Benefits of Greening Vacant Lots: Crime Reduction
GREENING.
In urban planning refers to the integration of vegetation and other green elements into the built environment, such as parks, green roofs/ walls, urban farms and gardens, and more. It involves adding plants, trees, shrubs, and other green elements to a city's landscape to provide biological, economic, and aesthetic benefits.
The benefits of planting in vacant lots are numerous and well-documented. From reducing crime rates to lowering air pollution, increasing property values to reducing energy costs, planting in these otherwise unused spaces can make a huge difference in urban areas. Here, I will discuss the five key benefits of planting in vacant lots, including the ways they can reduce crime rates, air pollution, temperatures, water runoff, and increase property values.
PLANTING VACANT LOTS CAN REDUCE CRIME
A 2018 study shows that planting trees and other vegetation in vacant lots in urban areas can significantly reduce crime rates by as much as 10%.
The study, published in the journal Scientific Reports, involved analyzing data from nearly 600 vacant lots in Philadelphia, PA, over a period of nine years (2007-2015). The researchers used a statistical model to compare crime rates in areas with vacant lots that had been transformed into green spaces with those in areas with lots that had remained empty.
They found that the crime rate dropped by an average of 10.5% in areas with green spaces. This translates to a reduction of roughly 1.5 violent crimes per 10,000 people in those areas. Gun violence fell by 30 percent in neighborhoods living below the poverty line that got transformed lots. Other lighter crimes like burglary and loitering—gateway misdemeanors that can eventually lead to violent crime — fell from 20 percent to 30 percent.
The team concluded that green spaces are beneficial by providing an area where people can gather and socialize, offering a sense of hope or optimism for community members. This can lead to lowered stress levels, improved mental health, and greater feelings of safety. It is yet another reminder of the significant impact and importance of investing in our communities, especially in the form of green spaces.
Resources:
Citywide cluster randomized trial to restore blighted vacant land and its effects on violence, crime, and fear (2018)
https://www.fs.usda.gov/research/treesearch/55829
Ideas We Should Steal Festival 2018: Public Spaces, Civic Health