Creating a more robust tree canopy may reduce inflammation in a neighborhood’s residents, according to new research from the University of Louisville. Source: Courier Journal
The Green Heart study, conducted by the university’s Christina Lee Brown Envirome Institute, involved over 8,000 tree and shrub plantings in south Louisville and ongoing health monitoring of 745 resident participants.
Researchers found 13% lower levels of high-sensitivity C-reactive protein — a key biological marker of inflammation — in residents whose neighborhoods saw thousands of plantings of trees and shrubs, compared to residents whose neighborhoods were not greened.
Inflammation is a risk indicator for heart disease and other chronic conditions. Recent health equity data found heart disease was the leading cause of death in Louisville from 2017-21.
The reduced C-reactive protein levels researchers observed can help estimate a reduced risk of heart attacks in local residents — possibly by 10-15%, said Aruni Bhatnagar, director of the Envirome Institute.
“Just think about that, not only the human toll of having to go through heart attacks and chronic disease,” Bhatnagar said, “but also the economic impact of this work.”
The project’s findings, he added in a statement, “will bolster the push to increase urban greenspaces,” and could possibly be replicated in other communities around the country.
The Green Heart findings add to a wealth of scientific evidence of how trees can benefit the health, wellbeing and economic prosperity of a community.
In past assessments, Louisville’s tree canopy was found to save the city an estimated $330 million every year — intercepting more than 18 billion gallons of stormwater and filtering harmful pollutants from the air.
Trees also cool neighborhoods by casting shade and through evapotranspiration, the process by which plants release moisture into the air.
The Green Heart findings add to a wealth of scientific evidence of how trees can benefit the health, wellbeing and economic prosperity of a community.
In past assessments, Louisville’s tree canopy was found to save the city an estimated $330 million every year — intercepting more than 18 billion gallons of stormwater and filtering harmful pollutants from the air.
Trees also cool neighborhoods by casting shade and through evapotranspiration, the process by which plants release moisture into the air.
