GLOBAL GARDEN REPORT 2012 - Husqvarna Group

More documents

Recommendations

Info

Envisioning tomorrow’s green spaces This year’s Global Garden Report makes one thing clear: urban green spaces are on the rise. From Tokyo in Japan to Chicago in America and Copenhagen in Denmark, this report shows that major cities around the world are currently in the process of reassessing the importance of urban greenery; not only as means of making the urban environment more livable and better 8 GLOBAL GARDEN REPORT 2012 adjusted to environmental demands, but also as way of increasing the global attractiveness of the city in general. Hopefully, this will start to turn a negative trend around. The following five questions are especially valuable to reflect on, in light of this report’s insights: Photo of a Supertree, a towering vertical garden structure currently under construction as a part of Singapore’s Gardens By The Bay project. Courtesy of Grant Associates.
Five questions looking ahead 1. W ill the idea of the greener city take hold? We should never underestimate the importance of visions – they serve to remind us where we want to go and which future it is that we want to realize. For example, Vancouver has the ambition to be the greenest city in the world by 2020 through city planning, green building etc. However, in order to be truly useful, vision must at some point translate to action. Today there is a broad agreement that we want our future cities to be greener; concurrently, urban green spaces are rapidly disappearing in many cities, and are neglected in others. As such, a key question for the years to come is whether and to what extent the idea of the greener city will really take hold: are we ready to go from vision to action, or will the vision of the greener city remain fleetingly unattainable? For the future of urban green spaces, few questions are of greater importance. 2. What will tomorrow’s maintenance look like? If tomorrow’s cities grow both in density and ‘greenness’, demand for new types of maintenance may emerge. If a city’s landscape integrates more green space, as seen in the new eco-city models, tools and trades will have to adapt. Today, maintenance of parks and green spaces all too often result in excess noise and pollution, unsustainable in the compact, dense cities of the future. Will we see a greater frequency of urban gardening as profession, or will robotic solutions take care of the maintenance for us? 3. W ill tomorrow’s urban dweller have greener thumbs? Urban farming and rurbanism – the combination of urban life with rural values – are two global trends challenging our idea of urbanites as estranged from nature and the countryside. With green roofs and vertical gardens on the rise, the distinction between the urban and natural environment might grow to become even blurrier. In a not-too-distant future, are we as likely to find horticulturally-savvy people with green thumbs in the city as we are in the countryside? 4. Will green spaces be a new competitive edge? In today’s fast-paced knowledge economy, the scramble for global talent is in full force. With the rise of a new global class of highmobility knowledge workers, a city’s ability to attract valuable human capital is arguably more important than ever. Already, many cities have begun using their proximity to nature and the quality of their of urban green spaces as a means of marketing their global attractiveness. This phenomenon has only just begun; in the years ahead, the quality of a city’s green spaces may become as important an offering as a city’s public transportation and cultural treasures are today. 5. Who will pay to maintain tomorrow’s green spaces? Urban green spaces are among the most important public spaces in the city: they provide a place to unwind in, to meet with friends and family, and to reconnect with nature. As mentioned, however, green spaces require more regular upkeep than other city areas, which is one of the main reasons why cities today are hesitant in creating them. One of the key questions ahead is therefore likely to be how best to provide increased funding for maintenance. Today, the public sector usually foots the bill; tomorrow, private sponsors hips and voluntary arrangements may become part of the solution as well. GLOBAL GARDEN REPORT 2012 9
Page 1 and 2: al Identity Guidelines GLOBAL GARDE
Page 3 and 4: A passion for green spaces The city
Page 5 and 6: An illustration of the Lifescape se
Page 7: provided by many urban green spaces
Page 11 and 12: GLOBAL GARDEN REPORT 2012 11
Page 13 and 14: Insight 5: The pond is where we bon
Page 15 and 16: Making sure that for every grey spa
Page 17 and 18: are also less likely to feel stress
Page 19 and 20: A REFUGE FOR STORM WATER The servic
Page 21 and 22: of this idea; in most advertisement
Page 23 and 24: Other studies concerned with the ef
Page 25 and 26: city,” with ambitious programs fo
Page 27 and 28: used this technique to create verti
Page 29 and 30: An illustration of Green Connectors
Page 31 and 32: An illustration of the Bosco Vertic
Page 33 and 34: spaces require frequent maintenance
Page 35 and 36: GLOBAL GARDEN REPORT 2012 35
Page 37 and 38: SWEDEN Degree of urbanization: 85%*
Page 39 and 40: KEY FINDINGS CURRENT GREEN SPACE SI
Page 53 and 54: Appendix a: Urban green spaces defi
Page 55 and 56: spaces accounting for only 9.3%. Th
Page 57 and 58: Appendix d: References and acknowle
Page 59 and 60:
ABOUT HUSQVARNA GROUP The Husqvarna
show all

GLOBAL GARDEN REPORT 2012 - Husqvarna Group

You also want an ePaper? Increase the reach of your titles

Delete template?

Save as template?