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Green Infrastructure, Ecosystem Services, and Human Health

Author

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  • Christopher Coutts

    (Department of Urban and Regional Planning, Center for Demography and Population Health, Florida State University, 113 Collegiate Way, Tallahassee, FL 32306, USA)

  • Micah Hahn

    (National Center for Atmospheric Research, Boulder, CO Postal Code 80305, USA
    Division of Vector-Borne Diseases, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 3156 Rampart Road, Fort Collins, CO 80521, USA)

Abstract

Contemporary ecological models of health prominently feature the natural environment as fundamental to the ecosystem services that support human life, health, and well-being. The natural environment encompasses and permeates all other spheres of influence on health. Reviews of the natural environment and health literature have tended, at times intentionally, to focus on a limited subset of ecosystem services as well as health benefits stemming from the presence, and access and exposure to, green infrastructure. The sweeping influence of green infrastructure on the myriad ecosystem services essential to health has therefore often been underrepresented. This survey of the literature aims to provide a more comprehensive picture—in the form of a primer—of the many simultaneously acting health co-benefits of green infrastructure. It is hoped that a more accurately exhaustive list of benefits will not only instigate further research into the health co-benefits of green infrastructure but also promote consilience in the many fields, including public health, that must be involved in the landscape conservation necessary to protect and improve health and well-being.

Suggested Citation

  • Christopher Coutts & Micah Hahn, 2015. "Green Infrastructure, Ecosystem Services, and Human Health," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 12(8), pages 1-31, August.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:12:y:2015:i:8:p:9768-9798:d:54341
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    Cited by:

    1. Anna Wilczyńska & Gloria Niin & Peeter Vassiljev & Izabela Myszka & Simon Bell, 2023. "Perceptions and Patterns of Use of Blue Spaces in Selected European Cities: Tartu, Tallinn, Barcelona, Warsaw and Plymouth," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(9), pages 1-30, April.
    2. Otavio Medeiros Sobrinho & Anderson Paulo Rudke & Marcos Vinicius Bueno de Morais & Leila Droprinchinski Martins, 2023. "Meteorological Effects of Green Infrastructure on a Developing Medium Latin American City: A Numerical Modeling Assessment," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(2), pages 1-19, January.
    3. Inger-Lill Eikaas & Helene Roussel & Anne-Karine H. Thorén & Wenche E. Dramstad, 2023. "Applying Landscape Ecology in Local Planning, Some Experiences," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 20(4), pages 1-15, February.
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    5. Patricia Schwartz & Adriana A. Zuniga-Teran & Francisco Lara-Valencia & Hilda García-Pérez & Gabriel Díaz Montemayor & Claudia Gil Anaya & Joaquin Marruffo & Oscar A. Rodriguez Ponce & Zoe Holtzman, 2023. "Pathways to Greening Border Cities: A Policy Analysis for Green Infrastructure in Ambos Nogales," Land, MDPI, vol. 12(4), pages 1-21, March.
    6. Yilun Zhao & Yan Rong & Yiyi Liu & Tianshu Lin & Liangji Kong & Qinqin Dai & Runzi Wang, 2023. "Investigating Urban Flooding and Nutrient Export under Different Urban Development Scenarios in the Rouge River Watershed in Michigan, USA," Land, MDPI, vol. 12(12), pages 1-25, December.
    7. Vidya Anderson & Manavvi Suneja & Jelena Dunjic, 2023. "Sensing and Measurement Techniques for Evaluation of Nature-Based Solutions: A State-of-the-Art Review," Land, MDPI, vol. 12(8), pages 1-39, July.
    8. Huixin Wang & Jing Xie & Shixian Luo & Duy Thong Ta & Qian Wang & Jiao Zhang & Daer Su & Katsunori Furuya, 2023. "Exploring the Interplay between Landscape Planning and Human Well-Being: A Scientometric Review," Land, MDPI, vol. 12(7), pages 1-24, June.
    9. Liisa Andersen & Sus Sola Corazon & Ulrika Karlsson Stigsdotter, 2021. "Nature Exposure and Its Effects on Immune System Functioning: A Systematic Review," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(4), pages 1-48, February.
    10. Amjad Almusaed & Asaad Almssad & Asaad Alasadi & Ibrahim Yitmen & Sammera Al-Samaraee, 2023. "Assessing the Role and Efficiency of Thermal Insulation by the “BIO-GREEN PANEL” in Enhancing Sustainability in a Built Environment," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(13), pages 1-25, July.
    11. Beata Joanna Gawryszewska & Maciej Łepkowski & Łukasz Pietrych & Anna Wilczyńska & Piotr Archiciński, 2024. "The Structure of Beauty: Informal Green Spaces in Their Users’ Eyes," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 16(4), pages 1-19, February.
    12. Tamzyn M Davey & Linda A Selvey, 2020. "Relationship between Land Use/Land-Use Change and Human Health in Australia: A Scoping Study," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 17(23), pages 1-27, December.
    13. Jürgen Schmude & Markus Pillmayer & Maximilian Witting & Philipp Corradini, 2021. "Geography Matters, But… Evolving Success Factors for Nature-Oriented Health Tourism within Selected Alpine Destinations," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(10), pages 1-18, May.
    14. Borja Ruiz-Apilánez & Estitxu Ormaetxea & Itziar Aguado-Moralejo, 2023. "Urban Green Infrastructure Accessibility: Investigating Environmental Justice in a European and Global Green Capital," Land, MDPI, vol. 12(8), pages 1-30, August.
    15. Diego Guidolin & Deanna Anderlini & Guido Maura & Manuela Marcoli & Pietro Cortelli & Giovanna Calandra-Buonaura & Amina S. Woods & Luigi F. Agnati, 2019. "A New Integrative Theory of Brain-Body-Ecosystem Medicine: From the Hippocratic Holistic View of Medicine to Our Modern Society," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 16(17), pages 1-20, August.
    16. Benjamin Guinaudeau & Mark Brink & Beat Schäffer & Martin A. Schlaepfer, 2023. "A Methodology for Quantifying the Spatial Distribution and Social Equity of Urban Green and Blue Spaces," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(24), pages 1-20, December.
    17. Kristoffer Mattisson & Anna Axmon & Gunilla Carlsson & Agneta Malmgren Fänge & Connie Lethin & Emilie Stroh, 2022. "Sociodemographic Variations in the Availability of Urban Green Spaces in an Older Swedish Population," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(19), pages 1-17, October.
    18. Huai, Songyao & Chen, Fen & Liu, Song & Canters, Frank & Van de Voorde, Tim, 2022. "Using social media photos and computer vision to assess cultural ecosystem services and landscape features in urban parks," Ecosystem Services, Elsevier, vol. 57(C).

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