Recent research found that elementary school students with more "surrounding greenness" in their lives had greater improvement in working memory and a reduction in inattentiveness.

Stating that though green spaces have a range of health benefits, "little is known in relation to cognitive development in children," a team of Spanish and U.S. researchers conducted a study to determine if green spaces have an effect on kids' brain development.

Assessing 2,593 schoolchildren in the second to fourth grades on their 12-month change in development of working memory, superior working memory, and inattentiveness, and comparing the results to each child's exposure to green spaces at home and school, and during their commute, the study "found an improvement in cognitive development associated with surrounding greenness, particularly with greenness at schools."

The team's members came from the Center for Research in Environmental Epidemiology in Barcelona, Spain, the Institute of Environmental Assessment and Water Research at the Spanish National Research Council in Barcelona, the University of California, Berkeley, and the University of California, Los Angeles. The study, which was published by the National Academy of Sciences, also referenced a reduction in air pollution due to green spaces as a mediating factor.

In conjunction with the positive results of the study, Project EverGreen is asking landscape professionals to promote the value of green spaces in their communities and get involved with the organization's "Healthy Turf. Healthy Kids."• initiative.

More details on the study can be found on the Project EverGreen website, or by downloading the report.