Using visual representations provided by Bluesky International and the National Tree MapTM (NTMTM) data, has helped the council facilitate a wider discussion with local communities about the importance of urban trees, with clear representations of tree and green space locations.

In recent years, urban design has seen a shift to include sustainability, liveability, and urban greening. Studies have shown that access to nature in urban environments has positive impacts on both physical and mental health, as well as the natural environment. Identifying areas to increase urban greening and provide an equitable distribution of tree and green space cover is becoming increasingly important in a bid to make our urban areas resilient, healthy, and sustainable.

3+30+300 was introduced in 2021 by Cecil Konijnendijk, co-founder of the Nature Based Solutions Institute, and has since gained considerable traction with urban planners and environmentalists. It provides a guideline for urban greening, recognising the need for everyone to realise the benefits of living and working within a certain proximity to trees and urban nature.

In simple terms, the rule states that there should be 3 trees in line of sight, 30% canopy coverage, and green space within 300 metres of all residential and workplace buildings. 

For Fiona Chirnside, an environmental planner at Aberdeenshire Council, understanding and monitoring the environment is becoming increasingly critical as the local authority strives to reduce its carbon output, assess carbon capture opportunities, and enhance its natural environment.

“We have applied the analysis from Bluesky, which uses the 3+30+300 rule in conjunction with their NTMTM data, for cross-service discussions specifically for the Inverurie area, as part of the development of a corporate place plan for the settlement,” added Fiona.

“Services from across the council, even those who perhaps wouldn’t necessarily see trees or green spaces as part of their remit, can benefit from this information whether it’s for future project planning, resident engagement, or grant applications. We have had interest from colleagues in our Roads and Education teams and from our Health & Social Care Partnership and using the 3+30+300 analysis has meant we can demonstrate the impact location to trees and green spaces can have, especially when we overlay with our social economic data.” 

Cllr Sarah Dickinson, chair of Aberdeenshire Council’s Sustainability Committee, added: “Greenspaces and trees provide us with so many environmental benefits and that alone is reason enough to be excited about this project. But we often overlook the amazing benefits for ourselves, our health and wellbeing, that these spaces provide. Access to nature is so important: for our mental health, for our air quality, to be able to take part in outdoor physical activity, and that is what makes the focus of this project so special.”  

Residents in particular have found visuals produced from the analysis useful, enabling them to clearly understand tree cover, in turn enabling discussion and increasing interest in trees.

Environmental planner Eleanor Munro said: “The 3+30+300 analysis visuals have significantly boosted our ability to engage with the community and, working together, they will help identify suitable tree planting locations in the town that will align to the rule for the benefit of the community.”

Ralph Coleman, chief commercial officer at Bluesky, added: “When we discovered Cecil Konijnendijk’s research rule, we quickly realised how data from our NTMTM could be used to create an analysis service offering fast and accurate visuals depicting the distances from prescribed residential areas to trees and green spaces.

“Our NTMTM data is the only comprehensive tree mapping dataset to capture trees 3 metres and taller across Great Britain and the Republic of Ireland and this has enabled us to be the first to offer national 3+30+300 analysis as a service. The outputs, based on existing data sources, are produced rapidly providing local authorities, housing developers and environmental consultants the efficiency required to deliver an effective service.”