Culture&Territories#3

Neighbourhood & City
and thus restrict costs? This field searches for innovative ways towards a
sustainable management of the urban environment.
5. Technology and practice: What are main technical requirements for habitats
in man-made green infrastructure such as roof gardens, green facades or
street greenery? How can vegetation technology help to establish nature-like
structures? What modifications of standardised technological procedures are
necessary to achieve more effectiveness in terms of biodiversity? This group
aims at identifying the technical needs, and assessing them against the existing
possibilities. Small-scale pilot projects could be carried out to match technical
requirements with those of biodiversity.
CONCLUSIONS AND OUTLOOK
To cope with the numerous restrictions the urban setting poses upon urban green,
nature-based conceptions of urban design have to be implemented, fostering
biological diversity in potentially valuable but un- or underdeveloped areas. The
optimisation of unused or underused areas and the development of small-scale areas
offer opportunities even in restricted areas. Such proactive strategy requires the
willingness of local governments to establish and support networks and synergistic
partnerships with private sector and the residents. Collective thinking is a key
towards sustainable development of any city. It also requires clear objectives,
especially for vegetation technology, in order to develop solutions that meet
biodiversity criteria and at the same time fulfil technical requirements.
Therefore, opening up potential for biodiversity in urban settings requires interdisciplinary
and transdisciplinary cooperation. Topics that previously seemed to affect
either maintenance technology or nature conservation, or either councils or the
private sector, have now to be considered as interdisciplinary tasks. This rethinking
on all sides is a process that takes time. An active strategy managed by the local
government is crucial. This demands on the one side good planners who are able to
develop interesting and innovative ideas, and on the other, committed and open -
-minded decision makers who take up these ideas, put them in the right setting, and
ensure their implementation. To consolidate sustainability in urban development,
efforts towards more and better urban green and biodiversity should be more
than an optional addition, a desirable improvement, or a dutiful nod towards
environmental protection. Urban green and biodiversity have to be recognised and
promoted as an essential contribution to safeguarding and improving the quality of
urban life, since they are, in terms of sustainability, an essential part of the solution.
This is especially important when urban growth poses pressure on open spaces and
on quality standards of urban environment. Public relations and citizen’s participation
have to be set as a high priority. Only when nature and biodiversity are valued they
may seep into citizen’s consciousness, and this can dramatically ensure long lasting
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