News Story

Scottish rivers, lochs, and coastlines deliver health benefits worth up to £123 million a year in the Forth region alone, research has found.

The Worth of Water report, published by Greenspace Scotland, has for the first time conducted research to put a monetary value on the health impacts of Scotland’s blue spaces.

The study, carried out by the University of Aberdeen and Public Health Scotland, found around 1.1 million adults spent an estimated 105 million hours at rivers, lochs, beaches, coastlines and other blue spaces in Scotland during the past year.

It estimated the annual health benefits of these visits was worth £105.2 million from exposure to nature, £123.3 million from physical activity, and £39.6 million from aquatic activities.

Improvements to mental wellbeing was one of the clearest benefits from spending time by water, according to the report.

It found 93% of visitors said blue spaces lifted their mood, 89.7% said they helped them de-stress, and 86% reported a positive impact on their mental health.

The findings have led to authors of the report calling for Scottish blue spaces to be recognised as a public health asset.

Lorraine Tulloch, chief executive of Greenspace Scotland, said: “This research gives us hard evidence of something many people already feel instinctively, that spending time beside water can make a meaningful difference to our health and wellbeing.

“Putting a value on those benefits makes the case much stronger for rivers, lochs and coasts to be recognised not simply as attractive places to visit, but as important public health assets.

“The next step is making sure more people can benefit, particularly those who currently face the greatest barriers to accessing these spaces.”

Dr Luis Loria-Rebolledo, a research fellow at the University of Aberdeen who led the study, said researchers want to give policymakers a “clearer picture of the value these environments provide”.

She added: “People do not need to be swimming, sailing or taking part in organised water sports to gain these benefits everyday physical activities such as walking beside a river, or simply spending time in nature on the coast can also contribute to health and wellbeing.”

Although the study found spending time by rivers, lochs, and coastlines benefited people’s health and wellbeing, it also found access to those benefits is unequal.

People in high-income households were 23% more likely to visit blue spaces than those in low-income households, while disabled adults were almost three times as likely never to visit one.

Adults in poorer health were also almost twice as likely never to visit.

Car access was also strongly linked to whether people visited blue spaces at all, while living close to one increased how frequently people visited.

The report said improving facilities, site quality, transport links and accessibility could help existing users visit more often, while targeted outreach could encourage greater use among communities currently benefiting least.

Dionne Mackison, head of place, environment and health harms at Public Health Scotland, said: “This study adds to the growing evidence that Scotland’s blue spaces can support health and wellbeing, particularly through improved mental wellbeing and opportunities for physical activity.

“It also highlights that not everyone can equally access and benefit from these environments.

“Understanding the value of blue spaces can help inform action to support healthier communities and reduce health inequalities.”