Green Space Resources

Key research documents, case studies and other materials have been produced that help the case for green space funds.

To help green space managers keep on top of this latest research, this Green Space Resources section gathers all the very best materials or links to them in one place.

• The Greenspace Design for Health and Well-being good practice guide makes case for the benefits of parks and gardens in healthcare settings
  
  
• The Green Places Fund is a collaborative effort by five local authorities to harness local stakeholders to attract funding into a common pot. GreenSpace is spearheading the initiative.
  
  
• Torbay's Urban Forest, published by Treeconomics has analysed and quantified the structural and environmental value and benefits of urban tree stock. Download pdf  of report at http://www.itreetools.org/.
• The Greener Neighbourhoods guide, launched by Neighbourhoods Green highlights the significance of green space managed by social housing landlords.
  

• Forest Research has launched a website for Urban Regeneration & Greenspace Partnership to promote the benefits and importance of green infrastructure. The site provides local authorities, volunteers, researchers, planners, developers, and non-government organisations with green space projects and resources, best-practice guidance, case studies, evidence notes, toolkits and models.
  
  
• Benefits of Green Infrastructure by Forest Research was funded by Defra and the communities department. It covers parks, allotments, gardens and road verges and outlines cost-effective benefits of well-planned green infrastructure.
  
  
• Monitor of Engagement with the Natural Environment: The national survey on people and the natural environment - Natural England, Defra and the Forestry Commission commissioned a new survey called Monitor of Engagement with the Natural Environment (MENE) to provide baseline and trend data on how people use the natural environment in England. The annual report presents the main findings from the first year of the survey. The summary data tables (as an annex to the annual report) provide cross tabulations of all survey questions against standard socio-economic variables.

• People, places and their green spaces - published by Keep Britain Tidy.

• Parks Investment Pays - As the spectre of public spending cuts looms, Mark Bramah and Debbie Johns put the case for investment in parks and green spaces.

• Parksmatch  - an online tool where green spaces can post requests for support and advice from other managers

• Study highlights health benefits
  * Research link: What is the Best Dose of Nature and Green Exercise for Improving Mental Health? A Multi-Study Analysis by Jo Barton and Jules Pretty

• Latest research on economic benefits of green space adds fuel to investment case
  * Mersey Forest research link - The Economic Contribution of the Mersy Forest's Objective One-Funded Investments by Regeneris Consulting
  
  
• Local authorities have new powers to impose levy on developers to fund green infrastructure
  
  
• US benefit analysis snares $220m for trees
  * i-tree tool assessment link
  
  
• Philadelphia ‘breakthrough' as research uncovers financial value created by parks
  * Research link - How much does the City of Philadelphia Receive from its Park and Recreation System? by the Trust for Public Land's Center for City Park Excellence
  
  
• Perennial Pioneers
  
  
• Greenspace Scotland research claims a sevenfold return on investment for parks
  * Research link- Social Return on Investment (SROI) Analysis of the Greenlink, a partnership project managed by the Central Scotland Forest Trust (CSFT)
  
  
• Case for investment grows as evidence for plants' role in well-being is highlighted
  
  
• Academics give eco-warnings
  
  
• Investment in green spaces still essential
  
  
• NHS could benefit from better parks access
  *Research link - Walking for Health initiative
  
  
• Green spaces in line to benefit from proposed developer tariff
  
  

CABE resources list

• Creating successful masterplans- a guide for clients offers expert advice on masterplanning for people commissioning and managing development projects above the scale of single buildings.
  
  
• Managing green spaces - seven ingredients for success examines how the organisation and structuring of parks and green space services affects their performance.
  
  
• Community-led spaces - a guide for local authorities and community groups is a guide to the issues involved in transferring ownership and management of public space from local authorities to community groups.

• Community green: using local spaces to tackle inequality and improve health - a research study from CABE which explores was to overcome the fact that thousands of hectares of development land and open space on social housing estates languish unused because of poor quality.
  
  
• Decent homes need decent spaces  - a practical action plan by CABE, in partnership with the National Housing Federation, which identifies ten priorities to improve the quality of the green spaces on social housing estates.
  
  
• Urban Green Nation - building the evidence base - attempts to quantify how many green spaces there are in our urban areas, where they are, who owns them and what condition they are in.
  
  
• Green Space Skills 2009 - National Employer Survey findings presents research to identify the total size, scope and labour market status of the green space sector in England.
  
  
  
• Cabe Space's Making the Invisible Visible describes how to asset-value your parks