Bridging the gap between ecosystem service assessments and land-use planning through Multi-Criteria Decision Analysis (MCDA)

Langemeyer, Johannes; Gómez-Baggethun, Erik; Haase, Dagmar; Scheuer, Sebastian; Elmqvist, Thomas

doi:10.1016/j.envsci.2016.02.013

Cited by 240 publications

(130 citation statements)

References 50 publications

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“…Unlike landscape scale designs in rural settings, those conceived for local scale GI in urban contexts have been addressed mainly at enhancing the provision of ecosystem services (ES) and the cost-effectiveness of such interventions, while considering the health of ecosystems, i.e., biodiversity in its multiple aspects, just a secondary and/or approximate goal [5,8,9]. This applies to several case studies that have focused on ways of greening grey infrastructures, e.g., by means of green roofs and green walls, or on increasing the provision of green spaces without considering the environmental setting within which the cities lie [10,11].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Combining the Conservation of Biodiversity with the Provision of Ecosystem Services in Urban Green Infrastructure Planning: Critical Features Arising from a Case Study in the Metropolitan Area of Rome

et al. 2016

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A large number of green infrastructure (GI) projects have recently been proposed, planned and implemented in European cities following the adoption of the GI strategy by the EU Commission in 2013. Although this policy tool is closely related to biodiversity conservation targets, some doubts have arisen as regards the ability of current urban GI to provide beneficial effects not only for human societies but also for the ecological systems that host them. The aim of this work is to review the features that should be considered critical when searching for solutions that simultaneously support biodiversity and guarantee the provision of ecosystem services (ES) in urban areas. Starting from a case study in the metropolitan area of Rome, we highlight the role of urban trees and forests as proxies for overall biodiversity and as main ecosystem service providers. We look beyond the individual functional features of plant species and vegetation communities to promote the biogeographic representativity, ecological coherence and landscape connectivity of new or restored GI elements.

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Combining the Conservation of Biodiversity with the Provision of Ecosystem Services in Urban Green Infrastructure Planning: Critical Features Arising from a Case Study in the Metropolitan Area of Rome

et al. 2016

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“…However, this framework is flexible enough to adapt these concepts to different contexts [50]. For instance, Langemeyer et al [52] indicated the need to include the effects of goals and planning in the framework when dealing with policy-making in urban areas. In another case, public and community governance was added as a preliminary step of the cascade [50].…”

Section: Logic and Adaptation Of The Cascade Model To Cultural Esmentioning

confidence: 99%

From Cascade to Bottom-Up Ecosystem Services Model: How Does Social Cohesion Emerge from Urban Agriculture?

Petit‐Boix

Apul

2018

Sustainability

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Given the expansion of urban agriculture (UA), we need to understand how this system provides ecosystem services, including foundational societal needs such as social cohesion, i.e., people's willingness to cooperate with one another. Although social cohesion in UA has been documented, there is no framework for its emergence and how it can be modeled within a sustainability framework. In this study, we address this literature gap by showing how the popular cascade ecosystem services model can be modified to include social structures. We then transform the cascade model into a bottom-up causal framework for UA. In this bottom-up framework, basic biophysical (e.g., land availability) and social (e.g., leadership) ecosystem structures and processes lead to human activities (e.g., learning) that can foster specific human attitudes and feelings (e.g., trust). These attitudes and feelings, when aggregated (e.g., social network), generate an ecosystem value of social cohesion. These cause-effect relationships can support the development of causality pathways in social life cycle assessment (S-LCA) and further our understanding of the mechanisms behind social impacts and benefits. The framework also supports UA studies by showing the sustainability of UA as an emergent food supplier in cities.

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“…It has been suggested that communities are more likely to support green interventions if they enhance cultural services [12]. However, trade-offs may have to be made between the level of provisions of different benefits [13,14]. It should also be accepted that not all green infrastructure interventions have positive outcomes.…”

Section: Water Sensitive Urban Designmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…It is clear from many studies that not all benefits occur simultaneously, and some benefits may preclude the establishment of others [14,20]. For example, in a flood plain restoration scheme in the Johnson Creek watershed in Portland Oregon, recreational benefits were found to be in direct conflict with habitat and biodiversity benefits [21].…”

Section: Proposition 2: Agreement Is Needed On Relevant Dominant Benementioning

confidence: 99%

Spatial Evaluation of Multiple Benefits to Encourage Multi-Functional Design of Sustainable Drainage in Blue-Green Cities

Fenner

2017

Water

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Urban drainage systems that incorporate elements of green infrastructure (SuDS/GI) are central features in Blue-Green and Sponge Cities. Such approaches provide effective control of stormwater management whilst generating a range of other benefits. However these benefits often occur coincidentally and are not developed or maximised in the original design. Of all the benefits that may accrue, the relevant dominant benefits relating to specific locations and socio-environmental circumstances need to be established, so that flood management functions can be co-designed with these wider benefits to ensure both are achieved during system operation. The paper reviews a number of tools which can evaluate the multiple benefits of SuDS/GI interventions in a variety of ways and introduces new concepts of benefit intensity and benefit profile. Examples of how these concepts can be applied is provided in a case study of proposed SuDS/GI assets in the central area of Newcastle; UK. Ways in which SuDS/GI features can be actively extended to develop desired relevant dominant benefits are discussed; e.g., by (i) careful consideration of tree and vegetation planting to trap air pollution; (ii) extending linear SuDS systems such as swales to enhance urban connectivity of green space; and (iii) managing green roofs for the effective attenuation of noise or carbon sequestration. The paper concludes that more pro-active development of multiple benefits is possible through careful co-design to achieve the full extent of urban enhancement SuDS/GI schemes can offer.

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Bridging the gap between ecosystem service assessments and land-use planning through Multi-Criteria Decision Analysis (MCDA)

Cited by 240 publications

References 50 publications

Combining the Conservation of Biodiversity with the Provision of Ecosystem Services in Urban Green Infrastructure Planning: Critical Features Arising from a Case Study in the Metropolitan Area of Rome

Combining the Conservation of Biodiversity with the Provision of Ecosystem Services in Urban Green Infrastructure Planning: Critical Features Arising from a Case Study in the Metropolitan Area of Rome

From Cascade to Bottom-Up Ecosystem Services Model: How Does Social Cohesion Emerge from Urban Agriculture?

Spatial Evaluation of Multiple Benefits to Encourage Multi-Functional Design of Sustainable Drainage in Blue-Green Cities

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