Forest bathing or Shinrin-yoku refers to time spent walking in forests. In Japan the practice has been studied by forestry, agriculture and health officials. The rest of the world is now catching on to the idea that rather than being a nice-to-have feature, urban forests are vital to balance the health effects of modern life.

In the UK some cities are blessed with urban parks with mature trees. However, some communities lack mature trees, some have decided to remove tall trees due to various pressures, some people like visiting forests but don't feel the need to have them near their home. Perhaps that situation is about to change.

We know that an active lifestyle is necessary for health and well-being. 20-30 minutes walking 5 times per week maintains our mental alertness, blood pressure, body fat ratio and overall stress levels (a leading cause of cancers) at manageable levels. New findings have discovered that walking in forests is even better for us than just going to the gym or taking a stroll down a local pathway. 

Walking in forests (shinrin-yoku) may prevent the onset of chronic illnesses like cancers, reduce blood pressure, heart rate and stress hormones (which may have a preventive effect on hypertension).  It is also credited with creating calming psychological effects through changes observed in parasympathetic and sympathetic nerves. 

Forest bathing appears to increase the level of serum adiponectin--a hormone that in lower concentrations is associated with obesity, type 2 DM (diabetes mellitus), cardiovascular disease, and metabolic syndrome, among other metabolic disorders. A combined study found shinrin-yoku reduces anxiety, depression, anger, fatigue and feelings of emotional confusion.

By developing urban forests we create an oasis in the city, somewhere we can actively balance the indoor air pollution of modern buildings, the information overload and the stress and pressures of the modern world. Sustainable urban planning requires us to include more trees in the urban setting. To mitigate climate change we need more long-lived trees to sequester carbon. Rather than being a nice-to-have feature, urban forests are vital for a cost effective public health system.

Read the full article here

I found this article on the Grand Designs website and thought it might be of interest -

"When it comes to green living, the Germans are light years ahead of us Brits. Slowly, like toddlers being dragged to the doctor, the UK is moving towards more energy- efficient homes, while Germany swallowed its medicine long ago. The latter has fabulous incentives for green home improvements, to say nothing of its support for renewables. Compare this to grubby old Blighty, where millions don't even have decent insulation.

But this means we can learn a lot from the German experience of what it's like to live in an eco-friendly building. So once we ‘power down' our homes and sort out energy leakage, what next?

One issue that has emerged in Germany is the effect on human well-being of the buildings we live in. They even have a term for the study of it, Bau-biologie or building biology. Ironically, its roots lie in the improved efficiency of modern construction - as homes become more airtight, they deny their inhabitants fresh air and increase exposure to toxins in the building's fabric. Such thinking has been used to explain the emergence of Sick Building Syndrome, various allergenic reactions and recent increases in asthma and respiratory diseases.

The result is to emphasise ‘healthy' construction, a home that is good for you as well as the environment. ‘The movement towards healthy building started about 30 years ago in Germany,' says Oliver Rehm, managing director of design-build company Baufritz.

It is safe to say the public has some appreciation of potential problems from humidity, harmful chemicals and lack of fresh air. In the UK, there is also a growing awareness of chemical pollutants that might find their way into the home - from harmful gases in paint known as volatile organic compounds (VOCs), to flame retardants in furnishings.

Baufritz's answer to humidity, toxins and lack of oxygen is to design homes with a breathable skin, a modern equivalent to dealing with moisture that stretches back centuries, and mechanically controlled windows that open and close according to the internal air quality, or a central ventilation system.

Rehm talks of the human body being affected by ‘electrostress' from overhead telegraph cables, mobile phone masts, power stations, digital telephones, wireless networks, electricity cables, microwave ovens and so on. As a result, Baufritz fits a ‘XUND-E plate' to the outside of its buildings, comprising thin layers of carbon on a natural gypsum board. This, says Baufritz, cuts out up to 99 per cent of all high-frequency radiation and low-frequency static emissions. Inside meanwhile, great care is placed on the siting of electrical circuits, avoiding sleeping areas, for example, in order to reduce exposure to potential harm.

The Building Research Establishment (BRE) says it is keen to do more research into the idea of a healthy home - after all, we spend much of our time inside our homes - and that it is not aware of any body of information on the subject. To this end, the Prince's Foundation is currently building a state-of-the-art house from natural materials at the BRE's Innovation Park near Watford, the site for a handful of show homes demonstrating the latest ideas in sustainable living. ‘Research will examine the impact of natural materials on air quality, on allergy resistance and on general sense of well-being,' says the BRE. "

If you have been to see the natural house at the BRE's Innovation Park near Watford, please let us know your thoughts.

In 1997, the World Health Organization identified that the health “arena”, 
including priority settings and frequently used spaces such as the workplace, schools, hospitals, correctional institutions, commercial offices and public spaces within our cities should be at the centre of health promotion activities in the 21st century.

During the 66th meeting of the General Assembly of  the United Nations this year, the socio-economic challenge facing the world of non-communicable disease was discussed for the first time.

Effectively designed landscaped and urban settings are a powerful and cost effective tool in the fight to reduce the incidence of non communicable threats to health and well being such as depression, type 2 diabetes, obesity.

I've just submitted an abstract to the World Design and Health Congress for a paper on using landscape and urban design for health and well being. Urban planning for social housing must address the mental health and well being of users. In order for green cities to be cost effective, person-centred landscapes the garden design of the whole needs to be investigated in part.

We can all make a difference. 

"Rising levels of non-communicable disease and social pathologies erode economies and communities, putting pressure on limited health and welfare resources. Links between health and the environment have been demonstrated in the literature."  

Nurturing nature in a way that nurtures people too, that is what 'sustainablity' means to me. Local authorities have been given targets by central (federal) government demanding contracts are let to companies upholding 'green' values. As these are not defined contracts are won by the bidder who makes most noise.

Those with strong environmental ethics are often those with quiet voices. I don'tthink that changing the terminology will change the volume. Quiet 'doers' have always got on with the job of making a difference. Occasionally someone notices and speaks out on their behalf, but generally green cities come about through the coordindated and collaborative actions of unsung heroes.

I like and use the term 'sustainable' as I feel the Brundtland Commission defined sustainable development well as: "development that meets the need of the present generation without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their needs.” Successful, sustainable development is about change management. How we advise cities and regions to make changes, so residents, communities, businesses, developers and government can do what they want to do in a way that does not reduce the ability of future generations to progress, is crucial to success.

Sustainability is at the core of a healthy community. Environmental sustainability cannot be separated from economic sustainability. To be truly sustainable community design must embrace both elements. Green architecture is a process that is incorporated into every stage of the urban design and development project, from start to finish. To achieve genuine green architecture, eco-friendly principles need to be upheld by everyone involved in the process, from consultation to design to construction.