Urban Greenery for Healthy Living Environments

Well-planned urban greenery strongly contributes to healthier living environments. Greenery can improve air quality, reduce heat stress, and enhance both health and well-being.

With this in mind, the so-called 3-30-300 rule has been developed: at least three well-established trees should be visible from every home, school, and workplace, at least 30 percent tree canopy coverage in each neighborhood, and a maximum of 300 meters to the nearest green space from every residence. However, making space for trees to meet this rule in densely built cities is often very challenging.

In the Formas project 3-30-300+ More than Trees, we are developing and visualizing how trees can be complemented by various types of small-scale greenery in different urban environments, as well as evaluating the expected benefits. The goal is to develop new and deeper knowledge and solutions for integrating greenery into urban planning practices, with the following main focus areas:

• Design the right greenery in the right place: We create realistic solutions for how small-scale greenery can be integrated with trees to promote the multifunctionality of urban greenery in the available spaces of the city.
• Urban greenery for health and well-being: We evaluate the impact of small-scale greenery on health and well-being, as well as climate adaptation and energy efficiency.
• Multifunctional urban greenery in urban planning practice: We analyze and develop recommendations for how the benefits of greenery can be utilized to strengthen its role in urban development processes and overcome barriers in implementation.

IVL Swedish Environmental Research Institute leads the project, which is being carried out in collaboration with the City of Malmö, the Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, and the Gothenburg Botanical Garden. The methods include mapping existing frameworks and developing and analyzing design solutions in practical examples from the City of Malmö.

The results will be used to strengthen the role of greenery in urban development by offering concrete tools and recommendations for the planning and implementation of greenery. In the short term, the project will contribute practical examples and capacity-building efforts, while in the long term, it will enhance cities’ ability to create green, healthy, and climate-adapted environments.