According to the Surgeon General, moderate exercise, such as walking and bicycling, performed on a regular basis can yield substantial health benefits for individuals. Greenway trails provide safe and convenient places for these activities, which have been proven to reduce stress, burn excess fat, and reduce a person's risk of developing cardiovascular problems, diabetes, cancer, and arthritis. Greenways have been proven to attract and retain tourists and expand tourism revenues in many communities. Trail users spend money in places such as hotels, restaurants, retail stores, campgrounds, bicycle shops, bed and breakfasts, gas stations, and ice cream stands. A case in point is the Tallahassee-St.
Greenways are also economic assets that increase the real estate value of adjacent properties.
The interpretation of natural, historic and cultural resources along a greenway serves to educate young and old alike. Greenways are important ecological tools for the protection and enhancement of the natural environment. They improve water quality by establishing buffers along creeks and streams and providing habitat for a diversity of plant and animal species. These buffers serve as natural filters, trapping pollutants from urban runoff, eroding areas and agricultural lands. Additionally, greenways improve air quality by encouraging non-polluting forms of transportation.