The value of green and blue spaces in terms of social and economic development

In recent years, more information about the advantages of green in cities has become available. The majority of individuals want to live in green areas. Green districts, places beside water, and regions of vegetation have higher house prices than other areas. Towns and cities must be appealing and offer green and culture to attract citizens with greater levels of education. Highly educated engineers, in particular, like to live in green regions, both as a place to reside and as a vacation spot. This fact has prompted cities such as Eindhoven to increase the amount of greenery in their areas. It was also the guiding premise behind the reorganization of Germany's Ruhr region .London has established a program targeted at expanding the amount of green space in the city for a variety of reasons, including enhancing biodiversity and reducing heat stress, as well as improving the city's quality of life and appeal.

People recover from disease faster when they are surrounded by vegetation, which lowers healthcare expenditures and improves the quality of life for patients. This element of planting plants in and around hospitals is becoming a hot topic in relation to the concept of a "healthy environment."

Urban planners have known since the development of the first people's parks that vegetation improves the quality of life for city dwellers. Green spaces are locations where people can go for recreation, physical activity, or simply to relax and unwind. This is good for their health and reduces stress levels in city dwellers. Children need creative play areas in nature to improve their social skills and attentiveness. Both little green spaces near their houses for everyday play and larger green spaces in the town or city or on the outskirts, such as for bicycle journeys, are significant.

The reality is that about 40% of the Dutch population lives in areas with insufficient green recreational opportunities. The Randstad urban conglomeration has the most shortages. [2011, PBL]. 'In actuality, a lack of appropriate vegetation implies that there are insufficient opportunities for walking, sports, or activities, and that children are growing increasingly disconnected from green and natural environments.' [Brosens, 2008] [Brosens, 2008] [Brosens, 2008 The old districts and the new VINEX districts, in particular, lack sufficient green areas, putting further strain on the limited vegetation available. These locations are similarly subpar in terms of quality unless they are well maintained.

The National Spatial Strategy Monitor and an Alterra (2005) research suggest that much more has to be done to get Dutch towns and cities back to where they should be: over two-thirds of the fifty largest Dutch municipalities offer less than 75 m2 of green within a 500-meter radius of a given residence. Many green spaces have vanished or been relocated to the outskirts. In addition, over a thousand hectares of green space around towns and cities (National Buffer Zones) have been razed to make way for construction. According to forecasts, the pressure on urban greenery will worsen as the population grows and policy mandates that the density of existing built-up areas be increased.

HEALTH AND VEGETATION

Overweight children are less likely to live in green areas. Of course, this could be due to a multitude of factors, such as the parents' income and level of education, as well as the resulting financial options and lifestyle patterns. No one can deny, however, that pleasant and green play grounds are essential for all children, and that many districts lack such sites.

Residents are encouraged to cycle, walk, or work in their gardens because there are green places nearby, all of which serve to improve their health. The presence of plants in people's living spaces has been shown to lessen the risk of depression and a variety of other disorders [Maas, 2008]. Green regions, as mentioned elsewhere in this book, stay cooler on hot days and nights, resulting in a healthier microclimate.Green-space views hasten healing and reduce the number of days spent in the hospital as well as the usage of painkillers [Ulrich, 1984]. Green spaces make people feel better [Maas, 2008]. Initial research indicates that vegetation has a good impact on living conditions. It is critical to conduct study into the value of vegetation for people's wellbeing and health since urbanisation continues to grow and the chosen solution is to increase development density. The relevance of modest patches of green, such as neighborhood vegetation, street trees, green roofs and facades, and private gardens, for people's health and wellbeing has received little attention. This crucial task has yet to be completed.

THE VALUE OF NATURE AS A PLAYGROUND

Natural play areas aid in the growth, well-being, and health of children. It is becoming increasingly obvious that youngsters no longer seek out nature, are unable to explain where food originates from, or are concerned about global environmental issues; strengthening young people's relationships with nature is becoming an increasingly vital responsibility. Primary school children, in particular, have a strong bond with their natural surroundings. Natural settings appeal to them far more than built-up areas.[The Netherlands' Health Council and the Advisory Council for Spatial Planning, Nature, and the Environment (RMNO), 2004]. The ability to seek out nature close to home provides youngsters with numerous advantages that are critical to their personal development. Children have a lot of opportunities to interact with nature. [Margadant in Health Council of the Netherlands and RMNO, 2004] Contact with nature increases feelings of self-awareness and autonomy, as well as the processes of assigning meaning and value.Natural playgrounds have been found in multiple studies to have a greater positive impact on the development of children's motor skills than traditional playgrounds. Children develop a sense of responsibility and involvement as a result of their close encounters with nature, resulting in a nurturing attitude toward nature. They learn about various parts of nature as well as the need of environmental preservation [Van den Berg et al., 2007]. If modern-day children are exposed to green environments at a young age, they are more likely to be concerned later in life about variety in nature, good eating, and various landscapes [Council for Rural Areas, 2008].Construction play and imagination play are encouraged in adventurous environments with natural elements, which has a favorable impact on their cognitive and social skills. [Health Council of the Netherlands and RMNO, 2004] [Faber Tayor et al., 1998 in Health Council of the Netherlands and RMNO, 2004]

LIFE QUALITY AND SAFETY

There is a link between the amount of green in a person's living environment and his or her sense of security. Enclosed green spaces are perceived as unsafe in densely populated areas, and the design of green features requires specific attention. [Maas, 2008] [Maas, 2008] [Maas, 2008