Promoting Urban Nature and Biodiversity

How can cities and communities protect their green and open spaces and turn them into places where biodiversity and natural processes are respected and citizens can experience nature in their neighborhoods? How can uniform, intensively managed green areas be transformed into diverse urban nature rich in biodiversity? How can citizens and businesses be involved in these processes?

We create practice-oriented knowledge products, identify challenges in implementation, and analyze and disseminate examples of good practice.

Prof. Dr. Rieke Hansen

Details

Ongoing Research Project and Studies

All Together: Quality of life, climate, and biodiversity! Implementing the EU biodiversity strategy with integrated urban nature planning in municipalities

Urban nature plans should be aiming to both tackle important challenges of sustainable urban development and implement the EU biodiversity strategy in municipalities. The Ecologic Institute and Hochschule Geisenheim University are in the process of developing recommendations for this task.

Recommendations for Municipalities to Consider Biodiversity in the Context of Urban Development Funding (BioVibeS)

In the BioVibeS R&D project, we are developing assistance for the consideration of biodiversity in urban development projects, including a practice-oriented handout.

Urban Green Infrastructure in Detail – Sample Solutions and Recommended Action

In order to support municipal planning practice, we are developing recommendations for action to safeguard, plan, and maintain green infrastructure with a particular focus on promoting biodiversity. This includes the development of a web-based ‘urban nature toolbox’.

Completed Research Projects and Studies

Urban Wastelands in the Spotlight

During her time at TU München, Prof. Rieke Hansen examined the relationship between urban wastelands as urban open spaces and their potential for urban development, and outlined the role of those areas for nature conservation and recreation. The study was funded by the German Federal Agency for Nature Conservation.

Broschüre: Stadtbrachen als Chance – Perspektive für mehr Grün in den Städten (Herausgeber Bundesamt für Naturschutz, 2013)
Hansen R., Heidebach, M., Kuchler, F., und Pauleit, S. (2012). Brachflächen im Spannungsfeld zwischen Naturschutz und (baulicher) Wiedernutzung. BfN-Skript 324. Bonn – Bad Godesberg.

Professorship for Open Space and Ecological Urban Design