Urban Forestry 200 provides an introduction to the various human health benefits provided by urban forests. The course will explore basic relationships between urban residents’ health and well-being and surrounding urban forests. Referring to the most common health issues of today, the course will demonstrate why urban forests are crucial public health assets of our cities.
Through both lectures and seminars the course will address the theoretical context of relationships between nature and human health; explore the scientific evidence on physiological and psychological effects of nature exposure; outline contemporary public health issues and challenges; and demonstrate how various pathways, such as increased physical activity and improved air quality, can result in health benefits from urban forests. The course emphasizes the value of working across sectors, with a focus on the connections between urban ecosystem functioning and human health over the life course.