For the first time in history, the majority of people reside in cities. For a species that evolved to live in small, primate tribes on the African Savanna, such a migration marks a dramatic shift. In recent years, it’s become clear that such unnatural surroundings have important implications for our mental and physical health and can powerfully alter how we think.

Enter the urban forest. This article, titled How The City Hurts Your Brain by Jonah Lehrer on Boston.com, shares some insight on healthy living in urban areas. Because of the huge migration to city life, urban forests and park spaces have become an integral part of living a healthy life. The good news is that even slight alterations, such as planting more trees in the inner city or creating urban parks with a greater variety of plants, can significantly reduce the negative side effects of city life.

NASF blog post: Never Underestimate The Power Of An Urban Forest.

To view more information, see the Urban Forests post from the National Association of State Foresters (NASF)​.