Greenspace improves early childhood development

Researchers at the University of British Columbia, faculty of Forestry and faculty of Medicine studied the development scores of 27,372 kindergarten children in Metro Vancouver between 2005 and 2011. The researchers looked at the amount of greenspace, air pollution levels from traffic and noise levels around each child’s residence. The results showed that children living in areas with more greenspace and natural environments had better overall development levels than children with less greenspace around their homes.

According to the researchers, greenspace helps to reduce the harmful effects of air pollution and noise levels that affect health and development through increased levels of stress, sleep disturbance and central nervous system damage.