Park in København -Enriching the city’s biodiversity

Conservationists have always referenced the benefits of biodiversity to the natural world, but many people wouldn’t associate that benefit with our own species. Humans have always had a bond and relation with the natural world, so it is logical that the change, no matter how small, in one would affect the other. According to a Discovery Magazine article, there is new compelling evidence out there showing that biodiversity is good for our health, and the lack of it in urban areas might be the cause of the rise in inflammatory and allergy problems.

The main evidence comes from a Finnish study that found that children who lived in a more biodiverse environment were less likely to have an allergic reaction to a controlled allergen substance than children who did not.

…the urban-dwelling nature of developed countries may be to blame for their increasing problem with inflammatory diseases. If so, conservation of natural spaces, including parks and other green initiatives, may be key to protecting the health of future generations. According to the study, “Interactions with natural environmental features not only may increase general human well-being in urban areas, but also may enrich the commensal microbiota and enhance its interaction with the immune system, with far-reaching consequences for public health.”

To read the full article click here.

Not only is this article important to how we should think about urban planning, but it also contributes some support to another hypothesis, Biophilia. This article shows a positive physical interaction between humans and the natural environment. If you look at Biophilia from the standpoint of an instinctual love humans have for the natural world, this study makes some logical sense of the theory. How can one love something if there is no positive interaction or feeling between them and the subject? In short, this article gives scientist and the general public alike something to think about in regards to how we humans view and interact with the natural world around us.