A new study shows that regular exposure to trees and green spaces has a powerful impact on depression and mental health.

In a piece for The Guardian, Ashley Stimpson reports on new research that shows the importance of tree cover in urban neighborhoods and draws attention to the "tree inequity" that plagues many low-income communities.
"In many cities, a map of urban tree cover reflects the geography of race and income," Stimpson writes. Historic redlining, blamed for housing inequities and disinvestment, also has a significant impact on a neighborhood's trees—or lack thereof. "According to the US Forest Service, previously redlined areas have an average of 23% tree cover, while once-greenlined neighborhoods, living up to their old label, have an average of 43% tree cover."
Trees aren't just about aesthetics: studies show that they mitigate the urban heat island effect and boost residents' physical and mental health. "Summer days in East Baltimore neighborhoods," which are predominantly Black, historically redlined, and lack extensive tree cover, "can be four to 16 degrees hotter than other parts of the city." In such neighborhoods, residents face the risk of heat-related illnesses, higher cooling costs, and poorer air quality.
Now, research is zeroing in on the mental health effects of city trees. Using "the correlation between prescription antidepressants and tree cover across a range of neighborhoods," a group of researchers in Germany "were able to demonstrate in more material terms than ever before the correlation between trees and mental wellness." Their findings show that having trees within 100 meters of one's home is associated with reduced antidepressant use, a relationship "especially pronounced in residents with low socioeconomic status." The study's authors suggests that "'unintentional' everyday contact" with nature and "easily accessible urban green space" can have a noticeable positive impact on public health.
FULL STORY: Green health: a tree-filled street can positively influence depression, study finds

The End of Single-Family Zoning in Arlington County, Virginia
Arlington County is the latest jurisdiction in the country to effectively end single-family zoning.

‘Train Daddy’ Andy Byford to Oversee Amtrak’s High-Speed Rail Efforts
Byford, who formerly ran NYC Transit and Transport for London, could bring renewed vigor to the agency’s plans to expand regional rail in the United States.

Seattle Bus Lane Cameras Capture Over 100,000 Violations
An automated traffic enforcement pilot program caught drivers illegally using transit lanes more than 110,000 times in less than a year.

Immigration Grows, Population Drops in Many U.S. Counties
International immigration to the country’s most populous areas tripled even as major metropolitan areas continued to lose population.

$616 Million in Development Incentives Approved for District Detroit
The “Transformational Brownfield” incentives approved by the Detroit City Council for the $1.5 billion District Detroit still require approval by the state.

Affordable Housing Development Rejected for Lack of Third Staircase in Connecticut
The New Canaan Planning Commission rejected a development proposal, including 31 below-market-rate apartments, for lack of a third staircase, among other reasons, at a time when advocates are pushing to relax two-staircase requirements.
Houston-Galveston Area Council
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HUD's Office of Policy Development and Research
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