Green infrastructure, green belts, and urban rewilding are among the many planning concepts developed recently to enhance green spaces in urban environments. With over half of the world’s population now residing in urban areas, green planning in cities is essential for climate adaptation, mitigation, and the health and well-being of urban dwellers. Green spaces offer numerous benefits, such as promoting biodiversity, reducing air and noise pollution, and mitigating the urban heat island effect. However, their implementation faces challenges like financial constraints, land-use conflicts, and green gentrification.
At LAND, we examine urban green planning as it not only allocates physical spaces for nature, but also shapes ideas about nature and society in significant ways, that planners themselves often overlook. Our research employs qualitative methods to evaluate how diverse visions coexist among stakeholders in urban greening processes; how biodiversity efforts in urban areas compete with other socio-economic uses; and how local communities are engaged through participatory approaches in urban greening initiatives.
The overarching goal of our work is to conduct high-quality research at the intersection between social and natural sciences as well as to develop tools and guidelines to better involve urban citizens in designing more livable, climate-resilient cities. As cities are increasingly recognized as key contributors to global environmental issues, it is also crucial to explore how green planning can foster new ideas about nature and serve as refuges for biodiversity.
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