What is it about?
Although greenspaces in built-up areas (GSB) heavily contribute to human health and wellbeing in anthropized environments, large-scale data and information on GSB are still lacking. This study aims to estimate abundance, coverage and average size of GSB in Italy through the integration of inventory and cartographic data, even considering GSB patches smaller than 0.5 ha. GSB were classified according to their type (forested and nonforested), canopy cover and location with respect to population density (from thinly to densely populated areas). We refer to built-up areas instead urban, thus including, for example, road infrastructures, buildings and sparse settlements in rural areas, otherwise neglected.
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Why is it important?
Results show that 43.5% of built-up areas in Italy is unsealed, of which more than 18% is covered by GSB, mainly dominated by forested ones. Results also reveal that the number of forested GSB, their coverage and average patch size decrease with the increase of the population density, while their canopy cover follows the opposite trend. Main findings demonstrate that the proposed approach provides reliable GSB estimates to better understand interactions between humans and nature along an urban-rural gradient, thus representing a valuable support towards the implementation of Nature-Based Solutions in urban planning.
Perspectives
Assessing and estimating abundance, coverage and average size of GSB, and referring such parameters to population density and crown coverage support a deep understanding on (i) how natural elements interact with people, and (ii) in which way built-up areas expand over peripheral areas following a human-nature gradient (i.e., urbanization pattern). At national scale, we were able to provide information on GSB, which represent a suitable basis for fostering the resilience concept in complex urbanized landscapes, even through i) further large-scale research on their role to ameliorate the quality of life of inhabitants (i.e., ecosystem services provisioning), and ii) supporting the implementation of NBS in built-up areas addressing the need of additional research to support implementation, functioning and cost-effectiveness aspects of NBS in cities. With particular regard to urban planning, the availability of adequate information on GSB is crucial in order to orient future decisions. In fact, on one hand, “builtup densification” can be a good solution for avoiding further urban sprawl in peripheries, but, on the other hand, it may shrink the availability of greenspaces.
Piermaria Corona
CREA Research Centre for Forestry and Wood
Read the Original
This page is a summary of: The green side of the grey: Assessing greenspaces in built-up areas of Italy, Urban Forestry & Urban Greening, November 2017, Elsevier,
DOI: 10.1016/j.ufug.2017.10.018.
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