Quality air is vital for pulmonary health and exposure to trees enhances the quality of air we breath. The University of Exeter reports that attacks of asthma are decreased in urban neighborhoods which are lined with trees. In fact people with asthma who reside in urban areas which are polluted are not as likely to be confronted with hospital admissions when there are a lot of trees in their neighborhood.
This leaves us with the consideration that increases in tree cover in polluted urban neighborhoods can improve respiratory health. In this study there was a very strong association with less emergency asthma cases in the most polluted urban areas which had trees. This has suggested that planting of trees could play a role in lowering the hazardous effects of air pollution from cars.
Dr. Ian Alcock, who is a research fellow at the University of Exeter’s Medical School, says his group wanted to help clarify the association which may be found between urban vegetation and respiratory health. Trees clearly remove air pollutants which can cause asthma attacks. In spite of possible allergenic pollen from vegetation which exacerbates asthma, overall Dr. Alcock and his associates found urban vegetation appears to do much more good than harm.
This study has been published in the journal Environment International. Relationships between tree and green space
density and asthma associated hospitalisations have been explored. Clearly there can be significant health benefits from environmental improvements in polluted urban neighborhoods.
