The health and wellbeing benefits of green space have been widely researched. Yet, the benefits of urban blue spaces are less-known.
As with green space, the quality of a natural environment plays a role in determining any health benefits or risks of a given blue space. Comparable quality assessments, including about the access and use of spaces, are needed to inform public health-related policies and to inform environmental design, management and protection.
This research paper, published in the Urban Forestry and Urban Greening Journal, provides a review of existing tools and the novel BlueHealth Environmental Assessment Tool (BEAT) that has been specifically designed to enable these comparable assessments.
