Advancing Urban Ecology toward a Science of Cities

McPhearson, Timon; Pickett, Steward T. A.; Grimm, Nancy B.; Niemelä, Jari; Alberti, Marina; Elmqvist, Thomas; Weber, Christiane; Haase, Dagmar; Breuste, Juergen; Qureshi, Salman

doi:10.1093/biosci/biw002

Cited by 577 publications

(367 citation statements)

References 64 publications

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“…In much of the developed world for the past decades, urban green areas have been seen as and planned mainly for providing services such as recreation, shade, and stormwater management [3], and the most recent research on urban green areas has this focus [10]. However, this relatively narrow emphasis is slowly changing.…”

Section: Emerging Themes Of Urban Foragingmentioning

confidence: 99%

Urban Foraging: A Ubiquitous Human Practice Overlooked by Urban Planners, Policy, and Research

et al. 2017

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Abstract:Although hardly noticed or formally recognised, urban foraging by humans probably occurs in all urban settings around the world. We draw from research in India, South Africa, Sweden, and the United States to demonstrate the ubiquity and varied nature of urban foraging in different contexts. Across these different contexts, we distil seven themes that characterise and thereby advance thinking about research and the understanding of urban foraging. We show that it is widespread and occurs across a variety of urban spaces and places. The species used and the local practices vary between contexts, and are in constant flux as urban ecological and social settings change. This requires that urban foragers are knowledgeable about diverse species, harvest locations, and rights of access, and that their practices are adaptable to changing contexts. Despite its ubiquity, most cities have some forms of regulations that prohibit or discourage urban foraging. We highlight a few important exceptions that can provide prototypes and lessons for other cities regarding supportive policy frameworks and initiatives. The formulation of dynamic policy, design, and management strategies in support of urban foraging will benefit from understanding the common characteristics of foraging in cities worldwide, but also will require comprehension of the specific and dynamic contexts in which they would be implemented.

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Section: Emerging Themes Of Urban Foragingmentioning

confidence: 99%

Urban Foraging: A Ubiquitous Human Practice Overlooked by Urban Planners, Policy, and Research

et al. 2017

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“…For example, too little is known about the global interlocking system of cities in terms of material usage, ecosystems, social and political norms, migration, disease vectors and innovation. Urban scientists need to better map and model these to provide information for planning, management and policymaking 9 .…”

Section: Come Togethermentioning

confidence: 99%

Scientists must have a say in the future of cities

McPhearson

Parnell

Simon

et al. 2016

Nature

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174

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“…These must take into account built and (semi-)natural structures as well city stewardship by urban actors while considering the interactions between biophysical, social as well as governance structures and processes [3,14]. Such monitoring concepts are vital to determine how a qualified urban infill development can be implemented to create compact and green cities [8].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…The concept is advocated by the European Commission [19], which suggests that green infrastructure can help promote compact cities, while a reduction in green infrastructure as a result of land take for settlement and transport areas can degrade ecosystem services [8]. Although the concepts of ecosystem services [14] and green infrastructure [8] are integrative tools to support planning and policy for sustainable urban land management, further effort is required to ensure their wider implementation in planning practice [20,21].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Using the Concepts of Green Infrastructure and Ecosystem Services to Specify Leitbilder for Compact and Green Cities—The Example of the Landscape Plan of Dresden (Germany)

2017

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Abstract:In the light of ongoing global urbanization and the high pace of resource consumption, there is an urgent need to foster compact cities. Currently, however, we lack integrative guidelines on how to manage trade-offs between urban densification and the provision of green space. Against this background, this study applies the concepts of green infrastructure and ecosystem services to develop a guideline for landscape planning to foster compact and green cities. The guideline was tested on the example of the landscape plan of Dresden (Germany), which foresees a compact city in a green network. Results show that the concepts of ecosystems services and green infrastructure can support urban practitioners in structuring the complex interrelations between landscape planning and compact and green cities. The developed guideline provides an integrative framework for modular landscape planning that: (1) reflects the spatial heterogeneity and properties of urban ecosystems and landscapes; and (2) considers cities as integrated socio-ecological systems. The case study indicates that a more comprehensive perspective of cities and their ecosystem is required, one that connects green with grey infrastructure. Further research should focus on how the green infrastructure concept can be refined to incorporate strategic planning for compact cities.

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Advancing Urban Ecology toward a Science of Cities

Cited by 577 publications

References 64 publications

Urban Foraging: A Ubiquitous Human Practice Overlooked by Urban Planners, Policy, and Research

Urban Foraging: A Ubiquitous Human Practice Overlooked by Urban Planners, Policy, and Research

Scientists must have a say in the future of cities

Using the Concepts of Green Infrastructure and Ecosystem Services to Specify Leitbilder for Compact and Green Cities—The Example of the Landscape Plan of Dresden (Germany)

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