A multi-criteria analytical method to assess ecosystem services at urban site level, exemplified by two German city districts

Autor: Patrycia Brzoska, Olaf Bastian, Karsten Grunewald
Rok vydání: 2021
Předmět:
Zdroj: Ecosystem Services. 49:101268
ISSN: 2212-0416
Popis: Urban green spaces and their ecosystem services (ES) are vital for the well-being and quality of life of growing urban populations. The concept of ES is a useful aid to urban planners and a major factor in the development of city districts in which local people have access to urban greenery and their services. Here we present a transferable method to map and assess the capacity of ecosystems to deliver urban ES, exemplified for two German city districts. Based on multi-criteria decision making (MCDM), this method was developed in cooperation with the environmental agencies of the investigated cities and incorporates site‐specific data from field mapping. The results are given in the form of a spatial distribution of the delimitated ecosystem types and their capacities to provide three exemplary ES (‘bioclimatic regulation’, ‘nature experience’, and ‘passive recreation’). Generated maps show areas deficient in ES, which can then be used for spatial prioritization of development measures. In addition, it is possible to estimate and visualize the potential impact that specific measures will have on ES provision. The many advantages of this approach include its general flexibility and the generation of precise location-specific data. Furthermore, it can contribute to a value-based communication aimed at fostering the preservation of urban green spaces.
Databáze: OpenAIRE