Shielding playgrounds from roads with trees vastly improves air quality for children

Lancaster University professor Barbara Maher said: "Our findings show that we can protect school playgrounds, with carefully chosen and managed tredges, which capture air pollution particulates on their leaves. This helps to prevent at least some of the health hazards imposed on young children at schools next to busy roads where the localised air quality is damagingly poor, and it can be done quickly and cost-effectively.”

Selectively planting trees between school playgrounds and local roads significantly protects children from poor air quality, new research has found.

The findings from scientists in Lancaster University, published in the journal Scientific Reports, show that if tactical planting of vegetation around roads near schools and playgrounds can be installed quickly and efficiently, improvements in air quality are rapid.