Green Infrastructure and the National Health Service

1. Green Infrastructure and the National Health Service Martin Moss & Anne BrenchleyNatural England

2. Green Infrastructure and the Natural Health Service. Martin Moss – Natural England, NW Delivery Leader, Green Infrastructure. Anne Brenchley – Natural England, NW Delivery Leader, Health and environment.

3. Natural England – Our Remit. Created NERC Act Oct 2006. Here to conserve and enhance the natural environment, for its intrinsic value, the wellbeing and enjoyment of people and the economic prosperity that it brings. We work for …

4. A healthy Natural Environment. The natural environment has intrinsic value. Landscapes and wildlife enrich people’s lives. Healthy ecosystems supply natural services for economic prosperity.

5. People value and conserve the natural environment. Everyone should have opportunity to enjoy. People engage with and understand the natural environment. People and communities take action for the natural environment.

6. Sustainable use of the natural environment. Our use land, freshwaters and the seas does not compromise the natural environment. Change and development occurs in ways that protect and enhance the natural environment.

7. A secure environmental future. Understanding complex factors that change the environment. Developing evidence, information and monitoring. Set vision and engage people in debate about our future.

8. The role of GI for Natural England. GI is cross cutting, helps with all 4 outcomes. A Spatial Planning approach helping to deliver more sustainable places. Supporting people and the economy through the pursuit of Natural Value.

9. Green Infrastructure – What’s it all about?

10. Green Infrastructure – It’s the living part of the place! NW GI Definition. The region’s life support system – The network of natural environmental components and green and blue spaces that lies within and between the North West’s cities, towns and villages which provides multiple social, economic and environmental benefits.

11. Building Natural Value with Green Infrastructure. Quality of environment - healthy natural systems supporting people, wildlife and essential ecosystem services. Quality of life – greener living space, health benefits, contact with nature, opportunity for natural play, space to grow our own food. Quality of Place – natural environments supporting the natural economy and helping to deliver sustainable economic growth. Realising the 11 economic benefit streams.

12. Natural Economy NW - 11 Economic Benefit Streams www.greeninfrastructurenw.co.uk www.naturaleconomynorthwest.co.uk

13. GI – The Challenge - Changing the 4 behaviours. Communication – building awareness and support. Planning – developing better tools, embed in policy and plans. Investment – understanding and valuing the benefits. Delivery – more, better faster – getting it used, getting people engaged.

14. What’s going on in the NW?

15. NW Application – Regional Policy - NW GI Prospectus. 1 proposal – GI is critical infrastructure for sustainable development. 5 Priorities (1 economic competitiveness, 2 healthy communities, 3 climate change, 4 food and fuel security, 5 protection and repair of landscapes, biodiversity and ecosystem services) 4 Places (Areas of major change, opportunity, regeneration and development, areas of environmental deficit).

16. NW Application – Sub-Regional Frameworks. Cumbria – limited framework – Coastal zone and ecosystem services case study. Lancashire – published Nov 09. Greater Manchester – Outline Oct 08, further work into 2010. Merseyside – Draft due Apr 2010. Cheshire – begins 2010.

17. NW Application – LDF level. EM3 – reflect in LDF – Locally specific. Sub-Regional Frameworks to provide basic structure and allow cross border consideration. Spatial framework within the LDF. Role of GI in delivering broader LDF objectives.

18. NW Application – Regeneration – Liverpool Knowledge Quarter. Liverpool City Centre. 2 universities. 1 Teaching Hospital 2 Cathedrals. Masterplan - Ensuring that we offer an inspiring and convivial place for the exchange and development of ideas set within a high quality and distinctive public realm, underpinned by strong cultural, leisure and other quality of life assets.” 14,000 people 15% Liverpool GVA

19. What do Natural England Want from Green Infrastructure?

20. Green Infrastructure for Natural Value. Healthy natural environment is; Indispensible to economic prosperity. An effective way to deliver multiple benefits to society. Derived from investment in green infrastructure and ecosystem services. Needs effective planning to deliver.

21. Natural England Guidance – our latest position on green infrastructure. Launched at the ParkCity conference London 2009. Sets out Natural England’s current understanding of GI and our remit. Explores the functions and benefits of GI planning. Looks at how GI can be delivered through a variety of plans and strategies.

22. Green Infrastructure for natural value – Natural England shopping list. Natural Place. Natural Resilience. Natural Development. Natural Connections. Natural Health Service.

23. Natural Place – building nature into the place. Green settings – landscape character, and biodiversity. Green spaces. Green features on the street. Green roofs and walls. Ecologically informed design - sustainable urban design.

24. Natural Resilience – carbon banker. Conserving carbon stores - Degraded lowland Peat soils loose between 2.8 and 5.8 million tonnes of CO2 per year. Ameliorating urban heat island effects. Managing flood risks. Ecological networks for species movement and adaptation.

25. Natural Development – more sustainable places. Greener urban design – living places, working spaces, commercial areas. Quality of Place - Green Infrastructure should be woven into development and regeneration. Design for functions not just amenity space. It’s about creating “economic, social and environmental value”.

26. Natural connections – putting people with nature. 80% of people in England live in urban areas. Space for social interaction. Space for volunteering, skills development. Space for learning and play.

27. Natural Health Service – getting active. The evidence Closing the health gap The nature of good health The value of a green prescription

28. Why is the Natural Environment so important? Evidence linking health and environment Ecosystem services – the multifunctionality of greenspace

29. Can Green Space benefit the Health of the Population? Senior citizens lived longer with more space to walk and with nearby parks and tree lined streets near to where they live. Tanaka A, Takano T,Nakamura K, et al. Health levels influence by urban residential conditions in a megacity — Tokyo.Urban Stud 1996; 33: 879–945. For every 10% increase in green space there was a reduction in health complaints equivalent to a reduction of five years of age. De Vries, S.Nature and health; the importance of green space in the urban living environment. Proceedings of the symposium ‘Open space functions under urban pressure’. Ghent: 19–21 September 2001. Being within access to Green space can increase levels of physical activity Giles-Corti B,Donovan RJ. Relative influence of individual, social environmental, and physical environmental correlates of walking. Am J Public Health 2003; 93(9): 1583–1589.

30. How surrounding vegetation help children cope with stress

31. Human Benefits of Green Space Indirect Effects Direct Effects Reducing Health Inequalities Moderating impact from extreme weather Improving Mental Health Shelter from UV, noise, wind Improving Physical Activity Carbon sequestration Reducing Obesity Improved water and air quality Food security Enhancing Social Cohesion

32. Health Inequalities For life expectancy, there appears to be no improvement (slight worsening) since the baseline of 1997 The government’s target is to reduce the difference in life expectancy by 10% by 2010 The Marmot Report (Jan 2010) looks at all indicators that contribute to Health Inequalities and makes some recommendations, which include the enhancement of green-space availability and accessibility

33. Public Health problems Increased incidence of obesity, Type 2 diabetes, mental health problems such as depression and stress, heart disease, strokes, joint replacements, falls in the elderly, breast cancer, bowel cancer etc. Only 40% of men and 28% of women are currently meeting the CMO recommendations for physical activity That’s 27 million people in England alone who are not active enough to benefit their health

34. Green-space deprivation ever growing population in a finite space – urban communities losing their green outlook and space to walk and play Creation of the obesogenic environment where the car is ‘king’ and daily active travel is indirectly discouraged (poor public transport and few safe walking and cycling routes) Lack of integrated planning and realisation of the impact on public health

35. What is Natural England doing for green-space? Access to Natural Green-space standards (ANGSt) and mapping access Country Park Accreditation Green Flag awards Working with LA Access staff to improve PROWs (footpaths, bridleways, cycle paths etc) Access to Nature grants

36. The Natural Health Servicelinking health and the environment What we want: Every household in the country should be within five minutes walk of an area of green space of at least two hectares. Every GP or community nurse should have the opportunity to refer patients to an approved health walk or outdoor activity programme. Walking for Health (WfH) can help deliver the Natural Health Service but alongside other activities such as Green Exercise, Green Gym, Blue Gym, Care Farms etc.

37. The Natural Health Servicelinking health and the environment What we are doing: Our Walking for Health (WfH) programme, supported by the Department of Health can help deliver the Natural Health Service. This programme introduces people with health problems, that can be helped by introducing them to gentle exercise, to the outdoors. This programme works alongside other activities such as Green Exercise (such as cycling), Green Gym (conservation volunteering activities), Blue Gym (water based activities), Care Farms etc.

38. Summary The natural environment (green-space) is a major contributor to health and well-being and can help deliver National Indicators The main areas are Health Inequalities Public Health Social Cohesion Natural England is working in partnership with many organisations to ensure that the concepts of Green-infrastructure and Our Natural Health Service are delivered to improve the quality of life of people in England.