Healing and Edible Plants for Urban Wellness: Ecotherapy and Foodscaping (Restore & Prevent)
What if your morning commute was quietly doing you good? In this thought-provoking book, physician and Medical Sciences PhD Dr. Sergei Shevtsov makes a compelling case that the greenery dotting our cities is far more than decorative. Those roadside trees, scrappy courtyard wildflowers, and mossy walls are, in biological terms, active participants in urban health. It's a striking idea, and Shevtsov has the science to back it up. Drawing on ecology, public health, and urban planning, he traces the connections between city plants and human physiology with genuine depth. You'll come away understanding how volatile organic compounds released by vegetation influence the nervous system, how soil microbiomes and the human body share a quiet, fascinating relationship, and why spending even a short time in a well-planted park can shift how you feel on a measurable level. The book also explores how ordinary spaces, balconies, rooftops, school grounds, pedestrian corridors, can be redesigned as therapeutic green environments. Practical chapters cover foodscaping, phytoremediation (the process by which plants filter polluted soil, water, and air), and the design of eco-trails suited to different climates. There's guidance on citizen science initiatives and community-led greening projects too. Shevtsov writes for curious general readers rather than specialists, keeping the tone accessible without sacrificing rigour. Whether you're a gardener, an urban planner, or simply someone who feels noticeably better after time outdoors, this book offers a genuinely fresh lens through which to view your own neighbourhood.
- Author: Dr. Sergei Shevtsov
- Genre: Gardening & Horticulture
- ISBN: 979-8181413443
- Pages: 181 pages