Nature Keeps Our Community Healthy

The relentless push for development in the Bay Area, must be balanced by the preservation of natural open spaces (parks and preserves) to maintain the health of our community. Undeveloped land improves air and water quality, reduces flood risk, and spending time outdoors offers a wide array of physical, mental, and social health benefits. Please watch this short video that highlights the variety of benefits of preserving nature and read about the comprehensive research below.

Air Quality, Climate Control & Physical Health

Here in Santa Clara County, due to the tireless efforts of our community leaders, we are fortunate to be surrounded by tens of thousands of acres of open spaces. Growing in these open spaces are trees and other vegetation that reduce extreme heat conditions and improve air quality. Unlike concrete and other surfaces such as roads, sidewalks and parking lots that reflect the sun’s radiation and increase heat, trees reduce temperatures in our neighborhoods by physically blocking as well as absorbing sunlight to use in the process of photosynthesis (carbon sequestration). In addition, vegetation improves air quality by absorbing thousands of pounds of air pollutants such as carbon monoxide and ozone (National Park Service Trees & Air Pollution Data). Plants also capture fine particulate matter (PM2.5), which can exacerbate respiratory problems, especially in older adults. Cleaner air and fewer and less extreme heat waves benefits everyone, but it is particularly vital for older adults who are more vulnerable to air pollution related diseases like asthma, COPD, and heat-related illnesses such as heat stroke.

Clean Water & Flood Risk

Preserving large areas of undeveloped land is important in our fight against water pollution and floods. Our homes, local businesses, libraries and schools are built on and surrounded by impermeable surfaces. During a rainstorm, as water flows across these surfaces, it picks up dirt, oil, fertilizer and other pollutants, then runs into our storm drains and the local waterways such as Coyote Creek and Guadalupe River and finally into San Francisco Bay (urban runoff). In contrast, soil and vegetation act as natural water filters because as water passes through soil, pollutants get caught and plant roots can absorb them. In this way our aquifers (underground water storage) receive and store filtered, cleaner water. Moreover, with enough nearby green spaces, we can reduce the risk of severe floods and physical damage to our homes and other infrastructure. Not only do soil and plants filter and absorb pollutants but they absorb and store water for later use (California State Report ).

Health & Well-being

Parks and preserves serve as important sanctuaries for our well-being. Time outdoors offers a wide variety of physical, mental, and social benefits. Numerous scientific studies including randomized-controlled trials and meta-analyses have documented reduced blood pressure, stress and depression, as well as improved sleep, as a direct result of time spent in natural environments (Gal, V. and Domotor, Z. 2023; Watkins-Martin, K. et al 2022; Nejade, R.M. et al 2022). One large study of nearly 20,000 adults indicated that spending at least 120 minutes of recreational nature contact per week was associated with good health and well-being for older adults and those with health issues (White M.P. et al 2019). We are lucky here in the Santa Clara County to have easy access to more than 50 parks and preserves (South Bay Parks & Preserves).

Santa Clara Valley Open Space Authority

The Santa Clara Valley Open Space Authority manages 30,000 acres of open space in Santa Clara County. Open Space Authority is a special district, primarily funded through a modest $24 a year parcel tax in their districts which includes Campbell, Milpitas, Morgan Hill, San Jose and Santa Clara. For every $1 from the parcel tax, the Open Space Authority raises another $3 of matching funds. The agency is among the most efficient public agencies that manage Santa Clara County’s land.

The Authority manages four open space preserves, Sierra Vista, Rancho Canada del Oro, Coyote Valley and Máyyan 'Ooyákma - Coyote Ridge Preserves, that are free to use, offering 33 miles of walking trails. They also manage tens of thousands of acres of land that are closed to the public and protect our community from environmental disasters such as the 2017 Coyote Creek flood that caused more than $100M in damage. They recently purchased a property called Laguna Seca which is an important piece of San José’s climate-resilient future. Freshwater wetlands at Laguna Seca will be restored in order to protect us from flooding, allow us to recharge our aquifers which supply clean drinking water and as described above, will help to reduce air pollution. Moreover, these wetlands will help endangered wildlife thrive.

Written by Dr. Anne Ferguson, Executive Director & Founder of Bay Area Older Adults.