Across our region, beaches, rivers, parks, reserves and bush areas are more than just scenic places to visit. Research from Sport New Zealand shows that blue and green spaces play an important role in supporting physical activity, wellbeing and community connection. The value of blue and green spaces | Sport New Zealand – Ihi Aotearoa

Blue spaces refer to environments with visible water such as rivers, lakes and coastlines, while green spaces include parks, fields, bush and other natural areas. These environments provide accessible places where people can walk, play, explore and be active.

Evidence shows people are often more active in natural environments than in built settings, and activity in nature can improve mood, reduce stress and support overall wellbeing. For tamariki, outdoor environments also provide opportunities for exploration, creativity and unstructured play that support physical and social development.

For communities engaging with the He Rā Ki Tua – Horizons Regional Spaces and Places Strategy, this research highlights an important consideration: supporting active communities is not only about building new sport facilities. It is also about thinking creatively about how natural spaces and sport facilities work together.

A sports park, stadium or recreation hub may already sit alongside rivers, reserves or open space. Small improvements can help unlock more opportunities for activity — such as walking paths, nature play areas, informal kick-around spaces, or places where families can spend time before and after organised sport.

In this way, blue and green spaces can become part of the wider network of places that enable people to be active in ways that suit them.

By thinking about how natural environments connect with existing facilities, communities can strengthen the impact of their spaces and support more people to be active, more often.