Urban Forests – Natures Remedy for Mental Illness, Health and Wellbeing

Mental illness in Australia is regarded by many as an increasingly apparent public policy issue. An Australian Bureau of Statistics Survey conducted in 2007 of Mental Health and Wellbeing reported that 45%, or 7.3 million Australians between the age of 16-85 years had a lifetime mental disorder. In other words, the data indicated that almost half of Australia’s population had a mental disorder at some point in their life. According to ‘The burden of disease and injury in Australia 2003’ report, mental disorders account for 13% of the total health burden in Australia. Indeed, the annual cost of mental illness in Australia is estimated at $20 billion, which includes the cost of lost productivity and labour force participation.

A variety of reasons are attributed to a rise in mental illness in the Australian population including the rise of sedentary, indoor lifestyles and lack of physical activity. To make matters worse, the shrinking Australia backyard and increasing footprint of the average house is compounding the issue further. All states and territories in Australia are impacted by the rise of ‘McMansions’, particularly in outer suburbs in new developments. A detailed report titled ‘The Life and Death of the Australian Backyard’ by Adjunct Professor Tony Hall outlines the shifting trends in Australian neighbourhoods. For instance, Professor Hall reports where houses once covered about 20 per cent of a typical block, up to a maximum of 40 per cent, it is not uncommon these days to see houses occupy up to 70 per cent regardless of the block size. The smaller backyard has a huge raft of issues for homeowners including less outdoor space for recreation and relaxation, less privacy and less play space for children. Smaller backyards also result in less space for vegetation which can impact not only the homeowner but also the wider community by reducing the size of the urban forest.

A reduction in the size of the urban forest can impact on the microclimate and significantly reduce the liveability in communities. For example, less trees and canopy cover can result in a loss of shade in warm weather making the outdoor environment exceedingly uncomfortable. On the other hand, where there is less vegetation to absorb water from the soil, there is heightened chance of increased runoff and impact on stormwater infrastructure. Less vegetation also means that the aesthetics of an area declines and can further reduce the liveability of an area. Indeed, there is also a whole raft of social issues arising from less neighbourhood vegetation. For example, it has been suggested that vegetation can actually decrease crime either by attracting more people to a public place or by suggesting that the community care more for their neighbourhood.

To address the issue of mental illness and indeed the other pertinent issues outlined above, a growing body of research has demonstrated that urban forests in communities can provide significant psychological benefits for their users. A study in Perth recently highlighted the quality of public open space can reduce physiological distress. Public open space may include for example parks, recreational grounds, sports fields, and bushland. The authors of this study, Francis et al. (2012) examined the public open space attributes (i.e., quantity and quality) and better mental health (i.e., low risk of psychological distress) in residents of new housing developments in the Perth metropolitan area, Western Australia.

The study found that residents of neighbourhoods with high quality public open space had higher odds of low psychosocial distress than residents of neighbourhoods with low quality public open space. Conversely, the quantity of neighbourhood public open space was not associated with low psychological distress and from a mental health perspective; quality within a neighbourhood appears to be more important than quantity of public open space.

In relation to utilising public open space for recreational pursuits, a study by Barton and Pretty (2010) involving 1,252 participants of green exercise, i.e. physical activity in the presence of nature, found that both men and women showed self-esteem and mood improvements following green exercise. More importantly, it was noted that the mentally ill who participated in the study had one of the greatest self-esteem benefits. Furthermore, this data was supported by Sugiyama et al. (2008) who surveyed Adelaide adults to determine community perceptions of public open space. The study found that people who perceived their neighbourhoods as very green had up to 1.6 times greater odds of better physical and mental health, when compared with those who perceive their neighbourhoods as lower in greenness. This data again reinforces the necessity of Urban Forests as a key ingredient in urban communities.

A 2010 report by Associate Professor Mardie Townsend commissioned by Beyond Blue, Australia titled ‘Beyond Blue to Green’ confirmed that the natural environment improves health and well-being, as well as preventing disease and helping people recover from illness. The authors of this report indicated that efforts must be made in Australia to improve quality of life in all neighbourhoods and cities through increasing access to natural environments. In other words, enhancing the value associated with the urban forest in Australian cities. In fact, it was noted in the report that people living in towns and cities should have access to natural green space of at least two hectares in size, located no more than 300 metres (or five minutes walking distance) from home.

It is evident from these studies that green infrastructure is an important community asset and can provide a solution to individuals suffering from mental illness across Australia. This is one of the key drivers why the Australian nursery industry is keen to see More Trees Please planted in communities across Australia to grow the Australian Urban Forest. For this to occur, concerted effort from many organisations including local governments, particularly those that are without urban forest plans and policies is required. The journey to More Trees Please continues and is calling for all stakeholders to participate.

For more information please visit Plant Life Balance HERE:

Dr Anthony Kachenko, is National Environmental and Technical Policy Manager, Nursery & Garden Industry Australia.