Is the Grass Greener? Learning from International Innovations in Urban Green Space Management
- Author(s): Matthew Carmona, Claudio de Magalhaes, Ruth Blum, et al.
- Organization: CABE Space
- Date Published: June 1, 2004
This report examines the management of urban green space around the world. It establishes that, not only does an investment in green space management deliver clear and consistent benefits to all the cities concerned to their local populations, political representatives and to green space managers but that these lessons are highly transferable to practice in England. So, by setting the right aspirations, resources and political commitment, it is within the grasp of every local authority in this country to be among the very best in the world. Certain cities around the world are well known for the quality of their urban green space. The research is based on the premise that green space management practice in these cities offers potentially important lessons for practice at home. Eleven such cities were chosen for analysis from the US, South America, New Zealand as well as Europe and a range of important lessons were revealed.
Making the case for designing active cities
- Author(s): Sallis, J.F., Spoon, C., Cavill, N., Engelberg, J., Gebel, K., Lou, D., Parker, M., Thornton, C.M., Wilson, A., Cutter, C.L., Ding, D
- Organization: ActiveLiving Research
- Date Published: February 1, 2015
Creating “activity-friendly environments” is recommended to promote physical activity, but potential co-benefits of such environments have not been well described. An extensive but non-systematic review of scientific and “gray” literature was conducted to explore a wide range of literature to understand the co-benefits of activity-friendly environments on physical health, mental health, social benefits, safety/injury prevention, environmental sustainability, and economics. Five physical activity settings were defined: parks/trails, urban design, transportation, schools, and workplaces/buildings.
http://activelivingresearch.org/making-case-designing-active-cities
MOBILIZING KNOWLEDGE ON ACTIVE TRANSPORTATION: Project Briefing and Highlight Sheets
- Author(s): Public Health Agency of Canada
- Organization: Public Health Agency of Canada
- Date Published: October 1, 2014
This resource, funded by the Public Health Agency of Canada, is intended to help readers understand key active transportation successes and challenges through a panCanadian lens. It offers examples of strategies, policies and programs that have been effective and explores opportunities to engage stakeholders to advance efforts at multiple levels. This resource also identifies a support framework for active transportation based on provincial/territorial experiences that can help all jurisdictions expand their multi-sectoral efforts.
http://www.phac-aspc.gc.ca/hp-ps/hl-mvs/pa-ap/assets/pdfs/mkat-eng.pdf
Natural Playgrounds: Best Choice in a Tight Economy.
- Organization: Natural Playgrounds Company http://naturalplaygrounds.com
- Date Published: January 2, 2012
This website provides useful information on what natural playgrounds are, what they cost as well as links to educational resources.
Neighborhood Environmental Attributes and Adults’ Maintenance of Regular Walking.
- Author(s): Sugiyama, Takemi; Shibata, Ai; Koohsari, Mohammad J; Tanamas, Stephanie K; Oka, Koichiro; Salmon, Jo; Dunstan, David W; Owen, Neville PhD
- Organization: Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise:
- Date Published: September 23, 2014
Environmental initiatives to support walking are keys to non-communicable disease prevention, but the relevant evidence comes mainly from cross-sectional studies. This study examined neighborhood environmental attributes associated cross-sectionally with walking and those associated prospectively with walking maintenance.
The study found neighborhood destinations (shops, parks) and pedestrian environments (alternative routes, walking trails, safety from crime) were found to be associated with regular walking, but only pedestrian environment attributes were found to be related to the maintenance of regular walking. Further evidence from prospective studies is required to identify other neighborhood environmental attributes that might support walking maintenance
Neighbourhood Design, Travel, and Health in Metro Vancouver: Using a Walkability Index
- Author(s): Laurence Frank, Andrew Devlin, Shana Johnstone, et al.
- Organization: University of British Columbia, School of Population and Public Health
- Date Published: January 1, 2012
http://act-trans.ubc.ca/files/2011/06/WalkReport_ExecSum_Oct2010_HighRes.pdf
Neighbourhood Environment and Physical Activity Among Youth: A Review
- Author(s): Ding Ding, James Sallis, Jacqueline Kerr, et al.
- Organization: American Journal of Preventive Medicine
- Date Published: January 1, 2011
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0749379711004594
Parks Are Part of Our Healthcare System.
- Author(s): J. Green
- Organization: American Society of Landscape Architects http://www.asla.org/
- Date Published: August 1, 2012
This article highlights several “programs show that parks not only provide a safe place for people (and especially kids) in dangerous neighborhoods but are possibly key to their health and wellbeing. However, park space alone isn’t enough. The park programs are equally as critical. Without these opportunities, Messiah said, kids in these dangerous neighborhoods just sit inside, playing video games, eating junk food, growing into sedentary unhealthy adults disconnected from nature. While the investments needed clearly don’t need to be huge, parks still must be competitive in making their pitches in this tough financing environment.
http://dirt.asla.org/2012/08/01/parks-are-part-of-our-healthcare-system/