Plants and Health

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Here are some useful links in pursuing an understanding of the role of plants and landscapes in human health and well-being:

Human Issues in Horticulture – A seminal and important, groundbreaking paper on Human Issues in Horticulture, written by Diane Relf in 1992. This is a piece that changed the way that many view horticulture, and started a new wave of emphasis on plants and human well-being in horticultural research.

Landscape and Human Health Laboratory – A multidisciplinary research laboratory based at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign dedicated to studying the connection between greenery and human health.  Recent findings include improved concentration for children with attention deficit disorders after taking a walk in the park and lower crime rates in inner-city neighborhoods with greenery.

Children & Nature Network – Chaired by Richard Louv, author of Last Child in the Woods: Saving Our Children From Nature-Deficit Disorder, C&NN offers a link between researchers, educators, and organizations dedicated to children’s health and well-being.

Therapeutic Landscapes Resource Center – Excellent source of information in healing benefits of landscapes.

Human Dimensions of Urban Forestry and Urban Greening – Research from the University of Washington focusing on  peoples’ perceptions and behaviors regarding nature in cities.

Restorative Commons: Creating Health and Well-being through Urban Landscapes– A publication by the USDA, US Forest Service, Northern Research Station and Meristem.

Human Flower Project – An international newsgroup, photo album, and discussion of how people live through flowers. Reports on art, medicine, society, politics, religion, and commerce.

Place-Based Education Evaluation Collaborative (PEEC) – PEEC hosts an extensive collection of research around place-based education, school gardens, the impact of nature on learning and well-being, and related issues.

Green Plants for Green Buildings – A national campaign working to inform building industry professionals and the public about the benefits of interior plants.