and Park Association, lack of access to green spaces has been linked to higher rates of chronic stress and mental health disorders. People of color and low-income communities are three times more likely to live in areas that lack natural spaces and therefore are not able to access the benefits that nature provides. Studies have shown that spending time in green spaces can reduce anxiety, boost mood, and improve overall mental well-being. As a result of historic injustice, some cities with majority Black populations have less than 5 percent of land dedicated to parkland, compared to the national median of 15 percent. In addition, parks in majority low-income communities are, on average, four times smaller and serve nearly four times more people than parks in high-income communities. The neighborhoods that were redlined have fewer trees, preventing the people living there from reaping the benefits trees provide. Access to nature is a matter of public health.