case studies
PUBLIC OPEN SPACE - POSitive Benefits!
As one of the country's leading land management companies, we know and understand that Public Open Space has many positive benefits. We have long been convinced that good landscape features and access to quality public open space is good for people's well-being and the environment. From creating pleasant surroundings, to giving play and recreational opportunities, POS is an integral part of our lives. It can also add value to your property - well-kept landscaped features do add a "wow" factor.
However, don't just take our word for this - there are plenty of examples to support this and organisations to back it up. And the BBC has reported that nature "is worth billions" to UK.
Here are a few recent publications that are worth taking a look at:
www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-13616543
Almost nine out of ten people say public open spaces improve their quality of life Nearly nine out of ten people say that better quality buildings and public spaces improve their quality of life, according to new MORI research published by the Commission for Architecture and the Built Environment (CABE). More than eight out of ten people say they are interested in the look and feel of buildings and public spaces. Only three per cent of the population doesn't believe the quality of buildings and public space has an impact on their health and wellbeing. |
Forest Walk, Livingston |
Almost nine out of 10 people use parks and green spaces, and they value them The 2009 Place survey found that in urban areas, 87 per cent of the population have used their local park or open space in the last year, and 79 per cent have used it in the last six months. The Place survey shows that parks and open spaces are the most frequently used service of all the public services tracked. This compares with 32 per cent who have visited concert halls, and 26 per cent who visited galleries. In fact, Heritage Lottery Fund research reports 1.8 billion visits to parks in England every year. Furthermore, people appreciate these spaces and this appreciation is increasing: in 2007, 91 per cent of people thought it was very or fairly important to have green spaces near to where they live, and by 2009 this had risen to 95 per cent. |
Follow this link to: www.cabe.org.uk/public-space/urban-green-nation
| Kickabout pitch, Eliburn |
Greenspace is good - so prove it!
A Greenspace Scotland event on Social Return on Investment (SROI) heard from leading SROI practitioners and pilot projects. The first completed SROI for the greenspace sector is on conservation volunteering on the Greenlink, a cycle path from Strathclyde Country Park to Motherwell Town Centre. The SROI shows that every pound invested in the conservation volunteering has generated benefits worth £7. For presentations from the event and the Greenlink SROI report follow the link:
| Rufford Hall, Lancashire |
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| "We are strongly persuaded that access to good quality greenspace provides an effective, population-wide strategy for the promotion of good health, wellbeing and quality of life." Royal Commission on Environmental Pollution Report on the Urban Environment |
Invest in Green Infrastructure - November 2009 CABE's Grey to Green campaign will fuel the debate about whether this is smart, given the dangers of climate change and the opportunities to improve public health.CABE argues that a shift is needed in public spending from grey projects, like road building and heavy engineering projects, to green schemes, like street trees, parks, green roofs and waterways.At present, for instance, flood protection requires supersized stormwater pipes. But a combination of living roofs, large trees and soft landscaping can absorb heavy rainfall, store and recycle it for summer irrigation; save energy through roof insulation; provide shade for offices to cut the need for air conditioning; and make cities more beautiful, so encouraging exercise and improving public health. (Greenbelt have been to the fore for many years, in promoting Sustainable Urban Drainage Systems (SUDS) which do very similar work to green infrastructure) Use this link to: http://www.cabe.org.uk | Marsh marigolds in a SUDS basin |
greenspace is good for you
The findings of the sustainable places and greenspace module of the Scottish Social Attitudes Survey were published by the Scottish Government last week.
Key findings include:
Two-thirds (66%) of people in Scotland live within a 5-minute walk of their local greenspace. However, only 53% of people in the most deprived areas of Scotland live within a 5-minute walk of their local greenspace, compared with 67% of people in the least deprived areas of Scotland.
There is a strong link between the distance people live from their local greenspace and how often they use it. Half (50%) of those who live less than a 5-minute walk away from their local greenspace visit it more than once a week, compared with only 16% of those who live more than a 10-minute walk away.
When asked what people think makes a good local park or greenspace, features that require more active management, such as being well maintained, play facilities, lighting and security and good paths, were chosen more often than features relating to the overall ambience of the area, such as having lots of plants, trees or flowers, being peaceful and having attractive views.
A third (33%) of people are very satisfied with the quality of their local greenspace; 46% are fairly satisfied.
Being very satisfied with the quality of your local greenspace is associated with better self-assessed health, higher life satisfaction, greater social trust and a higher sense of community cohesion. 43% of those who are very satisfied with their local greenspace say their health is very good compared with 26% of those who are neither satisfied or dissatisfied or fairly or very dissatisfied.
Follow the link to: www.greenspacescotland.org.uk
Grow Your Own
Research for the Soil Association suggests that 47% of people say they are less able to grow their own food than previous generations. A significant 92% of people in the UK say that self sufficiency and traditional skills like growing your own food have become more important during the financial crisis, yet less than a third of the 300,000 acres of prime growing land in gardens and allotments in this country is currently used to grow food.
Follow the link to: www.soilassociation.org/