From Mother Jones · Anna Rogers · · 50s
Tiny parks boost wildlife and health
Small green spaces help butterflies, birds, and human health in cities.
In brief
Small green spaces help butterflies, birds, and human health in cities. Tiny urban parks improve butterfly populations, bird diversity, and human health by increasing access to green spaces. Originally reported by Mother Jones.
Butterfly recovery in San Francisco
A 2007 project created butterfly highways using host plants to connect isolated populations.
“We planted microhabitats wherever we could get, a swath of a triangle or a long stairway edge”
Microhabitats benefit wildlife
Tiny green spaces improve bird diversity and butterfly genetics by connecting populations.
“The thing with urban parks is that they’re not as isolated as they might appear”
Urban green spaces improve health
Americans with easier access to parks have lower rates of obesity, high blood pressure, and diabetes.
“Americans tend to think about [the] nature benefit from the great outdoors”
10-minute walk initiative
Over one-third of Americans cannot reach a park within 10 minutes.
“The thing with urban parks is that they’re not as isolated as they might appear”
Funding for urban greening
Biden’s Inflation Reduction Act approved over $1 billion for urban greening projects.
“All sorts of organizations lined up, scrambled, put in grant proposals, were awarded funds, and were beginning to do the projects”
North Richmond’s park funding issue
North Richmond received $19 million for green spaces but most funds remain unfulfilled.
“The thing with urban parks is that they’re not as isolated as they might appear”
The one thing
Tiny urban parks improve butterfly populations, bird diversity, and human health by increasing access to green spaces.
