{"id":21799,"date":"2021-10-28T13:41:36","date_gmt":"2021-10-28T13:41:36","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/highatlasfoundation.org\/?p=21799"},"modified":"2021-10-28T13:41:36","modified_gmt":"2021-10-28T13:41:36","slug":"planting-trees-and-mental-health","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/wordpress-haf.ddev.site\/planting-trees-and-mental-health\/","title":{"rendered":"Planting Trees and Mental Health"},"content":{"rendered":"

By Bobby McDonough<\/em>
\nHAF-UVA Intern<\/em><\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

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HAF defines their mission as a \u201ccommitment to furthering sustainable development and supporting Moroccan Communities to take action in implementing human development initiatives.\u201d The premier avenue through which this is accomplished is facilitating projects within marginalized, rural communities that educate community members on how to plant and raise trees\u2014 laying the foundation for autonomous community development and empowerment. Projects like this provide numerous tangible benefits: a greater educated community, sustainable access to food and water, and a solution for farmers who lack the funds necessary to begin growing more lucrative crops.<\/p>\n

It often goes unnoticed that planting trees also has an important effect on a vital component to a community\u2019s prosperity: mental health. \u201cMarginalized communities consistently experience worse mental health<\/a> than other communities for preventable reasons.\u201d Mental health and collective happiness are incredibly important in building community progress. The seemingly inconspicuous act of planting trees works to build a safer, more prosperous community.<\/p>\n

Trees have been scientifically linked to improvements in mental health. Medical News Today defines mental health as one\u2019s \u201ccognitive, behavioral, and emotional well-being<\/a>.\u201d There is a wealth of literature that details how people\u2019s general mood is improved in greener settings, especially in those with trees. Researchers have found that \u201cPeople exposed to areas with good canopy cover have been shown to experience a third less psychological stress<\/a>. The same cannot be said for other green spaces such as open grassy areas, though this does not diminish their value as spaces for recreation and gathering.\u201d<\/p>\n

It makes sense that trees have such an effect, especially when considering that nature has been culturally associated with concepts such as tranquility and peace throughout history. Although it is difficult to quantify and measure an abstract concept like mental health, it has been \u201cfound that, regardless of species, more trees within 100 meters from the home was associated with a reduced risk<\/a> of antidepressant use\u201d in urban settings. Although disputably less relevant in rural communities, trees visually enhance any setting, bringing color and awe-inspiring beauty that works to alleviate negative emotions and stress. Poor mental health is often born from stress, which is especially relevant within communities where its members\u2019 livelihoods and way of living can be challenged.<\/p>\n

Mental health is incredibly important to a community\u2019s well-being. The National Alliance on Mental Illness perfectly states why it is fundamental to manage this important part of our individual and collective lives: \u201cMental health heavily influences our quality of life<\/a>. So it makes sense that mental health, just like physical health, needs to be taken care of and maintained.\u201d Mental health derives its importance from the simple fact that feeling fulfilled in one\u2019s life is centrally important to leading a prosperous one. In the absence of wants, unmet needs, and failure, it is positive emotions that take central stage in one\u2019s mind. When a positive mentality is adopted, whether it be through choice or not, it brings about passion and productivity, which can be called the harbingers of change.<\/p>\n

If an organization\u2019s intention is to truly benefit a community, it is important that the work they are accomplishing also works to reduce stress and improve well-being throughout the community\u2019s population. After all, \u201cProviding for and supporting good mental health is a public health<\/a> issue. Lack of attention to and treatment of mental illnesses has costs that extend well beyond the individual impacted by the illness. Communities prosper when the mental health needs of community members are met.\u201d<\/p>\n

It follows from these connections that tree-planting plays a more important role in helping communities than one would initially perceive. Trees have more than just a surface-level impact in helping people, which is especially relevant for marginalized communities. In practice, these intangible benefits can often lead to tangible improvements. For instance, researchers \u201cfound that for every 10 percent increase in tree canopy cover<\/a>, crime rates went down in several categories\u201411.3 percent for assaults, narcotics crimes, and robbery, and 10.3 percent for battery.\u201d By working to address social issues at the very heart of their cause\u2014 being the minds and attitudes of a community\u2019s constituents\u2014 the foundation for progressive, long-term change can be laid.<\/p>\n

It\u2019s for this reason that trees bear an immense amount of power. Mental health has become an increasingly relevant topic, as COVID-19 has been and is continuing to present itself as one of the greatest obstacles communities worldwide have been forced to overcome. While their impact on mental health is not often thought about, tree-planting initiatives<\/a> have the potential to be one of the most valuable tools that communities can use in moving towards the future. Healthy minds breed healthy communities which in turn makes life better within the community, creating a feedback loop that all should seek to emulate.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

By Bobby McDonough HAF-UVA Intern HAF defines their mission as a \u201ccommitment to furthering sustainable development and supporting Moroccan Communities to take action in implementing human development initiatives.\u201d The premier avenue through which this is accomplished is facilitating projects within marginalized, rural communities that educate community members on how to plant and raise trees\u2014 laying<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":6,"featured_media":21800,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[54],"tags":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/wordpress-haf.ddev.site\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/GGG.jpg","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/wordpress-haf.ddev.site\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/21799"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/wordpress-haf.ddev.site\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/wordpress-haf.ddev.site\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/wordpress-haf.ddev.site\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/6"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/wordpress-haf.ddev.site\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=21799"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/wordpress-haf.ddev.site\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/21799\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":21801,"href":"https:\/\/wordpress-haf.ddev.site\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/21799\/revisions\/21801"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/wordpress-haf.ddev.site\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/21800"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/wordpress-haf.ddev.site\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=21799"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/wordpress-haf.ddev.site\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=21799"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/wordpress-haf.ddev.site\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=21799"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}