As lockdown restrictions lift and we begin to take tentative steps towards unlocking, the role of the city and how to best optimise it to create a happy and healthy place to live continues to be considered and debated.
In the past, the city was seen as a domain removed from nature - a sterile environment for technology, buildings and industry that was in stark contrast to the rolling hills of the countryside. However, there is ongoing evidence demonstrating how nature-based solutions can address many of the challenges urban environments face today and in the future. Alongside this, awareness and appreciation of our natural environment has significantly increased during the pandemic, in turn having a positive impact on our physical and mental wellbeing. As such, the consideration of nature within urban planning is not only essential for a city’s long-term physical resilience, it is also increasingly important if it is to remain a healthy and desirable location for us, its citizens.
But what does that mean in practice? How can we welcome nature into the urban environment in a feasible and beneficial way for people and the planet? And what exactly are the benefits?
Below are a few examples of steps and initiatives that cities and towns around the world are taking to welcome nature back into the urban realm, with benefits to humans and wildlife alike. May it serve as inspiration to us all.
National Park City status - did you know that London is almost 50% parkland? It was this statistic that played a key role in the city becoming the first urban national park. The status not only helps continued efforts to preserve and protect the natural environment within the city, it also amplifies our awareness and appreciation of nature within the city, increasing connections between people and the natural environment.
Trees, trees, trees - tree planting, in general, is a key strategy for capturing excess carbon emissions. In cities it offers many additional benefits, including reducing toxic air emissions and helping to reduce flooding and extreme heatwaves. In the UK, the National Trust recently announced plans to plant blossom trees throughout UK towns and cities in an effort to encourage greater integration of nature within the urban landscape. The initiative is designed to improve the mental health of resident populations as well as to deliver these evidenced environmental benefits.
Blue as well as green - It’s not only the land we should look to when encouraging nature within our cities. Blue spaces e.g. rivers, lakes and canals are also home to a variety of wildlife and have been shown to have a significantly positive impact on community wellbeing. As well as reducing risk to flooding, regeneration of canal waterways significantly reduced health inequalities within Northern Glasgow.
A really wild city? - German cities Hannover, Frankfurt and Dessau-Roßlau are three trial cities where wilderness is being actively reintroduced into the urban realm. The ‘Urban Wilderness Project’ aims to foster ‘curiosity’ and connection amongst local people within the natural environment, as well as providing spaces for a wealth of species to thrive. The project involves reducing cutting, mowing and pruning of green spaces, leading talks with diverse communities, hosting workshops within the green setting and conducting religious walks to discuss the connection between religion and nature.
While the above examples are merely a handful of the initiatives being trialled globally, we believe that the future of the urban realm is overwhelmingly green. Welcoming nature into the urban landscape will ensure that our cities are climate-resilient and adapt to ongoing climate risks. Furthermore, it will also have a direct, positive impact on human health and wellbeing. As many of the above examples highlight - and something that we at DG Cities are particularly drawn to - is the importance of working with multiple communities within the city, helping them to connect with nature in a way that aligns with their own values and interests. This connection is vital if we are to continue to benefit from nature’s services and tackle our climate crisis in a meaningful, impactful way.
