Page - 439 - in Biodiversity and Health in the Face of Climate Change

439 walking may be more important than simple proximity. Ward Thompson (2013) considers ways that open space planning and design can support physical activity and Ward Thompson (2015) discusses links between landscape planning and design and human health more generally. Features and elements of green spaces and the green space system should do justice to all of the four components (aesthetic-symbolic, social, mental and physi- cal) relevant for human health. The following Sects. 20.5.1 and 20.5.2 show how this could be achieved. The sections mainly refer to Rittel et  al. (2016), where a more comprehensive overview can be found. 19.5.1 Individual Green Spaces Before considering specific health benefits that green spaces can offer, general qual- ity criteria must almost always be fulfilled in order to ensure, at least in principle, that people may be willing and able to use a green space and therefore take advan- tage of its health potential. The criteria that support inclusive use include: safety issues (e.g. ensuring good visibility), cleanliness (e.g. provision and emptying of waste bins, lack of vandalism), appropriate equipment for different types of uses (e.g. benches, playgrounds, providing shade), sufficient pathways, accessibility and approachability (e.g. enough entrances, including step-free ones, consideration of potential obstacles such as busy roads). Aesthetic-symbolic health potentials can be promoted by designing green spaces in a way which enables people to perceive a green space as attractive, ‘unique’ and to identify with it. This is closely related to its perceived beauty (evoked, e.g. by the play of light and shadow, water in various forms, sightlines, trees and different types of vegetation, attractive leaves and flowers) and to the emphasis or creation of fea- tures that reflect typical local characteristics. Of course, ‘beauty’ and ‘place iden- tity’ are based on different individual and community values and experience, a fact reinforcing the importance of user analysis and/or stakeholder participation. Social health can be promoted by allowing for interaction and integration, e.g. by areas usable for picnics, playing, growing food or organising community gatherings and events, etc., by separating areas for different, conflicting uses, and by use of barrier-free design, e.g. allowing access for wheelchairs and pushchairs and for people with mobility and sensory impairments. Enabling and fostering nature expe- rience (e.g. by a variety of plant species also providing food for insects and birds, areas managed to promote wildlife and maintained less intensively; see Davies et  al. Chap. 12, this volume), opportunities for gardening and self-harvesting, but also retreats which offer the possibility for quiet relaxation and restoration are important for mental health and stress-reduction (see Marselle et  al. Chap. 9, this volume). With regard to physical health, a range of options for play and sports should be provided, as well as for walking (by far the most common form of physical activity), although possible conflicts between nature conservation and health must be taken into account. This applies to allergenic plants (see Damialis et  al. Chap 3, this vol- 19 Linking Landscape Planning and  Health