"Forest floors" boost children's immune systems

Researchers in Finland have found that replacing pavement, tile, and gravel in daycare play yards with grass and other forest undergrowth has a detectable impact on T-cell count and other important immune system markers in as little as one month. The benefits were similar to those of children living outside cities who visited a forest every day. While not conclusive, the finding "supports the assumption that contact with nature prevents disorders in the immune system, such as autoimmune diseases and allergies."

This points toward a future where technology for rewilding — providing precise and automated watering and nutrients for plantings within and around buildings — can produce substantial public health benefits by boosting children's immune systems, pointing towards significant public health benefits from "rewilding the city".