Fast Fact Library

Living in urban areas with a higher percentage of visible trees is associated with a 4% decrease in cardiovascular disease, according to a United States-based study using machine learning and street-level images.

James, Peter, Esra Suel, Pi-I Debby Lin, Jaime E. Hart, Eric B. Rimm, Francine Laden, Perry Hystad, Steve Hankey, Andrew Larkin, Wenwen Zhang, Jochem Klompmaker, Brent Coull, Li Yi, and Marcia Pescador Jimenez. “Assessing Greenspace and Cardiovascular Disease Risk through Deep Learning Analysis of Street-View Imagery in the US-Based Nationwide Nurses’ Health Study.” Environmental Epidemiology 10, no. 1 (2026). https://doi.org/10.1097/EE9.0000000000000442

A global-scale assessment estimates that if mangrove foreshore dike systems were restored and established along coastlines susceptible to flooding, they could reduce expected annual damage from coastal flooding by...

Tiggeloven, Timothy, Vincent van Zelst, Eric Mortensen, Bregje K. van Wesenbeeck, Thomas A. Worthington, Mark Spalding, Hans de Moel, and Philip J. Ward. “Mangrove Restoration and Coastal Flood Adaptation: A Global Perspective on the Potential for Hybrid Coastal Protection.” Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America 123, no. 4 (2026): e2510980123. https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.2510980123

All types of urban nature were found to provide mental health benefits according to a systematic review of 449 studies and meta-analysis of 78 field-based experiments, with urban forests and parks emerging as key...

Li, Yingjie, Yuanyuan Mao, Lisa Mandle, Anders Rydström, Roy P. Remme, Xin Lan, Tong Wu, Chao Song, Yougeng Lu, Kari C. Nadeau, Andreas Meyer-Lindenberg, Gretchen C. Daily, and Anne D. Guerry. “Acute mental health benefits of urban nature.” Nature Cities 2 (2025): 720–731. https://doi.org/10.1038/s44284-025-00286-y

Exposure to natural environments - from low-tech strategies like short walks to high-tech strategies like virtual reality nature - has positive effects for people on the autism spectrum, according to a scoping...

Wells, Nancy M., Jordan Tralins, Dongying Li, Timothy J. Mateer, Erin R.B. Eldermire, Helena le Roux Ohm, Johanna Lantz, and Matthew R. Kibbee. “The effect of the natural environment and greenness on behavior, function, and well-being among individuals with autism spectrum disorder: A scoping review.” Journal of Environmental Psychology 105 (2025). https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jenvp.2025.102619

Green roofs can be effective carbon sinks. A two-year, Great Plains-based study found that shallow, lightweight, porous green roof substrate supported improved carbon capture as compared to deeper, denser substrates...

Alam, M.M. Lekhon, Lee R. Skabelund, Charles W. Rice, James S. Lin, and Jaeyoung Ha. “How effective are green roofs as building carbon sinks? Empirical evidence linking substrate, depth, and vegetation dynamics in the U.S. Great Plains.” Journal of Environmental Management 396 (2025). https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jenvman.2025.128117

Higher levels of greenery in urban walks increased positive emotions and perceived restorativeness, according to a study where 151 participants walked six urban paths.

Veronica, Laura Miola, Anahita Soltantouyeh, Francesca Pazzaglia, and Chiara Meneghetti. “Walking to the urban green: Increases in positive emotions and perceived restorativeness, but not mental representation ability.” Journal of Environmental Psychology 106 (2025). https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jenvp.2025.102734

In a review of measured biodiversity outcomes from 185 urban nature-based solutions across 33 countries, 78% of interventions contributed positively to improving biodiversity as compared to non-nature-based...

Li, Meng, Roy P. Remme, Peter M. van Bodegom, Alexander P.E. van Oudenhoven. “How do nature-based solutions contribute to biodiversity in cities?” Ecological Indicators 175 (2025). https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ecolind.2025.113523.

Two Vermont wildlife underpasses resulted in an 80% reduction in amphibian deaths according to a comprehensive study spanning five years pre-construction and seven years post-construction.

Marcelino, Matthew R., Steve G. Parren, and Brittany A. Mosher. “Assessing the efficacy of wildlife underpasses in mitigating amphibian road mortality: A case study from the northeastern United States.” Journal for Nature Conservation 86 (2025). https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jnc.2025.126901.

An analysis of 83 nature-based solutions in the Alps region estimated a return on investment of 2.8 euro per 1 euro spent based on co-benefits and the monetary value of ecosystem services like heatwave mitigation...

González-García, Alberto, Ignacio Palomo, Anna Codemo, Mirco Rodeghiero, Titouan Dubo, Améline Vallet, and Sandra Lavorel. “Co-benefits of nature-based solutions exceed the costs of implementation.” Cell Reports Sustainability 2, no.3 (2025): 1-19. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.crsus.2025.100336

Forests with five different species of tropical trees can store 36% more carbon in trunks and branches than forests with just one species, as measured by a 16-year study of an experimental forest in Panama.

Schnabel, Florian,  Joannès Guillemot,  Kathryn E. Barry,  Melanie Brunn,  Simone Cesarz,  Nico Eisenhauer,  Tobias Gebauer,  Nathaly R. Guerrero-Ramirez,  I. Tanya Handa,  Chris Madsen,  Lady Mancilla,  Jose Monteza,  Tim Moore,  Yvonne Oelmann,  Michael Scherer-Lorenzen,  Luitgard Schwendenmann,  Audrey Wagner,  Christian Wirth,  and Catherine Potvin. “Tree Diversity Increases Carbon Stocks and Fluxes Above—But Not Belowground in a Tropical Forest Experiment.” Global Change Biology 31 (2025). https://doi.org/10.1111/gcb.70089.