In preparing the 2024 edition of The Canopy Report, the Arbor Day Foundation’s wide-ranging study into how America relates to trees, the foundation sought to determine the value Americans place on trees. The result wasn’t surprising. The report found 88% of people routinely take part in activities proximate to trees and green spaces, and those who participate on a daily basis report being happier and scoring higher in mental and physical health scores than those who spend less time engaging with nature.
Some 77% of people reported wishing their neighborhoods had a greater number of trees and more green spaces, and half said they are forced to drive to the closest green space. In the face of climate change, almost half of Americans feel they should be part of a green group or movement to feel like they’re making a difference. Some 90% said trees and green spaces contribute to their mental well-being. Most significant impacts on well-being: Decreased stress, improved mood and ability to clear one’s mind.
The Canopy Report 2024 also found Millennials and Generation Z place an especially high value on nature, as the generations with highest engagement with green spaces.
It appears after trying every kind of amenity from free beer to billiards and ping-pong tables in a post-Covid campaign to lure employees back to the office, employers are catching on to the lessons of The Canopy Report. They are increasingly hip to the fact wage earners desire workplaces with stronger connections to nature.
That’s totally in keeping with the growth of the U.S. corporate wellness market, which was valued at $11.3 billion in 2023, and is anticipated to touch $16.2 billion by 2029, having grown at an expected 6.2% compound annual growth rate from 2024 to 2029.
As we approach tomorrow’s Earth Day celebrations, here’s a timely look at how some employers are incorporating nature into design in an effort to please their staffs.
Healthy planet
Looking to advance the health and well-being of its 2,000 employees, Wilmington, N.C. Atlantic Packaging, with more than 12 locations across the country, recently unveiled a program called Healthy People, Healthy Planet. The company is adding nature into the workplace in a number of ways: Incorporating green spaces with native plants where employees can decompress; working toward a Xeriscape certification based on outdoor landscaping with drought-resistant native plants; bringing in beehives to stress the importance of pollinators; and incorporating murals that depict nature, particularly at company warehouses and other locations lacking natural light.
Meanwhile, the under-construction new corporate headquarters of leading fresh pet food provider Fresh Pet in Bedminster, N.J. will feature plantings of native vegetation and mature trees. The structure itself will minimize fixed barriers to ensure improved air flow and greater penetration of natural light into the building’s interiors.
In its new headquarters, the company will also pursue WELL Standard building certification. The performance-based system gauges, certifies and monitors features of the built environment with the potential to affect human health and well-being.
The recently completed One Flagler, a 25-story Class A West Palm Beach office building, will incorporate a number of features that amplify the impacts of nature. A high-performance façade and insulated glazing units help trim energy consumption while helping pull natural light into interiors. A living green wall improves the look and aids the biodiversity of the parking garage. A newly created 1.25-acre park at water’s edge extends a campus greenbelt. And select levels will offer terraces, such as a 19,000-square-foot terrace and green space on the 8th floor. Overlooking the lush landscape of Palm Beach Island, the inviting setting has been designed to offer employees a place for mid-day meditations, open-air workouts, team meals and special events.
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