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Forests
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Urban Forests and Human Health
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Urban Forests and Human Health

A special issue of Forests (ISSN 1999-4907). This special issue belongs to the section "Urban Forestry".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (31 December 2024) | Viewed by 7609

Special Issue Editors

Dr. Jiao Zhang

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Guest Editor
Institute of Industrial Science, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan
Interests: social ecology; green infrastructure; environmental psychology
Dr. Danqing Li

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Guest Editor
Institute of Landscape Architecture, College of Agriculture and Biotechnology, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, China
Interests: plant genomics, breeding, and biotechnology; climate change impacts on plants
Prof. Dr. Yiping Xia

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Guest Editor
Institute of Landscape Architecture, College of Agriculture and Biotechnology, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, China
Interests: ornamental horticulture; bulbs; perennials; landscaping; planting design
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Prof. Dr. Katsunori Furuya

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Guest Editor
Landscape Planning Laboratory, Chiba University, Matsudo, Chiba 271-8510, Japan
Interests: landscape planning; green spaces; post-COVID-19 condition; environmental planning; urban park
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Urban forests, comprising trees, green spaces, and natural elements within cities, have been recognized for their profound impact on public well-being. From air quality improvement to mental health benefits, urban forests play a pivotal role in enhancing our overall health and quality of life. This Special Issue aims to delve into the multifaceted relationship between urban forests and human health, exploring the potential of forests to mitigate health challenges in urban environments. Contributions to this Special Issue will shed light on the latest research and insights into the dynamic nexus between urban forests and human health. We invite researchers, practitioners, and policymakers to share their innovative approaches, empirical studies, and visionary perspectives to collectively advance our understanding of this crucial relationship.

Potential topics include, but are not limited to:

  • Air quality impact of urban forests;
  • Mental health benefits of urban green spaces;
  • Physical activity promotion through urban forests;
  • Urban planning strategies for maximizing health benefits;
  • Community engagement in urban forest development.

Dr. Jiao Zhang
Dr. Danqing Li
Prof. Dr. Yiping Xia
Prof. Dr. Katsunori Furuya
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Forests is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2600 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • urban forests
  • human health
  • well-being
  • sustainable cities
  • green spaces

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Further information on MDPI's Special Issue polices can be found here.

Published Papers (5 papers)

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Research

21 pages, 5952 KiB  
Article
Urban Trees and Elderly Well-Being: Species-Specific Strategies for Thermal Comfort in Heat-Stressed Cities
by Mohamed Elsadek, Ahmed Nasr, Li Guo, Xueqian Gong, Ahmad Hassan and Deshun Zhang
Forests 2025, 16(1), 55; https://doi.org/10.3390/f16010055 - 31 Dec 2024
Viewed by 647
Abstract
The dual challenges of global aging and intensifying urban heat demand innovative, evidence-based strategies to foster thermally and psychologically comfortable environments for vulnerable populations, particularly the elderly. Despite the documented benefits of urban greenery, the species-specific impacts of urban trees on thermal comfort [...] Read more.
The dual challenges of global aging and intensifying urban heat demand innovative, evidence-based strategies to foster thermally and psychologically comfortable environments for vulnerable populations, particularly the elderly. Despite the documented benefits of urban greenery, the species-specific impacts of urban trees on thermal comfort and well-being remain underexplored. This study investigates how distinct tree species—Camphora officinarum (camphor), Platanus acerifolia (London plane), and Ginkgo biloba (ginkgo)—regulate urban microclimates and support elderly well-being during hot summer days. Conducted at five sites in Shanghai, including a control site and four vegetated plots, this study engaged 210 elderly participants. Microclimatic variables were measured using the physiological equivalent temperature (PET) alongside air temperature, humidity, and wind speed. Physiological responses, assessed through heart rate variability (HRV), and psychological outcomes, evaluated via validated self-report scales, were analyzed. The results revealed that dense-canopy trees significantly reduced PET, enhanced thermal comfort, and improved ROS and SVS scores, while lower LF/HF ratios indicated reduced physiological stress. Correlation analyses underscored the pivotal role of canopy density (SVF) in fostering psychological and physiological well-being. Camphor and London plane trees consistently provided the greatest benefits, emphasizing the importance of species selection in urban greening strategies. These findings underscore the critical role of species selection in urban forestry to mitigate heat stress and foster age-friendly resilience. Practical implications emphasize integrating dense-canopy species into urban landscapes to enhance microclimate regulation and public health. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Urban Forests and Human Health)
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16 pages, 2711 KiB  
Article
How to Make Flower Borders Benefit Public Emotional Health in Urban Green Space: A Perspective of Color Characteristics
by Zhuo Wan, Xinyue Shen, Yifei Cai, Yang Su, Ziming Ren and Yiping Xia
Forests 2024, 15(10), 1688; https://doi.org/10.3390/f15101688 - 25 Sep 2024
Viewed by 1024
Abstract
The emotional health benefits of urban green space have been widely recognized. Flower borders, as a perennial plant landscape, have gradually become a current form of plant application in urban green spaces due to their rich color configurations. However, the related research primarily [...] Read more.
The emotional health benefits of urban green space have been widely recognized. Flower borders, as a perennial plant landscape, have gradually become a current form of plant application in urban green spaces due to their rich color configurations. However, the related research primarily focuses on the impact of urban green spaces on public health, with relatively little attention given to how the colors of flower borders affect public emotional health. This study explored the relationship between the flower borders color characteristics and the public emotional health. In this study, 24 sample images were used as experimental materials, which selected based on their color richness and harmony. Additionally, face recognition technology and online random questionnaires were utilized to measure the public basic emotions and pleasure, respectively. The result shows that, based on the HSV color model and expert recommendations, 19 color characteristics were identified. The correlation analysis of the results from the public emotion with these color characteristics revealed that 13 color characteristics correlated with public emotional pleasure. Among them, blue, neutral purple, and low saturation were positively correlated. Through factor analysis, these thirteen color characteristics were summarized and categorized into four common factors (F1–F4), three of which are related to color. They are “low saturation of blue-violet percentage” (F1), “color configuration diversity” (F2), “bright red percentage” (F3), and “base green percentage” (F4), with F1 having the largest variance explained (27.88%). Finally, an evaluation model of color characteristics was constructed based on the variance explained by these four factors, which was demonstrated to effectively predict the level of public emotional pleasure when viewing flower borders. The results shed light on the effects of color characteristics on public emotions and provide new perspectives for subsequent flower border evaluations. Our results provide a valuable reference for future flower border color design, aiming to better improve public emotional health. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Urban Forests and Human Health)
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14 pages, 4390 KiB  
Article
Relationship between Green Space and Mortality in the Cities of the Yangtze River Delta Urban Agglomeration
by Mengxue Li, Yanping Wen and Guang Hu
Forests 2024, 15(6), 1066; https://doi.org/10.3390/f15061066 - 20 Jun 2024
Viewed by 835
Abstract
Intense work pressure and unhealthy lifestyles significantly threaten urban public health. Urban designs have quickly developed, such as the introduction of green space (GS), which has been suggested to improve public health. Prior epidemiological studies have investigated GS and mortality and have generally [...] Read more.
Intense work pressure and unhealthy lifestyles significantly threaten urban public health. Urban designs have quickly developed, such as the introduction of green space (GS), which has been suggested to improve public health. Prior epidemiological studies have investigated GS and mortality and have generally found potential benefits. However, these studies were primarily conducted in developed Western countries and the potential effects of GS on mortality in developing Asian countries are poorly understood. In this study, our goal was to investigate the effect of GS landscape attributes and socioeconomic conditions on all-cause mortality in 41 cities in the Yangtze River Delta urban agglomeration. Nine GS variables and seven socioeconomic variables were collected. An optimal general linear model with the selected variables was established using LASSO regression to explore the direction and relative importance of GSs and socioeconomic conditions for urban public health. The results showed that (1) socioeconomic conditions and GS jointly affect all-cause mortality, (2) people with greater personal wealth suffered less health risk, and (3) regularly shaped and highly connected GSs decreased the risk to public health. These findings suggest that reasonable GS policies and planning strategies are effective approaches for improving public health in Chinese cities. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Urban Forests and Human Health)
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15 pages, 4134 KiB  
Article
An Assessment Framework for Mapping the Air Purification Service of Vegetation at the Regional Scale
by Yu Liu, Wudong Zhao, Liwei Zhang, Xupu Li, Lixian Peng, Zhuangzhuang Wang, Yongyong Song, Lei Jiao and Hao Wang
Forests 2024, 15(2), 391; https://doi.org/10.3390/f15020391 - 19 Feb 2024
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1494
Abstract
Efficiently mitigating the severe air pollution resulting from rapid progress is crucial for the sustainable development of the socio-ecological system. Recently, concerns about nature-based solutions have emerged in the research on the treatment of air pollution. Studies on the purification of PM2.5 [...] Read more.
Efficiently mitigating the severe air pollution resulting from rapid progress is crucial for the sustainable development of the socio-ecological system. Recently, concerns about nature-based solutions have emerged in the research on the treatment of air pollution. Studies on the purification of PM2.5 using vegetation currently concentrate on the individual scale of tree species or urban vegetation, ignoring the regional scale, which could better assist ecological governance. Therefore, taking the Fenwei Plain of China as the study area, an assessment framework of the air purification service’s spatial distribution reflecting regional vegetation was constructed. The dry deposition model and GeoDetector were used to quantify the spatial-temporal pattern and explore natural driving factors on the removal of PM2.5. The results showed that (1) the PM2.5 purification services offered by various types of vegetation exhibit notable variations. The average removal rates of PM2.5 by vegetation were 0.186%, 0.243%, and 0.435% in 2000, 2010, and 2021, respectively. (2) Meanwhile, a wide range of spatial mismatch exists between the PM2.5 concentration and PM2.5 removal. Insufficient supply regions of PM2.5 purification services account for 50% of the Fenwei Plain. (3) PM2.5 removal was strongly influenced by the types of vegetation and the Normalized Vegetation Index (NDVI), followed by the Digital Elevation Model (DEM), and less affected by meteorological factors; a strong joint effect was shown among the factors. The findings in this research provide a new perspective on regional air pollution management at the regional scale. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Urban Forests and Human Health)
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24 pages, 3181 KiB  
Article
Restorative Effects of Pocket Parks on Mental Fatigue among Young Adults: A Comparative Experimental Study of Three Park Types
by Jingyi Xu, Bing Qiu, Fan Zhang and Jinguang Zhang
Forests 2024, 15(2), 286; https://doi.org/10.3390/f15020286 - 2 Feb 2024
Cited by 5 | Viewed by 2222
Abstract
Urban parks have been proven to effectively reduce mental fatigue among city residents; however, there has been less focus on the mental health benefits offered by pocket parks in densely populated areas from a field experiment perspective. Additionally, there is insufficient evidence providing [...] Read more.
Urban parks have been proven to effectively reduce mental fatigue among city residents; however, there has been less focus on the mental health benefits offered by pocket parks in densely populated areas from a field experiment perspective. Additionally, there is insufficient evidence providing information on the environmental characteristics that support recovery from mental fatigue. This study was based on 80 young adults aged 19–25 years. Three types of pocket parks were selected: street corners, interblock spaces, and intrablock spaces. Through a field experiment with questionnaire collection, physiological (BP, HR, and LF/HF) and psychological indicators (FS-14 and VAS) were used to explore the relationship between various pocket park features and respondents’ mental fatigue recovery. This study investigated the restorative effects of 10 environmental features by collecting questionnaires. The results suggested that different types of pocket parks have the recovery effect of pocket parks. Four environmental factors, namely, vegetation colour (β = −0.472, p = 0.002), vegetation coverage (β = 0.298, p = 0.046), resting facility comfort (β = −0.336, p = 0.028), and plant species (β = −0.437, p = 0.003), were more predictive of mental fatigue recoverability. However, factors such as neighbourhood hygiene and spatial privacy did not show significant predictive effects. Our findings provide robust evidence for urban park planning and design. In the future landscape design of high-density urban areas, greater emphasis can be placed on the construction of pocket parks. The rational selection and configuration of environmental factors that contribute to recovery effects in pocket parks will contribute to meeting the psychological health service needs of high-density urban populations. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Urban Forests and Human Health)
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