Urbana grönområden och deras koppling till människors hälsa och välmående - en undersökning av befolkningens och kommunens inställningar i Lund

Sammanfattning: Densifying cities has become a way to make room for the increasing urban population. By doing so, the urban green areas risk being reduced as well as the population’s availability to them. Research has shown that interaction with nature and green spaces contribute positively to human health and well-being. The purpose of this study was to investigate how the inhabitants and municipality view the urban green areas and their importance for the population’s health and well-being in Lund. The city of Lund is one of the most densified cities in Sweden in terms of how much green spaces there are as a share of the town’s whole land area. The study was conducted through a web survey among Lund’s population and interviews with representatives of Lund’s municipality. The results show that 97% of the survey respondents experience a positive effect on their general health after visiting urban green areas in Lund. Moreover, 94% experience a difference in their mental health in which the four most common effects are less stress, more alert, happier and better concentration. About 80% of the respondents have a positive view on the quality of and availability to urban green areas in Lund. However, the amount of urban green areas is rated positively by a lower number of respondents. Furthermore, the study also show that the Lund municipality is working towards preserving and developing the existing urban green areas. Decisions to protect the green areas vary depending on its character, but the recreational values are considered having the most impact in decision-making in relation to other ecosystem services.