ABSTRACT
In studies measuring the effect of exposure to nature and a variety of mental health outcomes but not always explicitly attributing these outcomes to stress, affect, or cognitionit has been found that exposure to nature brings with it a variety of improvements to mental health. Many studies set the natural environment against the urban built environment to test these relationships. It is hypothesized that modern tendencies towards the habitation of urban environments where green infrastructure has been erased or diminished is at odds with our innate positive predisposition to the natural environment. Studies such as this reveal general associations between greater exposure to the natural environment and improved mental health, and this has created a much needed basis on which to build and address some obvious limitations to concluding clear cause and effect. Recent longitudinal evidence has revealed that green infrastructure (GI) in one's environment is indeed important in delivering sustained gains in general mental health.
