This key finding comes from the study “Impact of Green Spaces on Mental and Physical Health,” which was presented on Monday at the Landscape Laboratory in Guimarães. The event was attended by notable figures, including the Mayor, Domingos Bragança; Adelina Pinto, President of the Landscape Laboratory; Luís Campos, President of the Portuguese Council for Health and Environment; and José Pimenta Machado, President of the Portuguese Environment Agency (APA).

The study, developed by the Landscape Laboratory, the University of Minho School of Medicine (UMinho), and the Higher Institute of Health (ISAVE), involved 501 residents living near Guimarães' municipal green spaces and cross-referenced data on proximity, use, perception, and impact on health indicators. Respondents were divided into those living less than or more than 300 metres from green spaces. Interviews were conducted between March 8th and 24th, 2025, based on a quota matrix by gender, age, and location, with a total of 17 interviewers.

The findings are clear: merely living close to parks showed no statistically significant impact on psychological symptoms or sleep quality. In contrast, how often individuals used green spaces emerged as a key factor in reducing anxiety, stress, and improving sleep. While a link with depression was also observed, it appears to be influenced by other variables, such as income level or employment status.

Also, in the realm of physical activity, the study confirms that proximity is important: the further people live from parks, the less time they dedicate per session to moderate activity. Regular use of green spaces positively influences physical activity levels, especially walking and moderate exercise.

The socioeconomic analysis reveals a significant contrast: people with higher incomes value green spaces more but frequent them less. On the other hand, those with lower incomes use these spaces the most—a trend that reinforces the importance of public policies that actively promote their use. In this sense, the study authors emphasize that building or maintaining parks is not enough; it is essential to encourage their regular use.

Pedro Morgado, from the University of Minho School of Medicine, believes that the study reinforced a key idea for urban mental health: "Nature only has a therapeutic effect when it is transformed into a lived, regular, and active experience." The researcher argues that "living next to a park can be irrelevant if the population isn't involved in its use," also highlighting the importance of concrete measures: from accessibility and safety to the existence of social and physical activity programs in these spaces, including school activities.

The study supports the work Guimarães has been carrying out within the scope of the Radial Green Strategy, a city that will be European Green Capital in 2026. This strategy envisages the construction of three concentric green belts: one in the urban area and two outside the city, measuring 20 and 42 kilometres, respectively. "These tree belts will connect green areas, parks, and greenways, improving accessibility, which is precisely one of the barriers identified in the study," explains Carlos Ribeiro, executive director of the Landscape Laboratory. When completed, the outermost ring should encompass 74% of the municipality's population.

The "Bairro C" project—a pilot urban regeneration initiative focused on environmental sustainability and connecting green corridors—is already creating the first of these rings, with 11 kilometres of green belts within the urban fabric. It should be noted that between 2012 and 2023, Guimarães increased its green area by 95 hectares, now having two large urban parks measuring 30 and 39 hectares, located to the east and west of the city.

It should be noted that Guimarães has a plan in place to achieve climate neutrality by 2030, with initiatives such as the PEGADAS project—a municipal environmental education initiative aimed at the school community—which has already engaged 19,300 students and 1,700 teachers in sustainable practices.

The study followed an integrated public health approach, aligned with the concepts of One Health and Exposome, recognizing the interdependence between human health, the environment, and ecosystems, and the cumulative impacts of environmental and social exposures throughout life.