| Greenery |
 |
| Street trees and front lawns,
together with walkable streets and historic buildings, make the Highlands neighborhood one
of the most desirable in the town of State College, PA. |
The quality of life in urban areas is much enhanced when an
abundance of plant life is present. Not only does greenery add to the aesthetic appeal of
places, but it has many practical applications. Street trees provide shade to pedestrians
and harbor other forms of wildlife such as birds and squirrels. Front yards provide a
semi-public transition between the public street and the private house. Green spaces are a
welcome respite from everyday life, whether they are private back yards, or public parks
and gardens. All plants absorb carbon dioxide and produce oxygen, often filtering and
fragrancing the air in the process.
The goal of providing greenery is not incompatible with the goal
of density: many of the densest urban areas of cities such as London or Paris incorporate
parks, street trees and even back yards. Fairmount park in Philadelphia embodies the
greenway concept: an unbroken chain of green stretching though the city, incorporating
forest, parkland, cycle paths and rivers.
