Will Biodiversity Actions Yield Healthy Places? New Publication Released!

September 2025

Over the course of several years, and with a team of leading collaborators, Second Nature has created a novel synthesis of urban health research to apply to nature-based design.

“Will Biodiversity Actions Yield Healthy Places? A Systematic Review of Human Health Outcomes Associated With Biodiversity-Focused Urban Greening” is the first in-depth review to summarize the potential health outcomes of biodiversity-focused greening projects. We're very proud of Second Nature Director of Science Erica Spotswood, who led the ambitious project, along with an all-star team of urban ecologists and health researchers.

In the review, we link biodiversity-supporting features in cities—such as large parks, greenways, blue spaces (like lakes and rivers), private gardens, mature trees, and overall urban greenness to health outcomes, drawing on 1,550 studies. These features have broadly been associated with better physical and mental health, more physical activity, healthier childhood development, stronger social connections, and reduced exposure to harmful factors like extreme heat, air and noise pollution, and UV radiation.

This synthesis is already helping us to design nature interventions more directly for human health benefits, alongside the gains to biodiversity, in our Community Health Nature Program.