Page - 437 - in Biodiversity and Health in the Face of Climate Change

437 3. Health as an independent topic in landscape planning Here, health related aspects are not just used to provide further support for ‘tra- ditional’ landscape planning objectives. Instead, specific goals and measures are developed for the purposes of health protection, and health promotion. From a health promotion perspective, this is the preferred option, as it is the only one which allows for explicit pro-active measures promoting health, regardless of other land- scape planning issues, such as biodiversity, water protection etc. This means, how- ever, that landscape planning enters previously uncharted territory. Consequently, landscape planners require new knowledge, as they are usually not trained in health planning, and cooperation with health authorities. This is the most comprehensive and complex of the three options for including health concerns in landscape and green space planning, and requires the following working steps (Rittel et  al. 2016, p.  41): • Survey and assessment of the potential or actual health-promoting effects of green spaces • Identifying and resolving conflicts between health-related requirements or aspi- rations and other landscape planning objectives • Development of health-promoting measures in green spaces and the entire sys- tem of green spaces in a city • Redesign of green spaces to improve their health-promoting potential and effects, if necessary • Analysis of existing and potential user groups and others whose health might benefit: As health-related potentials and effects of green spaces heavily depend on user-specific requirements, an analysis of user groups is recommended. In every step of the planning process, it is useful to consider their needs and inter- ests, as many health potentials of green spaces can only be realised if the spaces are actually used and/or considered as community places. Therefore, green Table 19.1 (continued) Objectives of landscape planning Health-related effects Diversity, uniqueness and beauty of nature and landscape, open space recreation Protection of landscape and recreational functions Health promotion and protection by preservation and development of natural, semi-natural and cultural characteristic landscape elements and green spaces, which contribute to the aesthetic attractiveness of a landscape and to local or regional identity Health promotion by prevention, reduction or elimination of factors impairing recreation Health promotion by preservation and development of various types of green spaces with potential for a diversity of different uses (physical exercise, social interaction, relaxation and restoration, nature experience, growing food, etc.) Based upon Rittel et  al. (2016, 77ff) 19 Linking Landscape Planning and  Health