Measuring health benefits of green space in economic terms

Abstract

Health benefits attributable to green space include increased physical exercise resulting in reduced incidence of coronary heart disease, cerebrovascular illness (stroke), and colon cancer; psychological benefits from reduction in stress; and improved air quality resulting in a reduction in respiratory diseases. Reduction in mortality and morbidity due to improved physical exercise are quantified; and various economic methods to value preventable fatalities and diseases are outlined. The economic value of health benefits of a 1% reduction in the sedentary population is estimated; together with the health benefits of reduced air pollution due to trees. A major problem in the estimating economic benefits is linking green space to increased physical exercise of those in need of physical exercise to improve their health. Some policy conclusions are drawn on the location of green space to maximize health benefits. © 2011 Springer Science+Business Media B.V.