ABSTRACT
Areas of the city where nature and natural elements predominate are increasingly valued for the ways in which they support human health, both physical and mental (Frumkin and Fox 2011; Abraham et al. 2010; Lusk 2006; Swanwick et al. 2003). Over the past 25-30 years, research has confirmed the importance of human interactions with nature in enhancing human health and well-being (Ward Thompson 2010; Maller et al. 2009; Newton 2007). In cities, these interactions mostly take place in greenspaces set aside for recreation. As urban population expands, there is an intensifying use of existing greenspace. For planners, the challenge is to ensure that greenspace provision matches the demand: how much, where and what kind to provide. For public health officials, the question is how to attract people out of their homes and into these areas to be more physically and socially active.
