RIVM helps municipalities make more targeted choices for healthy green space |
|
|
|
|
 |
| 117 sec |
New 'Healthy Green Guide' highlights differences between types of green and their effects
Municipalities are being provided with a new tool to make more targeted choices in public space. With the 'Healthy Green Guide', the RIVM supports policymakers and managers in assessing which type of green delivers the greatest health benefits in a given location. The tool distinguishes fourteen types of green and links them to effects, target groups and conditions for design and management.
This article was previously published on April 9, 2026 on the website of Stad + Groen.
| People relaxing in Kronenburgerpark in Nijmegen (Image: NWST) |
According to researcher Hanneke Kruize, this is necessary. 'Municipalities want to look beyond just the amount of green. It is about which type of green is valuable for whom.' The guide builds on existing rules of thumb regarding quantity and distance, but focuses on quality and application.
From 'more green' to 'the right green'
In practice, green space is often treated as a single category, while its effects vary greatly depending on type and location. The 'Healthy Green Guide' helps municipalities differentiate between these. The classification aligns with the Public Space Management Information Model, making it recognisable for managers. For each type of green, the guide provides insight into health effects, target groups and conditions for design and management. This supports decision-making in planning, implementation and management of outdoor spaces.
|
|
The tool distinguishes fourteen types of green and links them to effects, target groups and conditions for design and management
| |
|
Not every type of green serves the same purpose
A key principle is that each type of green has a different function. Trees, for example, provide cooling and reduce stress, while play-oriented green spaces are important for children's development. Smaller interventions, such as façade gardens, contribute to social interaction in neighbourhoods. This provides guidance for decision-making, especially in situations where space and budgets are limited.
Small spaces, high value
The guide also shows that small green spaces are often underestimated. These areas are often the first to disappear during redevelopment or budget cuts, while they are important for many residents. 'If you only look at the amount of green, small spaces quickly disappear from view,' says Kruize. 'While those are precisely the places that matter for people who depend on green space close to home.'
|
|
'Municipalities want to look beyond just the amount of green. It is about which type of green is valuable for whom'
| |
|
Guidance for integrated policy
According to Marcelle Lock, the guide also helps improve cooperation between departments. 'You see that each type of green has its own function, also for different target groups.' This makes it easier to link green space to themes such as health, climate adaptation and social quality. The guide also emphasises the importance of conditions such as accessibility, maintenance and safety. Without these, the benefits of green space remain limited.
Tool still under development
In the coming period, RIVM will further develop the application of the guide in practice, including a spatial translation of green types at neighbourhood level. Initial responses from the field are positive: municipalities indicate that the tool helps make discussions about green space more concrete. At the same time, customisation remains necessary. 'What is possible differs per city. In a dense city centre, there is less space than in a new residential area,' says Lock.
|
|
The guide builds on existing rules of thumb regarding quantity and distance, but focuses on quality and application
| |
|
The 'Healthy Green Guide' distinguishes 14 types of green:
| 1. | | Green roof
| | 2. | | Green façade
| | 3. | | Façade gardens
| | 4. | | Green gardens and balconies
| | 5. | | Trees
| | 6. | | Green roadside verge
| | 7. | | Planting beds and pocket parks
| | 8. | | Green play areas
| | 9. | | Wadi
| | 10. | | Park
| | 11. | | Allotment gardens
| | 12. | | Brownfield sites
| | 13. | | Green-blue corridor
| | 14. | | Nature and recreation area
|
|
| LOG IN
with your email address to respond.
|
|
|
| There are no comments yet. |
|
| |
Anyone can place small ads for free through their own account.
Place a free ad
|
|
|
|
