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</o:shapelayout></xml><![endif]--></head><body lang=EN-US link=blue vlink=purple style='word-wrap:break-word'><div class=WordSection1><div><div><p class=MsoNormal>Native Plant Conservation Campaign News: More green infrastructure and native plants extend life, strengthen immune systems in cities<o:p></o:p></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal>December 1, 2020<o:p></o:p></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal> <o:p></o:p></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal><!--[if gte vml 1]><v:shapetype id="_x0000_t75" coordsize="21600,21600" o:spt="75" o:preferrelative="t" path="m@4@5l@4@11@9@11@9@5xe" filled="f" stroked="f">
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</v:shape><![endif]--><![if !vml]><img width=450 height=299 style='width:4.6875in;height:3.1145in' src="https://ymlpcl4.net/imgz/09yp_kidgardenpublicdomain.jpg" align=left v:shapes="Picture_x0020_2"><![endif]>New studies continue to demonstrate the substantial benefits to physical and mental health that accrue from expanding urban green spaces, particularly using native plants (links to summaries of these studies are provided at the end of this article.)<o:p></o:p></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal> <o:p></o:p></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal>A <a href="https://advances.sciencemag.org/content/6/42/eaba2578">study</a> published in October by the Natural Resources Institute of Finland showed that the health of the immune systems of children at daycare centers improved when the biological diversity at the centers was increased. Diversity was increased by simple measures such as adding forest undergrowth, turf and planter boxes to yards of urban daycare centers. Measurable improvements to children’s immune health were found after as little as one month.<o:p></o:p></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal> <o:p></o:p></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal><strong><span style='font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif'>Many <a href="https://tinyurl.com/y2bekeqy">studies</a> had previously found that children who live in rural areas and are in contact with native plants and nature have a lower probability of developing immune system disorders such as asthma</span></strong>. This is the first time the phenomenon has been documented in urban daycare centers.<o:p></o:p></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal> <o:p></o:p></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal>This research provides further support for the <a href="https://www.fda.gov/vaccines-blood-biologics/consumers-biologics/asthma-hygiene-hypothesis">hygiene</a> and <a href="https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/all.13763">biodiversity hypotheses</a>. These theories state that children living in a more floristically and biologically diverse environment develop more robust immune systems. Their immune systems are strengthened through contact with the more diverse microorganisms that biodiverse environments support.<o:p></o:p></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal> <o:p></o:p></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal>In another example involving urban parks, a <a href="https://preventioninstitute.org/sites/default/files/uploads/PI_Park_Equity_Research-Summary_092420_FINAL%20%281%29.pdf">report</a> was published in November by the University of California Los Angeles in cooperation with the <a href="https://www.preventioninstitute.org/">Prevention Institute</a> fo Health Equity and an advisory board of community-based organizations. They found that high quality urban green spaces help people live longer. The study examined life expectancy in Los Angeles county neighborhoods with varying levels of access to well maintained parks and green infrastructure.<o:p></o:p></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal> <o:p></o:p></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal><!--[if gte vml 1]><v:shape id="Picture_x0020_3" o:spid="_x0000_s1026" type="#_x0000_t75" style='position:absolute;margin-left:0;margin-top:0;width:337.5pt;height:252pt;z-index:251659264;visibility:visible;mso-wrap-style:square;mso-width-percent:0;mso-height-percent:0;mso-wrap-distance-left:0;mso-wrap-distance-top:0;mso-wrap-distance-right:0;mso-wrap-distance-bottom:0;mso-position-horizontal:left;mso-position-horizontal-relative:text;mso-position-vertical:absolute;mso-position-vertical-relative:line;mso-width-percent:0;mso-height-percent:0;mso-width-relative:page;mso-height-relative:page' o:allowoverlap="f">
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</v:shape><![endif]--><![if !vml]><img width=450 height=336 style='width:4.6875in;height:3.5in' src="https://ymlpcl4.net/imgz/09yp_lowincomeurbanparkRandCorp.jpg" align=left v:shapes="Picture_x0020_3"><![endif]><strong><span style='font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif'>The UCLA report found – unsurprisingly - that low income communities and communities of color have significantly lower access to green spaces and significantly lower life expectancy. </span></strong>High quality green spaces were found to be disproportionately located in wealthy neighborhoods.<o:p></o:p></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal> <o:p></o:p></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal>Key findings include:<o:p></o:p></p></div><ul type=disc><li class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto;mso-list:l0 level1 lfo1'>Over 50% of Los Angeles County’s 10 million residents live in neighborhoods that rank as “high park need” or “very high park need.” <strong><span style='font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif'>Most of these high-need areas are concentrated in low-income communities of color.</span></strong><o:p></o:p></li><li class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto;mso-list:l0 level1 lfo1'>Increasing park acreage in areas with park deficits and low levels of tree canopy has the potential to considerably increase life expectancy in those areas.<o:p></o:p></li><li class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto;mso-list:l0 level1 lfo1'>If all the census tracts in LA County with park deficits and low tree canopy levels had an increase in park acreage up to the county’s median level, those census tracts could see <strong><span style='font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif'>a gain of approximately 164,700 years in life expectancy across the population</span></strong>.<o:p></o:p></li></ul><div><p class=MsoNormal>Green infrastructure also of course sequesters millions of tons of carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gasses, as well as moderating local climates.<o:p></o:p></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal> <o:p></o:p></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal>Relatively few studies of the effect of green spaces on public health specifically examine the impacts of native vs. nonnative plants. However, <a href="https://tinyurl.com/y2bekeqy">those that do</a> report that locally adapted native plants are more effective at providing habitat for the diverse microorganisms that are most helpful to immune systems. Childhood immune systems are often particularly at risk in low income communities of color.<br> <o:p></o:p></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal>Also native plants provide other benefits such as habitat and corridors for local pollinators, songbirds and other wildlife as well as resilience in the face of storms, floods and other disasters.<o:p></o:p></p></div><ul type=disc><li class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto;mso-list:l1 level1 lfo2'>Read a summary of the Los Angeles urban parks study in the <a href="https://www.nrpa.org/parks-recreation-magazine/2020/december/more-parks-longer-lives/">National Recreation and Parks Association</a> magazine<o:p></o:p></li><li class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto;mso-list:l1 level1 lfo2'>Read a summary of the <a href="https://www.helsinki.fi/en/news/life-science-news/a-forest-based-yard-improved-the-immune-system-of-daycare-children-in-only-a-month">Finnish daycare immune system study</a><o:p></o:p></li><li class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto;mso-list:l1 level1 lfo2'>Read about the reduced mortality and substantial mental health benefits of green spaces and native plants in <a href="https://tinyurl.com/y3h4wbxl">NPCC News</a><o:p></o:p></li><li class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto;mso-list:l1 level1 lfo2'>Read more about the health benefits of native plants at the NPCC <a href="http://nativeplantsocietyofus.org/ecosystem-services-resources/health/">Ecosystem Services/Nature Based Solutions website</a><o:p></o:p></li></ul><div><div><p class=MsoNormal><strong><span style='font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif'>Photo: Daycare center garden, public domain; Park in a low income urban neighborhood © RAND Corporation</span></strong><o:p></o:p></p></div></div></div><div><p class=MsoNormal> <o:p></o:p></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal>________________________________________<o:p></o:p></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal>Emily B. Roberson, Ph.D.<o:p></o:p></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal><a href="http://plantsocieties.cnps.org/">Native Plant Conservation Campaign</a><o:p></o:p></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal>Native Plant Society of the United States<o:p></o:p></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal><img border=0 width=100 height=125 style='width:1.0416in;height:1.302in' id="_x0000_i1028" src="https://ymlpcl4.net/imgz/09yp_Logocolorhighrezname100.jpg">415 531 4439<o:p></o:p></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal><a href="mailto:emilyr@plantsocieties.org">emilyr@</a><a href="mailto:emilyr@plantsocieties.org">plantsocieties.org</a><o:p></o:p></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal>#<span style='color:green'>SavePlantsSaveThePlanet</span><o:p></o:p></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal><em><span style='font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif'>The mission of the Native Plant Conservation Campaign is to promote the conservation of native plants and their habitats through collaboration, research, education, and advocacy.</span></em><o:p></o:p></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal><b><a href="http://signup.ymlpcl4.net/xghwwhjjgmgb">Sign up for NPCC News</a>! </b> <a href="https://www.facebook.com/plantsocieties"><b>Like us on Facebook!</b></a> <b><a href="http://plantsocieties.cnps.org/index.php/action-main/donate-to-campaign">Donate</a>!</b><o:p></o:p></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal>Please forward this message to any interested individuals or organizations. <o:p></o:p></p></div><div class=MsoNormal align=center style='text-align:center'><span style='font-size:8.0pt;font-family:"Verdana",sans-serif;color:black'><hr size=0 width="50%" noshade style='color:black' align=center></span></div><p class=MsoNormal align=center style='text-align:center'><span style='font-size:8.0pt;font-family:"Verdana",sans-serif;color:black'><a href="https://ymlpcl4.net/ughwwhjjgsgbmgeeqeeggubjwe"><span style='color:black'>Unsubscribe / Change Profile</span></a> <br><a href="https://ymlpcl4.net/m/"><span style='color:black'>Powered by YMLP</span></a> <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><img border=0 width=1 height=1 style='width:.0104in;height:.0104in' id="_x0000_i1027" src="https://ymlpcl4.net/9afb0pbmfghbbbexbmjd/footer.gif" alt=" "><o:p></o:p></p></div></body></html>