Biodiversity and Urban Forests: A Pathway to Population Health

The document outlines the link between biodiversity and population health, positioning urban forests as a municipal tool to mitigate the 'triple planetary crisis' of climate change, biodiversity loss, and pollution. It highlights the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework and Canada's amended Canadian Environmental Protection Act (CEPA) as policy drivers. Evidence is provided on the physical, mental, and social health benefits of urban trees, with specific advantages for children, seniors, and pregnant women. The briefing concludes with seven policy recommendations for municipal governments, including the adoption of Urban Forest Management Plans and equity-focused planting strategies.

• Urban forests provide multifaceted health benefits, including the removal of air pollutants to reduce respiratory and cardiovascular diseases, the mitigation of urban heat through shade and evapotranspiration, and the reduction of stress hormones after 15 minutes of forest exposure.
• Biodiversity is linked to improved population health outcomes; specifically, research across U.S. counties indicates that higher bird biodiversity is significantly associated with longer life expectancy, even when socio-economic factors are adjusted.
• Urban forestry offers targeted benefits for vulnerable groups: children on tree-lined streets show lower asthma rates and improved concentration for those with ADHD; seniors living near walkable green spaces have longer lifespans; and mothers in greener areas tend to have babies with healthier birth weights.
• Municipal governments can use urban forestry to meet global and national mandates, such as the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework's 2030 targets and the 2023 amendment to the Canadian Environmental Protection Act (CEPA) which recognizes the right to a healthy environment.

APA

Canadian Association of Physicians for the Environment (n.d.). Biodiversity and Urban Forests: A Pathway to Population Health. https://cape.ca/wp-content/uploads/2026/02/Biodiversity-and-Urban-Forests_A-Pathway-to-Population-Health-CAPE.pdf#new_tab

Chicago

Canadian Association of Physicians for the Environment. Biodiversity and Urban Forests: A Pathway to Population Health. n.d. https://cape.ca/wp-content/uploads/2026/02/Biodiversity-and-Urban-Forests_A-Pathway-to-Population-Health-CAPE.pdf#new_tab.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=Canadian Association of Physicians for the Environment |title=Biodiversity and Urban Forests: A Pathway to Population Health |url=https://cape.ca/wp-content/uploads/2026/02/Biodiversity-and-Urban-Forests_A-Pathway-to-Population-Health-CAPE.pdf#new_tab |access-date=23 October 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{canadianassociationofphysiciansfortheenvironmentndbiodiversity, author = {{Canadian Association of Physicians for the Environment}}, title = {{Biodiversity and Urban Forests: A Pathway to Population Health}}, institution = {Canadian Association of Physicians for the Environment}, url = {https://cape.ca/wp-content/uploads/2026/02/Biodiversity-and-Urban-Forests_A-Pathway-to-Population-Health-CAPE.pdf#new_tab}, urldate = {2026-10-23}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }