The Importance of Urban Green Spaces

By November 6, 2020News

Studies continue to show what we at DUG have long known to be true – that green spaces are vital to urban areas for greater human health and a biodiverse environment.

Yet green space in Denver is disappearing faster than in most other cities, with pavement increasing from 19 percent of the city in 1974 to 48 percent in 2018.

If trends continue, by 2040 almost 69 percent of the city is expected to be paved or covered. Only New York and a few mega cities exceed that level of what planners call “imperviousness.”

Denver Urban Gardens has been preserving and maintaining land in metro Denver for 35 years, and we currently steward over 31 acres across six counties. Our community and school-based gardens are not only places where people can get outside for fresh air and exercise, but also grow fresh, healthy food for themselves and their communities and find genuine connection with their neighbors.

 

We’re proud to be the largest urban network of community gardens in the nation.

For the last 35 years, we’ve been working towards our vision to create a vibrant, healthy Denver Metro Area where everyone has access to growing space and the resources needed to grow their own food.

With the rise in obesity, depression, carbon levels in the atmosphere, and cultural division, it’s clear gardens play an important role in supporting conscious movement and healthy eating, mental and emotional wellness, carbon sequestering and soil building, and bringing together people in community.