Large parks ‘vital for cities’ success’

The institution found that compact development alongside large green spaces delivered maximum benefits to residents, which included improving health and happiness, as well as absorbing surface water run-off and storing carbon.

The researchsought to address issues faced by decision-makers as the populations of cities worldwide continue to swell.

Previous analysis has demonstrated that urban green spaces and trees yield far-reaching benefits to humans.

But researchers have long debated whether it is better to build compact developments with large parks or nature reserves, as often found in Europe and Japan, or whether it is preferable to build sprawling suburbs with many small parks and gardens, as found in many North American and Australian cities.

This is why the team at the University of Exeter, working with Hokkaido University in Japan, focussed on nine case studies of cities worldwideand considered how urbanisation patterns affect the functioning of urban ecosystems.

The research, published in  Frontiers in Ecology and Environment and supported by the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC), concluded that high-density cities featuring large parks or nature reserves yielded the most benefits – although they stress that smaller parks and gardens should not be sacrificed and still play a positive role.

Lead author Dr Iain Stott, from the University of Exeter’s Environment and Sustainability Institute (ESI) on the Penryn Campus in Cornwall, said: “As populations continue to grow, it’s vital that we expand our cities and build new ones in a way that is most sustainable for ecosystems, and which provides the greatest benefits to urban residents.

“Our research finds that compact developments that include large green spaces are essential for the delivery of ecosystem services. For humans to get the most benefit however, combining this approach with greening of built land using street trees and some small parks and gardens is the best method.”

Senior author Professor Kevin Gaston, also from the University of Exeter’s ESI, added: “Future urban development must be carefully planned and policy-led, at whole-city scales, to yield the best result.”