How we are doing it
Task 1: State of Knowledge Review
Subtask 1.1: To provide an international state of knowledge review of the environmental determinants of health and well-being, exploring the relationship between ecosystem services, high quality environments and health.
Four thematic areas are being addressed in this review:
(1) ecosystem services and physical health;
(2) ecosystem services and mental health and well-being;
(3) the role of multi-functional green space and GI in mitigating environmental risks to health;
(4) environmental justice and distribution of and access to health promoting environments.
A wide range of literature is being reviewed including literature from public health and physiology, psychology, geography, urban planning and landscape design disciplines. The aim of this subtask is to establish an evidence-base that
can be mobilised to influence action and policy and design interventions – i.e. WHY green space for health benefits?
Subtask 1.2: To examine international best practice exemplars to explore the potential for policy/knowledge transfer to the Irish context. This will include specific design schemes in addition to broader policy initiatives and guidance.
This subtask will provide insights into HOW to develop GI/greenspace assets for health benefits.
Subtask 1.3: To develop a typology of health promoting environments based on GI assets and examine variations in the potential health benefits of different types of green spaces, depending on use, potential user groups, design, multifunctional attributes, location etc. – i.e. WHAT types of GI/green space?
Subtask 1.1: To provide an international state of knowledge review of the environmental determinants of health and well-being, exploring the relationship between ecosystem services, high quality environments and health.
Four thematic areas are being addressed in this review:
(1) ecosystem services and physical health;
(2) ecosystem services and mental health and well-being;
(3) the role of multi-functional green space and GI in mitigating environmental risks to health;
(4) environmental justice and distribution of and access to health promoting environments.
A wide range of literature is being reviewed including literature from public health and physiology, psychology, geography, urban planning and landscape design disciplines. The aim of this subtask is to establish an evidence-base that
can be mobilised to influence action and policy and design interventions – i.e. WHY green space for health benefits?
Subtask 1.2: To examine international best practice exemplars to explore the potential for policy/knowledge transfer to the Irish context. This will include specific design schemes in addition to broader policy initiatives and guidance.
This subtask will provide insights into HOW to develop GI/greenspace assets for health benefits.
Subtask 1.3: To develop a typology of health promoting environments based on GI assets and examine variations in the potential health benefits of different types of green spaces, depending on use, potential user groups, design, multifunctional attributes, location etc. – i.e. WHAT types of GI/green space?
Task 2: Study of National Practice
The overarching aim of this task is to provide a national benchmark study of current practice to provide an assessment of: current capacity in this area, policy deficits, best practice, and barriers and opportunities to enhancing policy.
Subtask 2.1: To undertake a documentary content analysis of national and local authority policies that relate to the interface between ecosystems, green space and healthy environments.
This analysis will identify the extent to which health considerations are integrated into the provision of green space and the types of policies that underpin current practices.
Subtask 2.2: We will undertake in-depth interviews with expert informants designed to focus on policy and institutional barriers and opportunities to identify future pathways and interventions. Interviews will be undertaken across the public, semi-state and private sectors to include:
(1) public sector interviews – officials from the Department of Health and the HSE, Department of Environment, Communities and Local Government (relating to spatial planning), the Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport (relating to sustainable mobility and recreation), the National Parks and Wildlife Service, and a sample of local authority officials involved in the provision of green space;
(2) semi-state interviews – for example with the Irish Sports Council and Coillte’s Recreation Division;
(3) private sector interviews – with professionals involved in green space design and planning, including a sample from architects, landscape architects and planning consultants; and
(4) NGOs and civil society groups active in green space provision or advocacy – examples include allotment groups, local Tidy Town Committees, community groups involved in green space ownership, walking advocacy groups etc.
It is envisaged that approximately 25 in-depth qualitative interviews will be undertaken by the research team.
Subtask 2.1: To undertake a documentary content analysis of national and local authority policies that relate to the interface between ecosystems, green space and healthy environments.
This analysis will identify the extent to which health considerations are integrated into the provision of green space and the types of policies that underpin current practices.
Subtask 2.2: We will undertake in-depth interviews with expert informants designed to focus on policy and institutional barriers and opportunities to identify future pathways and interventions. Interviews will be undertaken across the public, semi-state and private sectors to include:
(1) public sector interviews – officials from the Department of Health and the HSE, Department of Environment, Communities and Local Government (relating to spatial planning), the Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport (relating to sustainable mobility and recreation), the National Parks and Wildlife Service, and a sample of local authority officials involved in the provision of green space;
(2) semi-state interviews – for example with the Irish Sports Council and Coillte’s Recreation Division;
(3) private sector interviews – with professionals involved in green space design and planning, including a sample from architects, landscape architects and planning consultants; and
(4) NGOs and civil society groups active in green space provision or advocacy – examples include allotment groups, local Tidy Town Committees, community groups involved in green space ownership, walking advocacy groups etc.
It is envisaged that approximately 25 in-depth qualitative interviews will be undertaken by the research team.
Task 3: Local Case Study Analysis: ecosystem services and health at the local scale
The aim of this task to consolidate and complement Task 1, We will provide local case study analysis to ENHANCE THE EVIDENCE BASE on the provision of and access to green space and to examine the interactions and behaviour of local citizens in green space use.
The Tallaght Town Centre area has been selected in conjunction with South Dublin County Council planning, community and health promotion officials to represent the urban experience, Waterford City and County Council to represent the suburban experience, and Offaly County Council to represent a more rural context. Our research will be undertaken at the local scale in the three local authorities in partnership with the relevant planning departments to ensure that the research can inform the local planning process. While some of these issues could be explored through a national representative sample, selecting in-depth, local case studies enables the research to provide a more detailed analysis of the complex interactions between the quality of green space and how this influences the behaviour of local residents in green space issues enabling us to develop more nuanced guidance in terms of design and policy recommendations. Moreover, the distribution of population is Ireland is broadly an equal 3-way split between urban, suburban and rural locations, so in this way we are capturing the typical spatial experience of the population. The inclusion of a more rural location (Offaly) also enables us to investigate a paradox of rural living – while rural residents are surrounded by green space, this is often inaccessible agricultural land and provision of accessible green space can be very limited and also requires alternative ameliorative action (e.g. linear greenways).
The aim of this task to consolidate and complement Task 1, We will provide local case study analysis to ENHANCE THE EVIDENCE BASE on the provision of and access to green space and to examine the interactions and behaviour of local citizens in green space use.
The Tallaght Town Centre area has been selected in conjunction with South Dublin County Council planning, community and health promotion officials to represent the urban experience, Waterford City and County Council to represent the suburban experience, and Offaly County Council to represent a more rural context. Our research will be undertaken at the local scale in the three local authorities in partnership with the relevant planning departments to ensure that the research can inform the local planning process. While some of these issues could be explored through a national representative sample, selecting in-depth, local case studies enables the research to provide a more detailed analysis of the complex interactions between the quality of green space and how this influences the behaviour of local residents in green space issues enabling us to develop more nuanced guidance in terms of design and policy recommendations. Moreover, the distribution of population is Ireland is broadly an equal 3-way split between urban, suburban and rural locations, so in this way we are capturing the typical spatial experience of the population. The inclusion of a more rural location (Offaly) also enables us to investigate a paradox of rural living – while rural residents are surrounded by green space, this is often inaccessible agricultural land and provision of accessible green space can be very limited and also requires alternative ameliorative action (e.g. linear greenways).
Subtask 3.1 involves the selection of case study areas in partnership with the 3 local authorities and other local actors (e.g. Local Development Companies and Healthy Cities and Counties Coordinators) – these will be selected on the basis that the research findings can be applied directly into local policy-making.
Subtask 3.2 applies a Relational (person centric) Approach to assess the perceived quality and provision of different types and the quantity of green space in the local areas selected.
Subtask 3.3 involve the design and application of a custom designed household survey in the local case study areas, the running of a series of 'pop-up' community engagement events and the administration of a choice experiment (CE) with local citizens.
Subtask 3.2 applies a Relational (person centric) Approach to assess the perceived quality and provision of different types and the quantity of green space in the local areas selected.
Subtask 3.3 involve the design and application of a custom designed household survey in the local case study areas, the running of a series of 'pop-up' community engagement events and the administration of a choice experiment (CE) with local citizens.
- A target of 500 households will be interviewed. In addition to providing novel evidence to enhance a national understanding of green space for health, the research findings will also feed into the local plan formulation process for the selected areas.
- A series of ‘pop-up’ community engagement events in 3 local case study areas will engage directly with green space users (and non-users) in terms of alternative design scenarios and capture user opinions and desires regarding their experience of green space that will inform the guidance produced in WP4 (see below). The pop-ups will consist of an organised workshop with UCD researchers engaging local residents on design features, involving card sorts, aerial satellite exercises and 4 developed out scenarios (based on the initial survey) to illustrate alternatives concerning the experience of place. The primary purpose of these pop-ups is to generate a community conversation regarding green space use, design features and enhancements, as a form of direct engagement and to also communicate directly with the public on the wider aims of the project and the role of the EPA and HSE in promoting healthy places.
- Given that green space is also shown to have an influence on the cognitive development and spatial awareness of children and their future inclination to healthy life-styles, and noting the particular influence on possible inactivity of modern digital media age, the research team will also work with local youth groups to explore the comparable use preferences of young people. This aligns with a greater emphasis within international and national practice given to children’s issue in urban planning, and our research approach will be guided by UCD’s Research Ethics Committee in the engagement of children in research projects.
- The final component of this subask will involve a choice experiment in which local citizens’ stated expected frequency of use is introduced as a dependent variable in response to a range of GI/green space attributes contained in tailored visual scenarios prepared by the project team’s landscape architect. The attributes will be selected for their capacity to support health related benefits on the basis of the evidence provide by Task 1. Possible attributes would be trails, paths, watersides, wildlife habitat, quiet areas, social areas, play areas, etc. “Use” will be qualified by respondents themselves in terms of capacity for physical activity, psychological well-being and social interaction. As well as providing original empirical evidence to examine health-related use, the choice experiment will also identify factors that limit the use of GI assets (e.g. perceptions of safety).
Task 4 – Guidance on enhancing Ecosystem Benefits of Greenspace for Health
This Task focuses on translating KNOWLEDGE TO ACTION through two subtasks designed to ‘health proof’ plans through effective
planning tools and design guidance.
Subtask 4.1 will develop and apply a Health Impact Assessment tool to integrate with the Strategic Environmental Assessment of the 4 local area plans identified in WP 3 – this will entail Health Impact Assessment in the SEA ‘considerations of alternatives’ section.
Subtask 4.2 will provide a ‘How To’ guide for enhancing the health benefits from GI and green space. This guide will provide a user-friendly 3 step approach: (1) how to apply GIS for understanding the distribution and types of GI and green space assets; (2) demonstrating the integration of health impact assessment into the SEA process; (3) design guidance based on the international and local evidence translated into a series of concept design exemplars though the project team’s landscape architect.
