Espoo´s Integrated Action Plan for health-responsive blue-green infrastructure 2022–2030

The Integrated Action Plan for health-responsive blue-green infrastructure describes the current policy context in Espoo and how the City of Espoo is working for promoting health of its residents through planning and maintenance of greenspaces. The action plan comprises mainly of actions, which direct the future work towards integrated urban development and healthy urban environments.

The Integrated Action Plan was drawn in the Health&Greenspace project, in which the City of Espoo participated in 2019–2022 together with eight other European cities. As an Action Planning Network (APN) of URBACT, the project aims for transnational exchange and learning and, through that, improving local policies through actions. In the Health&Greenspace project, the cities aimed to improve urban greenspaces in order to promote mental and physical health and social interaction in greenspaces. The Integrated Action Plan of Espoo was conducted in close cooperation within the city organisation and with the local community. In Espoo, the project was administered by the Environmental Protection Unit from the Environment and Building Control Department.

Departments and units that participated in drawing up the Integrated Action Plan.

Actions in the Integrated Action Plan for health-responsive blue-green infrastructure

1.1. Support for the exercising in nature of multicultural inhabitants and residents with special needs

1.2. Organising Physical Activity Counselling in local recreational areas

1.3. Increase in organised nature and outdoor activities for the elderly

1.4. Communications on neighbourhood sports areas and outdoor gyms

1.5. An increase in organised nature and outdoor events for the public

1.6. Implementation of virtual walk routes with a focus on local nature

1.7. Nature and outdoor activities in Espoo´s KULPS cultural and sports education programme

1.8. Strengthening of outdoor education practices

1.9. Visual nature elements in the waiting rooms of health centres

1.10. Greenspaces in the health care practices of Espoo Hospital

2.1. Cooperation between the Welfare and Health Sector and non-governmental organisations

2.2. Support from voluntary Outdoor friends of the elderly activities

2.3. Increase in urban gardening facilities in public premises

2.4. Extension of the Our park concept to schools and day-care centres

2.5. Safeguarding the continuity of voluntary community work events

2.6. Deployment of the Out and about concept in Espoo

2.7. Support for citizen participation and activity in the planning and maintenance of nature sites

2.8. Invocation of responses from My Espoo on a map survey

3.1. Consideration of accessibility-related perspectives in the planning of recreational routes and greenspaces

3.2. Development of practices in planning of public outdoor premises

3.3. Increase in green roofs on public premises

3.4. Principles for planning the health benefits of the blue-green infrastructure in urban planning processes

3.5. Consideration of the health benefits of the blue-green infrastructure in objectives, impact assessment and follow-up for the zoning plans

3.6. Consideration of the health impacts of the blue-green infrastructure in expert opinions of the Environmental Health Unit

3.7. Renewal of survey on local forests next-door to schools and day-care centres

3.8. Further analysis of data on quiet and peaceful places

Downloadable files

Espoo´s Integrated Action Plan for health-responsive blue-green infrastructure_ENG.pdf
Espoon siniviherrakenteen terveyshyötyjen edistämisen toimintasuunnitelma_FIN.pdfFile is only available in Finnish
Tiivistelmä: Espoon siniviherrakenteen terveyshyötyjen edistämisen toimintasuunnitelma_FIN.pdfFile is only available in Finnish
Sammandrag: Esbo stads handlingsplan för främjande av hälsodelar av blågrön infrastruktur_SV.pdfFile is only available in Swedish

Espoo´s Integrated Action Plan for health-responsive blue-green infrastructure 2022–2030

Actions in the Integrated Action Plan for health-responsive blue-green infrastructure

1. Nature in public services

2. Citizen-driven city

3. Planning and management of blue-green infrastructure

4. Information-based urban development

Downloadable files