Researchers believe a new approach to analysis can maximise the impact of protecting nature on and off-shore.
A team at The James Hutton Institute say they have identified a set of indicator which can determine how ‘useful’ blue and green spaces are.
According to an assessment of nature in Scotland, 72 factors should be taken into account when calculating the benefits of investing in sustaining, improving and nurturing rural areas, parkland, lakes, rivers and coastal waters.
Amongst other things, the project identified a wider set of indicators which determine whether a space is beneficial to people and the environment in comparison with communities and businesses. More so, the current method of assessing blue and green spaces did not always consider the elements which are viewed as most important by environmental professionals and key stakeholders.
In comparison, The James Hutton Institute team believes a Four Capitals framework should be used. This approach takes into account natural capital, human capital, social capital and produced capital, therefore ensuring that each value range is factored into calculations about which green spaces will be most advantageous from a resource and financial investment perspective.
‘Scotland’s green and blue spaces are important for people’s health and wellbeing, as well as providing valuable community spaces, opportunities to experience nature, and spaces for business,’ said Dr Michaela Roberts, Environmental Economics at the Hutton and co-author of the study.
‘However, the benefits provided by green and blue spaces relies on their quality,’ she continued. ‘We hope that a better understanding of the dimensions of quality of green and blue space in Scotland will help facilitate improvements to quality, and therefore the extent of benefits felt by communities.’
Image: James Hutton Institute
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