Design and delivery of open spaces that promote the health and wellbeing of people and the natural environment is a key challenge for health and urban planning in rapidly growing cities. There is growing recognition of the need for higher-density more compact urban form to accommodate the growing urban populations. In turn, this places greater pressure on Public Open Space (POS) and green spaces within urbanised areas and emphasises the important role of city planning to incorporate green spaces. A greater understanding of how these spaces should be designed is needed to support human health and the environment, including the physical, mental and social health of individuals and communities, and the maintenance of ecosystem services and biodiversity. This review has been prepared for a collaborative project between the Heart Foundation (South Australian Division), the South Australian Local Government Association, the South Australian Government Departments of Health and Ageing, Office for Recreation and Sport, and the Department of Environment, Water and Natural Resources. The literature reviews evidence on characteristics of POS and green space that benefits human health and wellbeing, biodiversity and ecosystem services. The review summarises findings from an emerging research field, which considers the relationships and benefits between POS and green space characteristics, and physical, mental and social wellbeing, biodiversity and ecosystem services. In this review, we have attempted to define the key constructs of POS and green space, which are not well articulated in the literature. Terminology and definitions are provided early in the review, before a summary of key findings in the literature describing evidence of urban density influences green space, and the benefits of green space for physical health, mental health and wellbeing, ecosystem services and biodiversity. The report concludes with a Green Space Matrix summarising relevant green space characteristics and their associated benefits derived from the evidence, recommended principles to achieve co-benefits and a model of geographic scale for consideration in green space design and delivery.
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This Literature Review. Report was prepared for the Heart Foundation, SA Health, Department of Environment, Water and Natural Resources, Office for Recreation and Sport, and Local Government Association (SA). University of Melbourne: Victoria.. The report was produced as a joint initiative of the National Heart Foundation of Australia (South Australian Division), the South Australian Government (Department for Health and Ageing, Department of Environment, Water and Natural Resources, and the Office for Recreation and Sport), and the South Australian Local Government Association. The collaboration commissioned the University of Melbourne to conduct a literature review into the elements of quality public open space that support health and wellbeing, biodiversity and environmental sustainability, recognising the important contribution open space has for healthy communities and local ecosystems.. This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 Australia attributed to the National Heart Foundation of Australia (South Australian Division). It may be reproduced in whole or in part for research, study or training purposes subject to an acknowledgement of the source and no commercial use or sale.
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