Greenenhance - Introduction

Greenenhance: Enhancing urban biodiversity: habitat planning and strategic management of urban green areas

Introduction

This interdisciplinary study focuses on the role of urban habitats (i.e. semi-natural grasslands and decaying wood) in enhancing biodiversity and ecosystem services in cities.

More specifically, we consider whether we can enhance biodiversity in urban areas through habitat creation and restoration, i.e., how do urban habitats and especially newly created, open habitats such as semi-natural grasslands, and the addition of dead and decaying wood, contribute to and complement the biodiversity of urban areas.

Then, we examine how residents view such new habitats and the values (e.g. recreational) that they offer. Moreover, we combine ecological and social sciences approaches in a literature-based synthesis on ecosystem services provided by urban green.

The study is being conducted in the most urbanized part of Finland, the cities of Helsinki and Vantaa.

Sub-projects:

• Meadows
• Golf courses
• Cultural ecosystem services provided by semi-natural grasslands
• Dead and decaying wood