Making the most of communities' natural assets: green infrastructure

Solving problems and reducing costs

Working with nature can provide effective and often lower cost solutions to complex problems. For example, working with nature's natural functions to remove pollutants from water or air, or to reduce flooding impacts, can often be cheaper than using more conventional hard engineered approaches that may require more expensive materials and construction methods. Including appropriately designed and sited greenspace in towns and cities as part of a wider approach to sustainable urban drainage systems can reduce the need for additional drainage capacity in more conventional underground pipes. This approach can offset increases in built-up land and impermeable surfaces such as car parks which put more pressure on the drainage system. [See example: Metropolitan Glasgow Strategic Drainage Partnership surface water management schemes ⁴ ].

Looking after our natural assets like rivers or wildlife is cheaper in the long term than trying to restore them after they have been damaged or degraded. For example, controlling an invasive non-native species such as Japanese knotweed before it spreads with associated cost implications for built development. A report suggests that invasive species cost £1.7 billion every year, such as through loss of crops, damaged buildings, additional production costs and loss of benefits from nature. This includes £251 million in Scotland, and more than £6m to the Scottish construction and development sector ⁵ .

The costs of high-maintenance, low biodiversity "green deserts" of much urban greenspace is another example of a problem where "nature assisted management" adopted from ecosystem thinking could be an answer ⁶ (see Edinburgh Parks example). A recent evaluation for Forestry Commission Scotland of the installation of a natural play facility in the grounds of Merrylee Primary School in Glasgow found that it costs only about £3,000 more than using hard surfaces - and the knock-on benefits for children's health, behaviour and achievement are significant ⁷ .

Improving Edinburgh's Parks - Living Landscapes

Edinburgh City Council aims to improve its parks through the Living Landscapes project. Current trials in a number of parks are transforming the intensively maintained landscape features (e.g. amenity grassland and municipal flower/shrub beds) to less intensive but more biologically rich landscape features. These include Pictorial Meadows, a mix of native and non-native wildflower communities. The trials have been extremely popular as they create a vibrant and visually appealing environment for park users and local residents. Further trials are planned with Edinburgh University as part of their "Urban Pollinator" research, (see http://www.edinburgh.gov.uk/info/94/wildlife_conservation/550/wildlife_conservation_and_biodiversity/5).

Research increasingly highlights the health benefits from physical activity and contact with nature ⁸ .

• Regular participation in informal recreation, volunteering and learning in the outdoors can all improve physical and mental health.
• Contact with nature can help recovery from physical and mental problems and guard against future illness, as well as increase mental concentration ⁹ .
• Enjoyment of nature and involvement in its care brings increased social contact and contributes to stronger communities.
• Stimulating a positive interest in the natural world and promoting outdoor activity at a young age has the potential to encourage healthier lifestyles.

Evidence suggests that investing in nature and landscapes can be cost effective. For example, an analysis of an 8 week wildlife and nature activity programme in Perth and Kinross, for patients with a variety of mental health problems as an alternative form of rehabilitation support, produced an estimated 'profit' of £12.43 for each £1 spent i.e. a social return on investment of £1: £12.43 ¹⁰ .

An important aspect of creating health-nurturing environments is ensuring that everyone has access to high quality greenspace for health and recreation. The Central Scotland Green Network aims to transform the environment of the central belt, in particular our most deprived communities, and to ensure that everyone has access to attractive, well-maintained greenspace within walking distance of their home.