Green Spaces: Keeping our City Wild
The general term for any open piece of land that is mostly covered in vegetation in an otherwise urban area is a “green space,” and can include parks, open spaces, nature trails, and even cemeteries. Next time you go for a jog along Spring Creek Trail or take your dog to the nearest park in your Fort Collins neighborhood, take a moment to appreciate the availability of local green space.
Some of the benefits of green space are obvious, including providing a place for recreation activities and protecting open spaces from development in the future. But green spaces also have intangible implications on mental and environmental health.
I live near Spring Creek Trail and try to get outside in the sun at least 30 minutes every day. It has helped me cope with seasonal depression and gives me a chance to have some fun playing Pokemon Go. While it may not be for the same reasons as me, everyone can get some benefits from heading to their local park.
Several studies have found that green spaces in a community are correlated with lower rates of mental health and development problems, particularly in children. In the case of ADHD, researchers found that children who did activities in green spaces had fewer symptoms than children doing the same activities indoors.
Seasonal depression is another condition that can be linked to going outside. Almost half a million Americans have symptoms of depression specifically in the fall and winter months. This is thought to be caused by the lower availability of sunlight during those times, and the main treatment is light therapy. Having spaces like parks for people to get some sun can be an important part of preventing this condition.
As a nationally recognized Tree City USA, the benefits Fort Collins’ trees should also be mentioned. By providing shade and wind protection around buildings, trees can significantly decrease air conditioner and heating usage. They also help soil by prevent erosion and help air by converting carbon dioxide into oxygen.
In addition to city-maintained trees and parks, Fort Collins is home to 44 Natural Areas. The goal of the Natural Areas department is to balance preservation of native plants and ecosystems with providing spaces for public recreation and education. Each Natural Areas is a unique landscape set aside as an open space with trails allowing the public to enjoy the scenery.
Of course, the ability of the city to be able to provide green spaces, such as Natural Areas, depends on having the money needed to maintain them. For the Natural Areas, revenue primarily comes from a citywide sales tax rate of one quarter of one percent. This tax rate sounds trivial, but it added up to almost $9 million in funding for 2017 alone.
While nobody enjoys paying taxes, the one that supports the Natural Areas is a small price to pay for such tremendous benefits. Citizens of Larimer Country recently voted for another quarter percent sales tax increase in 2018 for behavioral health facilities. This willingness to increase sales taxes for the benefit of the community is what will keep the Natural Areas special now and for years to come.
Along with city parks, the Natural Areas are important investments for public health in Fort Collins to maintain the citizens of this city as the beautiful, happy, and healthy people we all strive to be.
