# data[].attributes.body
The page provides links to online information and resources relating to the importance and measurement of environmental quality, aiming to support organisations working outdoors for benefit of people and/or nature.

The links are listed beneath three columns to the right of this text - please scroll down the page to see all of the links. To access one, click anywhere on the image beneath the title text for the resource. Additionally, you can add a comment on any resource for others to see, and add your own links by clicking anywhere you see a '+' sign.

Please feel free to share this page with anyone who may find it useful.

This page was developed as part of the 'Embedding Environmental Quality into Nature-Based Interventions for Health' York Environmental Sustainability Institute Knowledge Exchange Fellows project, with additional funding from the University of Salford and support from the HEY Smile Foundation. The project was conducted in 2024 by Laura J Harrison, Catherine Cowie, Patricia Darcy, Rachel Dexter, Anthony Hurd, Jo Featherstone, Sarah Knight, Peter Coventry & Piran CL White.

With thanks to Blossom, East Riding of Yorkshire Council, Faraway CIC, Friends of Bottesford Beck, Friends of Western Library Garden, Groundwork Greater Manchester,

Groundwork Yorkshire, Green Futures, Humber Conservation Volunteers, Humber Nature Partnership, Humber Wild, Natural England, North York Moors National Park Authority, Orb Community Arts, Rewilding Youth, Solidarity Hull CIC, Sow The City, TCV and Yorkshire

Ambulance Service Trust for their participation in this project.

# data[].attributes.headline
This resource provides a template for evaluating environmental quality in urban settings

# data[].attributes.subject
This resource provides a template for evaluating environmental quality in urban settings

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Quantitative methods

Sampling

The focus of our enquiry will be to look at differences in quality of life within and between different areas. Use the IMD Data Explorer to choose the Lower Super Output Areas (LSOAs) you want to study.

Now identify the Output areas within each of the LSOAs. Output Areas contain roughly 40 - 125 households each, making an Output Area a manageable size for a single day's data collection.

Using a map of Output Areas. Chloropleth map of deprivation data by ArcGIS / Esri, DigitalGlobe & Microsoft.

Measuring environmental quality

An environmental quality survey uses an observer's judgements to assess environmental quality against a range of indicators. Often they work on a sliding scale of quality (like 1 to 5) to represent less good to good. Alternatively you can use a Bi-polar scale (like -5 to +5) to indicate a negative assessment through to a positive assessment, with 0 representing neither good or bad.

As it is based on personal judgements the data collected using environmental quality surveys is subjective. Benchmarking the scoring between different observers will help reduce this subjectivity.

Sampling for environmental quality surveys within a study:

Either an overall judgement of an area - walk around the whole Output Area and then complete the survey as a summary

Or at a number of points within the area - which may be selected using a random, systematic or stratified sample

Recording site location

The easiest way to accurately record the locations of your sampling sites is to use a GPS - there are many different Smartphone apps that will allow you to do this. If you want to use GIS to locate your sites on a map or to display your data, you need to record your location as latitude and longitude.

Qualitative methods

Data on perceptions of quality of life is almost impossible to quantify.

Questionnaires, with a mixture of open and closed questions addressing what people like about the area and what they don't like about the area, can reveal some valuable insights. It can also be interesting to ask people where in the town or city they would most like to live and why? Questions like this will reveal not just people's perceptions of their own area, but also of neighbouring areas. People tend to be either envious or wary of nearby areas and this can be quite revealing. Note that it is not always easy to ask questionnaires in residential areas, as willing respondents aren't always easy to find.

You can also use annotated photos. Note the features that indicate high or low quality of life.

A simple way of gauging perceptions of a place is to use epitome words. Think of a single word that sums up that area. These can then be put into a word cloud (e.g. Mentimeter) and used to compare different areas.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Fieldwork for Inner Cities - Field Studies Council

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
The focus of our enquiry will be to look at differences in quality of life within and between different areas. Use the IMD Data Explorer to choose the Lower Super Output Areas (LSOAs) you want to study. Now identify the Output areas within each of the LSOAs.

# data[].attributes.body
This licenced manual (costing £350 for most users, but free to organisations supporting Parks for London) provides an aid for setting, maintaining, and improving quality standards across all types of green infrastructure.

# data[].attributes.body
This tool provides a free questionnaire to help you assess the quality of blue spaces (any outdoor space that prominently features water). The developers suggest this might provide evidence to support community projects, or help you to assess the safety of using the water (e.g. for swimming)

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
In order to provide places where people can enjoy access to water and also obtain many of the health and well-being benefits associated with such blue spaces, it is important to be able to make effective links from a planning and design perspective. A tool for evaluating a place in a holistic way, through integrating a number of domains (such as the social, physical or ecological), and which enables the positive and negative aspects to be identified is needed.

# data[].attributes.headline
Report on the accessibility of green and blue spaces

# data[].attributes.subject
Report on the accessibility of green and blue spaces

# data[].attributes.body
Creating more accessible green and blue spaces for people with visual imparments

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
JP050 Creating More Accessible Green & Blue Spaces: Understanding the experiences of people with visual impairments that visit green and blue spaces - JP050

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
{“flavour”: “textile”, “content”: “This research report presents findings from a large-scale survey and focus groups, delving into the current utilisation of green and blue spaces (GBS) by individuals with visual impairments and the extent to which existing physical and social access…

# data[].attributes.headline
Tools and guides for measuring the biodiversity value of habitat for biodiversity net gain (BNG)

# data[].attributes.subject
Tools and guides for measuring the biodiversity value of habitat for biodiversity net gain (BNG)

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.authors[].name
Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Statutory biodiversity metric tools and guides

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Tools and guides for measuring the biodiversity value of habitat for biodiversity net gain (BNG).

# data[].attributes.headline
Spaceshaper is a practical toolkit for use by anyone to measure the quality of a public space

# data[].attributes.subject
Spaceshaper is a practical toolkit for use by anyone to measure the quality of a public space

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Spaceshaper is a practical toolkit for use by anyone – whether a local community activist or a professional – to measure the quality of a public space before…

# data[].attributes.headline
Report on the health and wellbeing benefits of green infrastructure

# data[].attributes.subject
Report on the health and wellbeing benefits of green infrastructure

# data[].attributes.body
A rapid scoping review of health and wellbeing evidence for the Framework of Green Infrastructure Standards

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
A rapid scoping review of health and wellbeing evidence for the Framework of Green Infrastructure Standards - NEER015

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Natural England commissioned this report to inform the development of the National Framework of Green Infrastructure Standards, a commitment in the Government’s 25 Year Environment Plan, which Natural England is leading to green our towns and cities for health and wellbeing, nature, climate…

# data[].attributes.headline
Polli:Nation Survey - a simple field guide to measuring habitats and pollinator species

# data[].attributes.subject
Polli:Nation Survey - a simple field guide to measuring habitats and pollinator species

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Polli:Nation Survey | Research groups | Imperial College London

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Developed and delivered in partnership with Learning through Landscapes, Buglife, Butterfly Conservation, University of Stirling, TCV, the Bumblebee Conservation Trust and the Field Studies Council, Polli:Nation was a Heritage Lottery-funded, UK-wide initiative supporting pupils from 260 schools to turn their school grounds and other local walk-to spaces into pollinator friendly habitats. To do this schools were encouraged to:

# data[].attributes.headline
Biodiversity - measuring butterfly species

# data[].attributes.subject
Biodiversity - measuring butterfly species

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Be part of this nationwide survey and help take the pulse of nature. Butterfly declines reveal the poor health of the environment. We need your sightings.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Big Garden Birdwatch is the world’s largest garden wildlife survey. Every year, hundreds of thousands of nature lovers like you take part, helping to build a picture of how garden birds are faring.

# data[].attributes.headline
A community food grower’s guide to working with the health service

# data[].attributes.subject
A community food grower’s guide to working with the health service

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
A community food grower’s guide to working with the health service.

# data[].attributes.headline
The Nature Connection Handbook - evidence and guidance for encouraging connection to nature

# data[].attributes.subject
The Nature Connection Handbook - evidence and guidance for encouraging connection to nature

# data[].attributes.headline
Existing questionnaires and scales for measuring nature connection

# data[].attributes.subject
Existing questionnaires and scales for measuring nature connection

# data[].attributes.headline
Report on the health and wellbeing benefits of greenspace

# data[].attributes.subject
Report on the health and wellbeing benefits of greenspace

# data[].attributes.headline
MOHAWk is an observation tool to assess physical activity and two other wellbeing behaviours (social interactions and taking notice of the environment) in urban spaces

# data[].attributes.subject
MOHAWk is an observation tool to assess physical activity and two other wellbeing behaviours (social interactions and taking notice of the environment) in urban spaces

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
MOHAWk: a new observation tool to assess physical activity and other wellbeing behaviours in urban spaces - Environmental Stewardship for Health

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
MOHAWk is a new observation tool to assess physical activity and two other wellbeing behaviours (social interactions and taking notice of the environment) in urban spaces.