Are we ready for hypoallergenic parks? Sounds like an oxymoron, right? Well, this dream could soon become a reality thanks to research published in the American Society of Agronomy. The researchers hope their efforts will lead to “fantastic urban green spaces that don't cause allergic reactions for 30 percent of the city's population”. Professor Paloma Carinanos’ team specifically studies the city of Granada, Spain. This city's climate and layout is like that of many cities in the Mediterranean area, which has the highest occurrence of pollen allergies in the world. The researchers hope their efforts will lead to fantastic urban green spaces that don't cause allergic reactions for 30% of the city's population. To research team lead by Carinanos began by classifying the trees in Granada's ten largest green spaces. They grouped the trees into three categories. Then they recorded the type of pollination, the length of the pollination period, and the potential for causing allergies for each tree. The researchers used all of this information to calculate if the green space was negatively affecting air quality and causing allergies. What the researchers found was surprising. Many of the most common trees in Granada were among the trees causing unhealthy or hazardous air quality. The researchers hope to use this research as a tool for planning and preventing allergies in open spaces, to make sure that the public can enjoy the great outdoors without being struck by allergies, watery eyes and runny noses.
