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Measuring Health Benefits of Green Space in Economic Terms

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Forests, Trees and Human Health

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.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. School of Architecture, Planning and Landscape, University of Newcastle upon Tyne, Newcastle upon Tyne, London

    Ken Willis

  2. CJC Consulting, 45 Southmoor Road, Oxford, London

    Bob Crabtree

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  1. Ken Willis
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  2. Bob Crabtree
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Correspondence to Ken Willis .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Faculty of Life Sciences, Department of Parks and Urban Landscapes, University of Copenhagen, Rolighedsvej 23, Frederiksberg C, 1958, Denmark

    Kjell Nilsson

  2. , Land Use and Social Research, Forestry Commission, Corstorphine Road 231, Edinburgh, EH12 7AT, United Kingdom

    Marcus Sangster

  3. , National Agricultural Research Foundatio, Forest Research Institute, Thessaloniki, 57006, Greece

    Christos Gallis

  4. , Institute for Housing and Urban Research, Uppsala University, Radhustorget 1, Gävle, 80320, Sweden

    Terry Hartig

  5. , Alterra, Wageningen UR, Wageningen, 6700 AA, Netherlands

    Sjerp de Vries

  6. , Group Society, Environment & Culture, Swiss Federal Institute of Technology (E, Sonneggstrasse 33, SOL E, Zurich, 9092, Switzerland

    Klaus Seeland

  7. , National Institute of Public Health, University of Southern Denmark, Øster Farimagsgade 5 A - 2, Copenhagen K, 1353, Denmark

    Jasper Schipperijn

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Willis, K., Crabtree, B. (2011). Measuring Health Benefits of Green Space in Economic Terms. In: Nilsson, K., et al. Forests, Trees and Human Health. Springer, Dordrecht. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-90-481-9806-1_13

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