According to Phys.org, researchers at the University of Sheffield have concluded there is a direct link between the well-being of city residents and the amount of green spaces within the city.

The project, titled "Improving Wellbeing through Urban Nature," was performed by the University of Sheffield's Department of Landscape Architecture and found that there is a measurable improvement in health and wellbeing when people "notice" the nature around them.

In an article found on the aforementioned website, professor Anna Jorgensen, from the University's Department of Landscape Architecture and lead researcher for the project, was quoted as having said, "A city's network of parks and open spaces support mental wellbeing and social inclusion... To deliver equitable benefits, we need sustained investment in the everyday physical and social infrastructure of urban natural spaces."

The research was reported to have cost 1.3 million British pounds (approximately 1.7 million dollars) and brought together health professionals, city planners and community volunteers. A mobile application was created to evaluate how the quality and quantity of urban green spaces related to wellbeing.

Professor Jorgensen adds, "[City planners] should incorporate and preserve views of hills, parks, woodlands and sky. Developers of residential or commercial buildings can enhance the public realm through planting and wildlife-friendly features, such as bird boxes."

Check out the entire news article over on Phys.org here: https://tinyurl.com/y5ue9rj9.