Accessible green spaces offer space for recreation, social cohesion, and space for exercise and rest. People also benefit from being able to view and interact with beautiful landscapes.
Many studies have shown that being in nature improves our mental health. Humans prefer to look at landscapes, the sight of the horizons, protective cover, seasonal changes in vegetation, and signs of new life, such as buds, flowers, fruit and berries. There is also evidence that shows the positive effects of being in the presence of lakes, rivers and streams (Orians & Heerwagen, 1992).
There were no specific targets found for mental health provisioning or supporting through nature, in Ladywood. However, Birmingham City Council plans to increase the number of green spaces and parks that reach a Fair Parks Standard over a 25-year plan (see Support Physical Health). Birmingham City Council’s Our Future City Plan 2040 has an ambition for Birmingham to become Biophilic City, which seeks to put nature back into the heart of the urban environment (Birmingham city council, 2021).
BCC has also planned extensive improvements to the green and blue infrastructure in the city.
Targets include:
- 60% of citizens using green spaces at least once a week
- 90% of citizens always listening to birdsong
- 35% of citizens taking part in Health and Wellbeing activities at least once a week in green spaces
- 50% of social prescriptions using green spaces
Currently, there aren’t any metrics that directly measure the wellbeing effects of nature-based practice or exposure.