Spreading the roots: Urban forests link cities with nature
Architects and planners are increasingly concerned with integrating green systems that ensure the well-being of urban communities into their projects. Livia Shamir, Head of the Research Department at Stefano Boeri Architetti, explains how this challenge plays out in different projects across the world and across income groups.
Forests, street trees, parks and gardens form a complex and interconnected system whose benefits go far beyond aesthetics. If properly managed they can play a vital role in the climate regulation and biodiversity preservation of urban environments and beyond. This involves changing our conception of urban forests and not seeing them as small and separate islands, but rather as the backbone that bridges the gap between urban and rural landscapes.
Following this approach, the architecture firm Stefano Boeri Architetti, developed the concept of Forest Cities as a way of integrating nature into urban environments. Inspired by projects like the “Bosco Verticale” (Vertical Forest Milan) which revolutionized the integration of architecture and nature, Forest Cities extend this model across entire urban landscapes and therefore also socio economic groups.
“By addressing issues of environmental justice and equity, we aim to foster inclusive and resilient urban environments for future generations,” says Livia Shamir, Head of the Research Department at Stefano Boeri Architetti. “To achieve this, urban green systems require a comprehensive green infrastructure strategy. As architects and urban planners, our primary focus is to develop interconnected green networks, ensuring their seamless integration and sustained health.” An approach that underscores the key role of architects and planner in creating vibrant, sustainable urban spaces that benefit all community members.
What is an urban forest?
Urban forests are the backbone of the green infrastructure that connects cities with their surrounding rural areas. More specifically, the Food and Agricultural Organization (FAO) defines urban forests as a complex system of more or less interconnected urban and peri-urban green areas. When it comes to cities this means roadside trees, trees in parks and gardens, trees in condominiums, in condominium courtyards or in schools and universities, as well as all the trees demarcating the transition between the city and rural areas.
All these urban green systems need a green infrastructure plan that connects them so that they do not lose their functionality, and to ensure that the benefits they bring for urban communities are amplified.
However, to preserve their functionality and enhance the benefits they provide to urban communities, these urban green networks necessitate a comprehensive green infrastructure strategy that ensures their interconnectedness. This approach not only sustains their ecological roles but also amplifies their contribution to urban well-being.
Why is this connection between the rural and urban important?
Urban forestry can act as a bridge between rural wilderness areas and urban landscapes, providing habitat corridors for wildlife and preserving biodiversity. These green spaces help facilitate the movement of species and genetic exchange, which is crucial for the adaptation and resilience of ecosystems to environmental changes.
The interconnectedness of ecological systems, is essential for the full functionality of urban green spaces, which offer a suite of ecosystem services with multidimensional benefits. It’s worth mentioning that the types of benefits I’m referring to are mainly related to how they help with regulating our urban environments, particularly in the face of climate change challenges. Urban forests, for instance, play a pivotal role in mitigating the impacts of climate change and reducing risks posed to infrastructure and urban systems.
Their contributions are manifold, including regulating and managing stormwater, sequestrating carbon, and alleviating urban heat island effects through temperature regulation. These benefits are critical in the context of global efforts to combat climate change, highlighting the role of urban areas in broader environmental sustainability strategies.
Acknowledging the rural-urban connection fosters integrated land-use planning, which is essential for sustainable development. It encourages policies that support the mutual benefits of green space in urban areas and the conservation of rural landscapes and wilderness. Furthermore, promoting the rural-urban connection in urban forestry planning encourages collaborative governance, involving various stakeholders in the management of natural resources, leading to more coherent and effective policies that bridge urban and rural needs and priorities.
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Livia Shamir is Senior Researcher and Director of the Research Department at Stefano Boeri Architetti. Architect and urban researcher, Shamir is dedicated to the study and analysis of innovative and resilient urban solutions and strategies for climate change, dealing with Nature Based Solutions (NBS), Urban Forestry, and the integration of architecture and nature. Within the Research Department of Stefano Boeri Architetti, she focuses on strategic urban planning projects to address socio-environmental challenges, specializing in sustainability and urban resilience strategies, newly founded cities, urban afforestation strategies, and the design of Nature-based Solutions.
