Introduction

This introduction presents an overview of the key concepts discussed in the subsequent chapters of this book. The book locates the growing knowledge about the public health importance of urban blue spaces within a much longer evolution and history of understanding about the environment and human health, including discussion of conceptual models and theoretical frameworks, ending with specific discussion of the use of conceptual models within the BlueHealth project. It presents an overarching review of the evidence from the current research literature and from the findings of the research carried out in the BlueHealth project in order to provide the best evidence which planners and designers can use to support their policies, plans and projects. The book presents the ways in which co-design and public participation can be undertaken, with examples of stakeholder and local community involvement using the BlueHealth case studies in Plymouth in the United Kingdom, Rubi near Barcelona in Spain, Guimaraes in Portugal and Tallinn in Estonia.