Thesis green areas and mental health

Overvecht is a neighbourhood in Utrecht with lots of green space. It has been called "an island in a larger urban landscape". Each neighbourhood is surrounded by lots of vegetation and easily accessible open green structures. On the other hand, Overvecht is a neighbourhood with relatively poor mental health. Compared to other Utrecht neighbourhoods, Overvecht also feels less healthy. This study showed that green areas in the neighbourhood do not equate green areas in the domestic environment. This was done with an analysis on small green areas and large green areas, and an analysis with aerial photography on the presence of green vegetation in the gardens of houses in Overvecht. These analyses were produced in combination with data on mental health and quantitatively examined whether there is a link between the presence of green space in the neighbourhood, and statistics on mental health.