Ecology and Urban Planning (ECOPLAN)

• Background and aims of the project
• Research group
• Sub-projects 
  • Fragmentation of urban forests 
  • Trampling disturbance and natural regeneration of urban forests 
  • Integrating ecological and aesthetic aspects in urban forest planning and management 
  • Biodiversity of urban habitats Researchers 
  • Global network for assessing biodiversity changes across the landscape (GLOBENET) 
• Funding
• ECOPLAN Publications

Project leader: Professor Jari Niemelä,
Department of Ecology and Systematics,
P.O. Box 17,
FIN-00014 University of Helsinki,
Finland
Tel: 09 - 1917391, fax: 09 - 1917301,
e-mail:jari.niemela@helsinki.fi

Background and aims of the project

About half of the global human population lives in cities and towns, but the proportion is higher in industrialised countries, e.g. in Finland about 80%. For them urban green areas and their diversity is of great importance. For instance, a large proportion of the 400 000 ha of urban forests in Finland are vital recreational areas. On the other hand, many urban habitats are sensitive to human-caused disturbances, and need to be managed cautiously or protected. Thus, consideration of biodiversity in land-use planning is important both for the well-being of urban residents and for the maintenance of biodiversity. However, presently, ecological knowledge is not well integrated into land use planning due to lack of relevant ecological information, and difficulties in utilisation of the information for planning purposes. With this background the aim of the multi-disciplinary research project Ecology and urban planning (ECOPLAN) is to 

1. study such aspects of urban ecology that are relevant for planning and management
2. use this understanding to develop methods for a better incorporation of ecological knowledge into land use planning and maintenance of urban green areas
3. strenghten urban ecological research in Finland.

Research group

The ECOPLAN research team consists of the following individuals:

Team leader: professor Jari Niemelä,
Department of Ecology and Systematics,
P.O. Box 17,
FIN-00014 University of Helsinki,
phone: +358-9-1917391, fax: +358-9-1917301,
e-mail: jari.niemela@helsinki.fi

Researchers funded by FIBRE:

MMT Liisa Tyrväinen, post doc
University of Joensuu,
Faculty of Forestry,
c/o Metla, PL 18, 01301 Vantaa
tel: 09-85705 830, fax: 09-85705 569
e-mail: liisa.tyrvainen@metla.fi,

MSc Susanna Lehvävirta, PhD student
Department of Ecology and Systematics,
P.O. Box 17
FIN-00014 University of Helsinki,
tel: 09-1917376, fax: 09-1917301
e-mail: susanna.lehvavirta@helsinki.fi,

MSc Minna Malmivaara, PhD student
Finnish Forest Research Institute,
P.O. Box 18,
FIN-01301 Vantaa
tel: 09-857051, fax: 09-85705569
e-mail: minna.malmivaara@metla.fi,

MSc Pertti Ranta, PhD student
Department of Ecology and Systematics,
P.O. Box 17,
FIN-00014 University of Helsinki,
tel: 09-1917376, fax: 09-1917301
e-mail: pertti.ranta@metsatahti.inet.fi,

Other researchers:

Dr. Johan Kotze, post doc
Department of Ecology and Systematics,
P.O. Box 17, FIN-00014 University of Helsinki,
tel: 09-1917376, fax: 09-1917301
e-mail: maito:johan.kotze@helsinki.fi

Lic. Phil (forestry) Irja Löfström, researcher
Finnish Forest Research Institute,
P.O. Box 18, FIN-01301 Vantaa
tel. 09-85705433, fax: 09-85605569
e-mail: irja.lofstrom@metla.fi,

MSc Ilkka Vanha-Majamaa, researcher
Finnish Forest Research Institute,
P.O. Box 18, FIN-01301 Vantaa
tel: 09-85705557, fax: 09-8572575
e-mail: ilkka.vanha-majamaa@metla.fi,

Fragmentation of urban forests: effects on vegetation and fauna

Researchers: Irja Löfström (FFRI), Ilkka Vanha-Majamaa (FFRI), Minna Malmivaara (FFRI and Univ. Helsinki) and Jari Niemelä (Univ. Helsinki)

In urban areas, construction has fragmented forests into small patches. This reduction in area combined with increasing trampling and other human interferences can profoundly change the ecosystem. This study focuses on the following questions:

1. effects of fragmentation and consequent increasing recreational use on forest floor vegetation and invertebrate fauna
2. effects of increasing trampling on the structure and diversity of urban forests.

Study areas have been chosen among small (1-5 ha) forest patches recently fragmented by construction, and previously little affected by recreational use. As the follow-up time is rather short, also patches fragmented already ca. 10 years ago have been selected for survey. One large forest area (10 ha) has been chosen to serve as an undisturbed area. Forest patches have been selected on soils of medium fertility. Field work was started in 1997. 

Trampling disturbance and natural regeneration of urban forests

Researchers: Susanna Lehvävirta (Univ. Helsinki) 

In Finland, urban areas are often surrounded by forests. It is often argued that human disturbance, such as pollution and wear, suppress natural regeneration of trees in these forests, but those arguments lack scientific basis. The aim of this study is to find out which factors affect regeneration in urban forests. Potentiallly important are stand size, wear caused by trampling and other direct human-caused disturbance, and pollution. Favourable conditions for natural regeneration, if such can be defined, provide basis for management procedures which could simulate natural processes.

The specific study questions are:

1. What is the extent and spatial pattern of natural regeneration in urban forests, and what are the most important factors affecting regeneration?
2. Is trampling and path formation dependent on the structures of a forest stand?
3. Can forest structures, such as downed logs, be used to direct recreationists' movement in urban forest?

Integrating ecological and aesthetic aspects in urban forest planning and management

Researchers: Liisa Tyrväinen (Univ. Joensuu) and Irja Löfström (FFRI) 

Until now aesthetic aspects have dominated urban forest management. More recently, however, the demands related to urban forests have become more diverse through the development of environmental attitudes. These new goals need to be integrated into planning and management of urban green spaces. This research will focus on the residents' point of view, and aims at combining ecological and aesthetic aspects into the planning process. The study areas represent urban forest landscapes with different ecological values, and the valuation is based on urban biotope classification. Pictures for evaluation will be produced by digital image editing tehnique. The aims of this research are to:

1. determine possible contradictions and the intergration possibilities of ecological and aesthetic values into planning and management of urban forests
2. define the landscape preferences of different interest groups and forest users with respect to the ecological values of urban forests
3. study the effect of information on attitudes (information will be distributed in a participatory planning context)
4. study regional differences (Helsinki vs. Joensuu) of attitudes and values towards urban forest landscapes.

Biodiversity of urban habitats

Researchers: Pertti Ranta (Univ. Helsinki)

Knowledge of biodiversity may be included in the urban planning by introducing a GIS-based information management system. As a planning tool it brings biodiversity management up to the same level as other components of urban planning, such as the distribution of human population. Comprehensive mapping of urban habitats provides the necessary database and reveals how much each habitat patch contributes to the overall urban biodiversity. For instance, urban wastelands, traffic corridors and abandoned gardens harbour a high species diversity. In the ECOPLAN project, the cities of Kerava and Järvenpää were selected as pilot areas for developing the urban biodiversity management system. In Kerava, the mapping of vascular plants was completed in 1997. Other aspects of urban ecology (long-term monitoring of urban forests, invasibility of urban habitats, ecosystem integration and effects of fragmentation and isolation) are studied also in Vantaa and Tampere. In addition to P. Ranta, a MSc student is working on carabid beetles in the same stands in Tampere. The results will contribute to the development of new management guidelines for urban areas that take ecological aspect better into consideration. 

Global network for assessing biodiversity changes across the landscape (GLOBENET)

Reseachers: Jari Niemelä (project leader) & Johan Kotze (project manager), 1 Msc student (http://www.helsinki.fi/science/globenet/)

GLOBENET is an international initiative to assess the ecological effects of landscape change across the world by using the same focal taxonomic group (carabid beetles) the same sampling method (pitfall trapping) the same human-induced disturbance type (urban-rural gradient) The goal is to provide basis and means for making decisions as how to best manage the landscape for production, yet at the same time, maintaining biodiversity. Therefore the aim is - based on high-quality ecological research - to develop a standardized tool for assessing landscape change across the world. Furthermore, the aim is to train students and scientists who have both a global view and an appreciation of local conditions, and to maintain a web-site as an information centre (http://www.helsinki.fi/science/globenet/). GLOBENET was launched at by an international workshop and a symposium held in Helsinki in April 1998. The next meeting to synthesize results from the first four countries (Finland, Canada, Bulgaria, England) in which field work was held in Bulgaria in April 1999. 

Funding

The main funder of the ECOPLAN research is the Finnish biodiversite research programme (FIBRE). Also several municipalities fund this research. 

ECOPLAN publications

Lehvävirta, S. 1999: Trampling - a threat to urban forests? In: Helsinki-Berlin – Stockholm I, 3 European Capitals facing the future. -University of Technology Publications in Centre for Urban and Regional Studies Espoo pp.213-217.

Lehvävirta, S. 1999: Kestääkö metsä kaupungissa: kaupunkimetsien nykytila ja tulevaisuus. – Ympäristö ja Terveys 6:46-49.

Lehvävirta, S. 1999: Uusia näkökulmia taajamametsätutkimukseen ja metsien hoitoon? – Luonnontutkija 5:192-196.

Lehvävirta, S. 2000: Trampling and Urban Forest Structure. Accepted for publication in Urban Ecosystems.

Linden, L. Löfström, I. Tyrväinen, L. 1999. Finland. In: COST Action E12.  esearch and development in urban forestry in Europe. European Communites, Belgium.

Linden, L., Löfström, I. & Tyrväinen, L. 1999. Urban forest research in Finland. In: Randrup, T.B., Forrest, M. & Konijnendijk, C.-C. (eds.). Urban forestry – research and development in Europe. Report of COST Action E12 'Urban Forests and Trees' on the state of the art of urban forestry research and development in Europe. European Union, COST-programme,, Brussels. p. 76-107.

Löfström, I. 1999. Ecology and management of urban forests - an overview of the present research in Finland. In: Sander, H. & Randrup, T.B. (eds.). Urban forestry in the Nordic and Baltic countries. Proceedings of a Nordic Workshop on Urban Forestry held in Tallinn, Estonia, December 1st – 3rd, 1997. Danish Forest and Landscape Research Institute, Hoersholm. p. 31-33

Löfström, I., Malmivaara, M., Vanha-Majamaa, I. ja Häkli, L. 1999. Pirstoutuminen uhkaa kaupunkimetsien ekologista kestävyyttä. Luonnon Tutkija 5:198-201.

Löfström, I., Malmivaara, M. & Vanha-Majamaa, I. 1999. Effects of fragmentation and trampling on the vegetation of urban forests in Finland. In: Randrup, T. (ed.). Proceedings from the Urban Greening and Landscape Architecture Research Symposium, Copenhagen, Denmark, June 23-25, 1999. Danish Forest and Landscape Research Institute Proceedings 2: 104.

Löfström, I. Planning and management of urban forests – An overview of the present research in Finland. Urban forestry research in Nordic and Baltic countries. In press.

Niemelä, J. & Halme, E. 1998: Effects of forest fragmentation on carabid assemblages in the urban setting: implications for planning and management. – In: Breuste, J., Feldmann, H. & Uhlmann, O. (eds), Urban Ecology, Springer Verlag, pp. 692-695.

Niemelä, J. 1999. Ekologia kaupunkisuunnittelussa. – Terra 111: 157-164.

Niemelä, J. 1999. Kaupunkiekologia ja suomalaisten kaupunkien ekologiset piirteet. – Luonnon Tutkija 5/1999: 170-172.

Niemelä, J. 1999: Suomalaisen kaupunkiluonnon monimuotoisuus ja ekologiset ominaispiirteet. – Ympäristö ja terveys, Ympäristö ja terveys, 6: 6-9.

Niemelä, J. Ecology and urban planning 1999: – Biodiversity and Conservation 8:119-131.

Niemelä, J. Is there a need for a theory of urban ecology? – Urban Ecosystems. In press.

Niemelä, J., Kotze, J., Ashworth, A., Brandmayr, P., Desender, K., New, T., Penev, L., Samways, M. & Spence, J. The search for common anthropogenic impacts on biodiversity: a global network. – Journal of Insect Conservation. In press.

Ranta, P. Changes in urban lichen diversity after falling sulphur dioxide level in Tampere, SW Finland. Annales Botanici Fennici, in press.

Ranta, P., Tanskanen, A. & Niemelä, J. 1999. Selection of islands for conservation in the urban archipelago of Helsinki, Finland. – Conservation Biology 13: 1293-1300