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Start Date
4-4-2023 10:20 AM
End Date
4-4-2023 10:29 AM
Abstract
Increasing biodiversity and improving human health are two frequently cited benefits that urban nature provides. But how can we plan, design, and build communities to maximize both human health and biodiversity? We present a framework for understanding how these services are provided in urban environments and practical design guidance for accentuating these services in urban planning and design. We aim to facilitate greater collaboration between advocates for biodiversity and human health in the built environment, informed by a synthesis of literature from the public health and ecology fields as well as work on the ground advising partners in the San Francisco Bay Area.
Through a review of existing urban ecology literature, the San Francisco Estuary Institute (SFEI) developed an urban biodiversity framework consisting of seven elements essential for maintaining biodiversity in cities: patch size, connections, matrix quality, habitat diversity, native plants, special resources, and management. Using this framework, we reviewed public health literature on urban greening to identify connections between urban biodiversity and human health and develop design guidance for fostering healthier biodiverse communities. This presentation will introduce a design guidance document developed by our interdisciplinary team of scientists, planners, and designers to inform the planning and design of a variety of urban spaces at the site scale. These actionable recommendations seek to leverage synergies and manage tradeoffs between supporting human health and biodiversity, allowing cities to maximize the benefits provided by their projects.
Subjects
Land use planning, Land/watershed management, Sustainable development
Persistent Identifier
https://archives.pdx.edu/ds/psu/40495
Rights
© Copyright the author(s)
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Captions
Burg_Symonds_UERC_2023-Designing green cities for biodiversity and human health.pdf (3908 kB)
Designing Green Cities for Biodiversity and Human Health
Increasing biodiversity and improving human health are two frequently cited benefits that urban nature provides. But how can we plan, design, and build communities to maximize both human health and biodiversity? We present a framework for understanding how these services are provided in urban environments and practical design guidance for accentuating these services in urban planning and design. We aim to facilitate greater collaboration between advocates for biodiversity and human health in the built environment, informed by a synthesis of literature from the public health and ecology fields as well as work on the ground advising partners in the San Francisco Bay Area.
Through a review of existing urban ecology literature, the San Francisco Estuary Institute (SFEI) developed an urban biodiversity framework consisting of seven elements essential for maintaining biodiversity in cities: patch size, connections, matrix quality, habitat diversity, native plants, special resources, and management. Using this framework, we reviewed public health literature on urban greening to identify connections between urban biodiversity and human health and develop design guidance for fostering healthier biodiverse communities. This presentation will introduce a design guidance document developed by our interdisciplinary team of scientists, planners, and designers to inform the planning and design of a variety of urban spaces at the site scale. These actionable recommendations seek to leverage synergies and manage tradeoffs between supporting human health and biodiversity, allowing cities to maximize the benefits provided by their projects.