Urban vegetation and well-being: a cross-sectional study in Montreal, Canada

Sousa e Silva, A.R. de; Kestens, Y.; Stephens, Z.P.; Thierry, B.; Schoenig, D.; Fuller, D.; ... ; Smargiassi, A. (2025)

Article / Letter to editor

As urbanisation continues to accelerate, urban green spaces are increasingly recognised as key elements for enhancing people's health and well-being. However, most research has used vegetation metrics that may not capture the specific associations between different types of vegetation and different mental health outcomes. In this study, we investigate the cross-sectional associations between residential vegetation exposure and individual well-being in Montreal, Canada, using different vegetation and well-being measures: The proportion of grass cover, tree cover, and average NDVI value within buffers of various radii (100-1000 m) were linked to each participant's residence (n = 1072, aged 18 years or older), while well-being was assessed using subjective happiness, emotional well-being, and personal well-being scales. The associations were analysed using generalised additive regression models. Our findings show that more vegetation was linked to enhanced well-being, although the effect sizes were relatively small. Irrespective of the buffer distance, the positive associations for grass and NDVI were more pronounced than those for trees, though these associations varied across the different well-being outcome measures. We also observed that increasing tree coverage has a stronger positive effect on the well-being of individuals who are dissatisfied with the current number of street trees. Synthesis and applications. Everyday exposure to nearby nature is associated with better self-reported mental health, suggesting urban greening policies should focus on including more vegetation within built spaces, from individual street trees to small and large parks. Our study also highlights the importance of distinguishing between different types of vegetation (e.g. grass vs. trees) when studying the effects of vegetation on well-being or other health-related outcomes. Likewise, using different measures of well-being may provide a more nuanced and comprehensive understanding of how vegetation impacts people's well-being.Read the free Plain Language Summary for this article on the Journal blog.Alors que l'urbanisation s'acc & eacute;l & egrave;re, les espaces verts urbains sont de plus en plus reconnus comme des & eacute;l & eacute;ments cl & eacute;s pour am & eacute;liorer la sant & eacute; et le bien-& ecirc;tre des personnes. Cependant, la plupart des travaux portant sur le sujet ont utilis & eacute; des mesures de la v & eacute;g & eacute;tation qui ne rendent pas n & eacute;cessairement compte des associations sp & eacute;cifiques entre les divers types de v & eacute;g & eacute;tation et diff & eacute;rentes mesures de la sant & eacute; mentale. Dans cette & eacute;tude, nous examinons les associations transversales entre l'exposition & agrave; la v & eacute;g & eacute;tation r & eacute;sidentielle et le bien-& ecirc;tre individuel & agrave; Montr & eacute;al, au Canada, en utilisant diff & eacute;rentes mesures de la v & eacute;g & eacute;tation et du bien-& ecirc;tre. Nous avons calcul & eacute; la proportion de couverture v & eacute;g & eacute;tale au sol (par ex. le gazon), de canop & eacute;e (soit, la couverture v & eacute;g & eacute;tale form & eacute;e par les arbres) et la valeur moyenne de l'indice NDVI dans des zones de diff & eacute;rents rayons (100 m & agrave; 1000 m) entourant le domicile de chaque participant (n = 1072, & acirc;g & eacute;s de 18 ans ou plus); le bien-& ecirc;tre a & eacute;t & eacute; & eacute;valu & eacute; & agrave; l'aide d'& eacute;chelles de bonheur subjectif, de bien-& ecirc;tre & eacute;motionnel et de bien-& ecirc;tre personnel. Les associations ont & eacute;t & eacute; analys & eacute;es & agrave; l'aide de mod & egrave;les de r & eacute;gression additifs g & eacute;n & eacute;ralis & eacute;s. Nos r & eacute;sultats montrent que l'augmentation de la v & eacute;g & eacute;tation & eacute;tait faiblement li & eacute;e & agrave; un bien-& ecirc;tre accru. Ind & eacute;pendamment du rayon de la zone & eacute;tudi & eacute;e, les associations positives pour la couverture v & eacute;g & eacute;tale au sol et l'indice NDVI & eacute;taient plus prononc & eacute;es que celles pour la canop & eacute;e, bien que ces associations varient selon les diff & eacute;rentes mesures de bien-& ecirc;tre. Nous avons & eacute;galement observ & eacute; une association positive plus prononc & eacute;e entre l'augmentation de la canop & eacute;e et le bien-& ecirc;tre des personnes insatisfaites du nombre actuel d'arbres de rue. Synth & egrave;se et applications. L'exposition quotidienne & agrave; la nature & agrave; proximit & eacute; du domicile est. associ & eacute;e & agrave; une meilleure sant & eacute; mentale autod & eacute;clar & eacute;e, ce qui sugg & egrave;re que les politiques de verdissement urbain devraient se concentrer sur l'augmentation de la v & eacute;g & eacute;tation dans les espaces b & acirc;tis, & agrave; l'aide d'arbres de rue ainsi que de petits et grands parcs. Notre & eacute;tude souligne & eacute;galement l'importance de faire la distinction entre les diff & eacute;rents types de v & eacute;g & eacute;tation (par exemple, entre le gazon et les arbres) lors de l'& eacute;tude d'association entre la v & eacute;g & eacute;tation et le bien-& ecirc;tre ou d'autres r & eacute;sultats li & eacute;s & agrave; la sant & eacute;. De plus, l'utilisation de diff & eacute;rentes mesures du bien-& ecirc;tre peut fournir une compr & eacute;hension plus nuanc & eacute;e et plus

• All authors: Sousa e Silva, A.R. de; Kestens, Y.; Stephens, Z.P.; Thierry, B.; Schoenig, D.; Fuller, D.; Winters, M.; Smargiassi, A.
• Date: 2025-01-13
• Journal: People and Nature
• Volume: 7
• Issue: 2
• Pages: 398 - 414
• DOI: doi:10.1002/pan3.10771