Living near a park is not enough: it is how frequently the green space is used that truly makes the difference for mental and physical health. This is one of the main conclusions of the study “Impact of Green Spaces on Mental and Physical Health,” presented this Monday at the Landscape Laboratory in Guimarães, in the presence of the President of the City Council, Domingos Bragança, the President of the Landscape Laboratory, Adelina Pinto, the President of the Portuguese Council for Health and Environment, Luis Campos, and the President of the Portuguese Environment Agency (APA), José Pimenta Machado.
The work, conducted by the Landscape Laboratory, the School of Medicine of the University of Minho (UMinho) and the Institute Superior de Saúde (ISAVE), involved 501 residents from the surroundings of Guimarães’ municipal green spaces – and cross-referenced data on proximity, use, perception, and impact on health indicators. Respondents were divided between those living within 300 meters of the green areas and those living more than 300 meters away. Interviews were conducted between March 8 and 24, 2025, based on a quota matrix by gender, age and location, with a total of 17 interviewers.
The conclusions are clear: physical proximity to parks did not prove statistically significant, neither in terms of psychological symptoms, nor in sleep quality. On the other hand, the frequency of park use was identified as a determining factor in the improvement of anxiety, stress, and sleep. The relationship with depression, though present, appears to be mediated by other variables, such as income or employment status.
Also in the domain of physical activity, the study confirms that proximity matters: the farther people live from parks, the less time they devote per session to moderate activity. Regular use of green spaces positively influences levels of physical activity, especially in the aspects of walking and moderate exertion.
The socioeconomic analysis reveals a relevant contrast: people with higher incomes value green spaces more, but visit them less. Conversely, those with lower incomes are the ones who use these spaces the most – a trend that reinforces the importance of public policies that actively promote their use. In this sense, the study authors emphasize that it is not enough to build or maintain parks; it is essential to foster their regular use.
Pedro Morgado, from the School of Medicine of the University of Minho, considers that the study has reinforced a key idea for urban mental health: “Nature only has a therapeutic effect when it becomes a lived, regular, and active experience.” The researcher argues that “living beside a park can be irrelevant if there is no population engagement in its use,” also highlighting the importance of concrete measures: from accessibility and safety to the existence of social and physical activity programs in these spaces, including school activities.
Radial Green Strategy will connect the whole city
The study supports the work Guimarães has been carrying out within the framework of the radial green strategy, a city that will be European Green Capital in 2026. This strategy foresees the construction of three concentric green belts: one in the urban area and two on the outskirts of the city, with 20 and 42 kilometres, respectively. “These belts of trees will link the green spaces, parks, and ecotrails, improving accessibility, which is precisely one of the barriers identified in the study,” explains Carlos Ribeiro, executive director of the Landscape Laboratory. When completed, the outermost ring is expected to enclose 74% of the municipality’s population.
The Neighborhood C project – a pilot urban regeneration initiative focused on environmental sustainability and linking of green corridors – is already creating the first of these rings, with 11 kilometres of green belt in the urban fabric. It should be noted that between 2012 and 2023, Guimarães increased its green area by 95 hectares, and today has two large urban parks of 30 and 39 hectares, located to the east and west of the city.
Climate change causes sadness and anxiety
The study also evaluated the emotions associated with climate change, which emerge as a stress factor. The most frequently cited feelings among the residents of Guimarães were sadness (32%) and powerlessness (23%), followed by sorrow, anxiety and fear. The park’s most frequent users are also those who show greater environmental concern and a greater willingness to contribute financially to solutions: more than 1% of monthly salary, on average.
It should be noted that Guimarães has a plan underway to achieve climate neutrality by 2030, with actions such as the PEGADAS project – a municipal environmental education initiative aimed at the school community – which has already involved 19,300 students and 1,700 teachers in sustainable practices.
The study followed an integrated public health approach, aligned with the concepts of One Health and the exposome, recognizing the interdependence between human health, the environment and ecosystems, and the cumulative impacts of environmental and social exposures over the life course.
