Recent research from the HEAL Study by the Green Heart Louisville Project has revealed that living in a tree-filled neighbourhood can reduce risks for heart disease, diabetes and some types of cancer.
The HEAL study conducted a clinical trial to follow 750 people from low-middle income neighbourhoods in South Louisville Kentucky, taking samples to investigate their heart health before and after thousands of mature trees were planted in their neighbourhood.
Between 2019 and 2022, they planted nearly 8,500 mature evergreen trees, 630 mature deciduous trees, and 45 different varieties of shrubs in parts of the study area that had poor air quality. In the control areas, no new trees were planted.
In 2023 and 2024, samples were taken from residents in both the newly planted areas and the control area. Researchers found that in the tree-filled areas, people had 13% lower levels of high-sensitivity C-reactive protein, which is a blood marker associated with heart disease, heart attack, coronary artery disease and stroke. According to researchers, this 13% drop is similar to starting a regular exercise routine.
These remarkable findings point to how trees could have a significant causal link to better physical health. Many previous studies have looked into how trees provide exceptional benefits to our mental health, but this study provides the strongest research evidence to date that trees can decrease our risk for disease.
As we know, trees provide shade and cooling - decreasing the harmful impacts of rising temperatures (especially in urban areas) that can trigger heart issues and other health concerns. Trees also provide a buffer against noise in busy urban areas, can encourage people to walk and exercise more in the outdoors, and can provide more opportunities for people to feel calm and relaxed.
Clearly, trees are not only one of the best ways to mitigate changes to our climate, but may also be one of the best ways to combat disease and create healthier communities as a whole.
