Louisville Study Links More Green Space to Lower Inflammation

What effect do trees and shrubs have on overall health? A group of researchers in Louisville, Ky., is investigating this question with a project called the HEAL Study, which is part of Green Heart Louisville. It’s the first study to rigorously and scientifically study the impact of green spaces on air quality and health in urban communities.

By planting thousands of trees, shrubs and grasses, they are studying the effects of greener neighborhoods on air pollution and health. The study is conducted by the Christina Lee Brown Envirome Institute at the University of Louisville. The project website sums it up nicely, calling it a “…clinical trial where trees are the medicine.”

To conduct the study, researchers invited people between the ages of 25 to 70 in six South Louisville neighborhoods to participate. They measure volunteers’ health before and after planting more vegetation to assess the impact of that greening on lifestyle choices, social cohesion, and disease risk. At the same time, they are measuring the air pollution levels before and after planting to determine the impact of more trees and shrubs on air quality.

According to the first of series of clinical results, residents in the areas where trees and shrubs were planted showed a significant reduction in hsCRP, an inflammation marker in the blood. Lower levels of inflammation are associated with lower levels of heart disease.

The goal of the study is to create a “greenprint” for designing healthier cities in the future. “What we learn in Louisville could improve the lives of thousands of people and potentially millions or billions worldwide,” states the Green Heart Louisville website.

To learn more about the many health and environmental benefits of green space, check out the TurfMutt Foundation’s International Backyarding Fact Book. 

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