Parks change us: people who live near parks are not just more likely to exercise and meet their neighbors, but also less stressed, anxious, or depressed; kids with ADD do better on tests after spending time in parks; and being in nature can even make us more creative. Parks can also reduce crime, and they help fight climate change. Most of this research is fairly new, so it’s not that surprising that cities haven’t always valued parks and open space, and in the United States, there’s a huge variation in how public park systems are designed in different cities, and how they’re supported.
