Conference Agenda

Greenways are key features in a recreational infrastructure that provide for a multitude of benefits including health and wellbeing. A substantial literature is available, but little is known about how greenway interventions stimulate behaviour change. Drawing on the Behaviour Change Wheel this study aims to investigate how multi-component interventions impact behaviour change of residents living nearby six intervention greenways in Denmark. By means a cross-sectional survey (n=3262) descriptive analysis showed that restructuring the physical environment and restructuring the social environment had the highest level of reach of all intervention functions. Further, linear regression analysis showed that the number of different intervention functions noticed by the users correlated positively with self-reported behaviour change. The strongest correlation was found for the intervention function restructuring the physical environment. Less strong correlations were found for persuasion, restructuring the social environment, and incentivisation. Psychological capability, social opportunity, and reflective motivation for use of the greenways correlated with behaviour change. So did age, educational level, limitations in physical capacity, and municipality context. The strong positive correlation between the number of intervention functions noticed and behaviour change underscores the importance of integrated multi-component approaches. Additionally, the differential reach and impact of specific interventions provide practical insights for policymakers and planners. The correlations between behaviour change and user age, education, and physical capacity are noteworthy, as they highlight equity dimensions of greenway interventions. From a policy perspective, the findings advocate for targeted investments in inclusive and accessible green infrastructure that considers diverse user needs and local contexts.