Paul H. Gobster of the USDA Forest Service North Central Research Station suggests in a recent journal publication in Landscape and Urban Planning that sustaining open spaces in urban areas is "now increasingly being seen as integral for sustaining our psychological health and our ethical relationship to the non-human world."
[Gobster, Paul H. "The Social Aspects of Landscape Change: Protecting Open Space Under the Pressure of Development." Landscape and Urban Planning | 2004, 69: 149-151]

So how exactly does greenspace help our psychological and physical health? The Trust for Public Land suggests open spaces:
1. Provide an easy way to reduce the effects of sedentary lifestyles in today's world
2. Enables and encourages a fun outlet for mental and physical health
3. Gives children the ability to think creatively and interact with others
[The Trust for Public Land: Land and People Magazine | 2006]

According to a recent national study released by Outdoor Industry Foundation (OIF), a non-profit organization that supports outdoor recreation across the nation, outdoor activity on a regular basis can yield mental and physical health benefits. In addition, those who start recreating at a young age are positively affected in terms of their commitment to ongoing activity.
[Dersi, Christine, Meagan Zeune and Andrew Kline: E Health | 2006] [Outdoor Industry Foundation | 2006]

Project for Public Spaces (PPS) is a non-profit organization "dedicated to creating and sustaining public spaces that build communities." A recent article written by PPS suggests that greenspace serves as an "important catylst for community development and enhancement ... and as a place for social and cultural exchange." Because greenspace planning should come from the community, citizens have more respect for place and feel more satisfaction in their surroundings.
[Projects for Public Spaces: "Creating Great Urban Parks." | 2003]

"Frederick Law Olmsted (1822-1903) is recognized as the founder of American landscape architecture and the nation's foremost parkmaker. (NPS)" Olmsted was well-known for saying that parks were "organizing elements for cities, steering the flow of development," both economically and culturally within the neighborhood unit.
[Places. "To Rally Discussion: Rethinking Urban Parks." | 2004] [National Park Service | 2007]

Landscape and Urban Planning found in a study conducted on active neighborhoods that "community identities are often anchored in tangible environments and events of a community, and have the potential to serve as visions for landscape planning processes." In the section of this website on "Theme Development" I state reasons why it is necessary for the community to stay actively engaged in the planning of their neighborhoods and towns. I lay out some wonderful points and resources that show the positive impacts citizens can have on their neighborhoods.
[Landscape and Urban Planning: "Community Identities as Visions for Landscape Change." | 2004, 69: 315-334]

In another article by The Trust for Public Land, it is suggested that greenspace "creates stable neighborhoods and fosters stronger community development ..." Greenspace also "increases 'social capital,' promoting neighborhood cohesiveness and belief in the ability to effect change."
[The Trust for Public Land: Land and People Magazine | 2006]

Olmsted wrote regarding greenspace that "what we want to gain is tranquillity and rest to the mind." Author and park researcher Robin F. Bachin suggests Olmsted is arguing that "nature has to be carefully constructed in order to foster the experience of tranquility. Olmsted believed in 'the restorative qualities of nature' to bring about this social order and harmony. For Olmsted, the 'contemplation of natural scenes of an impressive character' helped overcome the stresses of modern city life."
[Places: "Cultivating Unity: The Changing Role of Parks in Urban America" | 2003]

The majority of us live in small concrete jungles and with the ability to step back into the way our landscape looked two-hundred years ago, we find peace and tranquility which enables us to contemplate and reflect thoughtfully on our surroundings.

The better a community looks aesthetically, the better a community sustains itself in the longrun. Being proud of your home surroundings is important and key to a successful community. Beautification can be a part of the building process to build pride and sustainability in a community.
[Urban Resources Initiative: Yale School of Forestry | 2007]

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The Trust for Public Land has come out with six reasons why land conservation in the form of greenspace makes good economic sense:

1. Parks and open space often increase the value of nearby properties, along with property tax revenue
2. Parks and open space attract businesses and trained employees in search of a high quality life
3. Parks and open space attract tourists and boost recreational spending
4. Parks and open space reduce obesity and health care costs by supporting exercise and recreation
5. Working lands, such as farms and forests, usually contribute more money to a community than the cost of the services they require
6. Conserved open space helps safeguard drinking water, clean the air, and prevent flooding - services provided much more expensively by other means

For more information and explanation on the economic benefits of parks and open space, visit the Trust for Public Land website dedicated to Economic Growth.

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Perhaps the founding motivator for the initiation of greenspace in America comes from the conservation movement beginning in the late 19th century.

Cultural historian and conservationist William Cronon suggests we have distinct landscapes of which only together in the right combination can create the American life we desire. "The landscapes are city, suburb, working land, wilderness. Each embodies values that are essential to what we believe ourselves to be or aspire to become as a nation. Together they form a cultural continuum that profoundly shapes the way we think about nature in this country."

Cronon continues to say regarding the conservation movement that "this movement is not about assertion of state power. Rather, it's about communities expressing shared values and working to make sure that the lands they love will continue to embody those values for all time."
[The Trust for Public Land: Land and People Magazine | 2006]