Turning part of a yard into a more natural space can produce measurable effects in a short time. In a Finnish study involving the University of Eastern Finland, 21 detached-house yards were given diverse vegetation, deadwood, wood chips, microbially rich growing media and leaf composters.
After three months, the researchers observed changes in the skin and oral microbiome, along with signals linked to a more balanced inflammatory response. The work supports the idea that yards, parks and other urban green spaces should be designed to be more natural, leaving room for wild nature.
