<p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px;"><em>This article first
appeared as a guest
post on Sustainable Cities Collective by Amanda Rosenberg, 2010 ASLA
advocacy and communications intern. </em></p>
<p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px;"><em>Image credit:
Timothy Beatley / Island Press</em></p>
<br><br><br><span style="color: rgb(0, 102, 179); font-family: Verdana,Geneva,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;"><b><p style="font-size: 12pt; margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px;">Taking
Nature to the City</p></b></span><br> In "<a shape="rect" href="http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?llr=hdosiabab&et=1105071823172&s=12359&e=001Q03reR6DymZR6eD1MuRu5pHMgGP4skE1w8CEzLRTT_o5mkyB3Ws6S-Vi3T80ha1wGGnYKrhrEZCGgsDQTFX5XPy9S57Kge3XWjZt0G01A2GB-QYvzHaL9EKAisKYdaIF-6kOfOS5K7Ipf0pUlicW4A9H1tn_x3jb3iNaru4oGAmhsRwZ2yn-ECcV35kC5XUVCkzyR6PvR0jLQDMVziDa7fztRDecFPd8HZRgObLxeT_JBxVaZKN5JyDwqJxdE8vj1ughU4P2t-vJX4dJEoJOvn212AzMgr0v" target="_blank">Biophilic Cities: Integrating Nature into Urban Design
and Planning</a>," <a shape="rect" href="http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?llr=hdosiabab&et=1105071823172&s=12359&e=001Q03reR6DymZQi7hSvBpS074QSFned6GPstphfTBRrJndrinCOXDCg4wp5jNuhrBvb1_SUR80oO-ra2QkGzeApJFDFicEHybmQXTnxY4pSROLhh-SV1AkjgxutUzJ3wXx2s_AI6IbzE10xwasdd9SonCIFtsmpE21" target="_blank">Timothy Beatley</a>, Teresa Heinz Professor of
Sustainable Communities at the University of Virginia, argues that
planners and landscape architects must design cities so
people feel intimately connected with nature. Beatley hopes his book
will foster a dialogue about biophilic cities by first defining what
these are, offering a set of indicators for measuring biophilic
interactions, then imagining how these look at various scales, and
finally outlining what institutions and organizations can do
to build communities more in tune with nature.
<p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px;">Beatley describes how <a shape="rect" href="http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?llr=hdosiabab&et=1105071823172&s=12359&e=001Q03reR6DymYG0O5ujd6rIE_yHoUUwAEEYnFcQ0ITDui0BSkOKZL8uoV5uGkzam1aSInb3cu6Iv4X0Bp04xQtGGvW5uLnrtqnyev58G_QUf8AYz_7YiW4Do0-g1NcQC7Q7lSc9quYSrKUzjLem-P-1Q==" target="_blank">biophilia</a>, a term coined by famed sociobiologist
and conservationist <a shape="rect" href="http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?llr=hdosiabab&et=1105071823172&s=12359&e=001Q03reR6DymZcdUdoHHmHNWzpbPcTIY6ypqDJGIYQoSkA2IYdiupLfUEOYMzVHmskgMCn86f2lQQJ0dpH7pqW1ui_Kbmn4LKTOWFYWnPZTqvA4k_igzKqB7i3NmrGbTVCIo8qwFABE_s=" target="_blank">E. O. Wilson</a>, can inform how we plan, design, and
manage our cities. Beatley defines a biophilic city as one that puts
nature first. "It recognizes the essential need for daily human contact
with nature as well as the many environmental and economic values
provided by nature and natural systems." He adds that these
cities are places where "residents spend time enjoying the biological
magic and wonder around them. In biophilic cities, residents care about
nature and work on its behalf locally and globally." </p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px;"> </p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px;">Throughout, there's a strong case for
the psychological benefits of urban nature. E. O. Wilson writes in the
foreword: "The evidence is compelling that frequent exposure to the
natural world improves mental health, it offers a deep sense of inner
peace, and, in many ways we have only begun to understand by scientific
reason, it improves the quality of life." </p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px;"> </p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px;">Beyond improving humans' well-being though, fostering biophilia
among residents can also increase cities' resiliency to future
changes. </p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px;"> </p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px;">Beatley compiles research
and case studies that highlight the environmental, economic, and
quality-of-life payoffs of nature in the urban setting. He breaks down
several indicators of a biophilic city while acknowledging that urban
design and planning is concerned with various scales: regional,
community, neighborhood, street, block, and building. "The best
biophilic cities are places where these different scales overlap and
reinforce biophilic behaviors and lifestyles. Ideally, in a biophilic
city these scales work together to deliver a nested nature that is more
than the sum of its parts."</p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px;"> </p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px;">He explores a number of indicators for determining how well a city
creates biophilic connections:</p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px;"> </p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px;"><strong>Conditions and Infrastructure</strong></p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px;">
Beatley covers the growing
body of biophilic architecture (<a shape="rect" href="http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?llr=hdosiabab&et=1105071823172&s=12359&e=001Q03reR6DymZO_N3LTg_X2w5ZfB1-izRsDU5mrmElBN1xyb6HJmhir1mFcP-xFyJ1YCMW2xaut3k6vpOTJzPin8DzPHWtpOk3fM0p_RMcQPDrPk_ua9aKPQ6W_Cq0HKe0TCv6sEvJdNJXB7utPiX69wBOqYxLceex6W7o960vaPC2Clq9Kf4DiZ_FKPxBQGu2hccFLWyS8EU=" target="_blank">see earlier post</a>) and then inspires to translate
them to the broad scale. He also argues for improved accessibility to
green spaces. At the broad scale, he asks policymakers to consider how
well they facilitate access to nature:</p><ul><li>What percentage of the
population is within 100 meters of a park or greenspace?</li><li>Per
capita, how many miles of walking trails exist in the city's borders? </li></ul><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px;"><strong>Activities</strong></p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px;">The residents and
institutions of a biophilic city celebrate the unique biodiversity of
their place and actively enjoy and participate in the nature around
them. Beatley writes that cities can encourage us to connect with
nature through programs and offering volunteer opportunities. Some
questions for the cities trying to measure the biophilic connections
created through activities:</p><ul><li>What is the percentage of time
residents spend outside, understanding that climate must be accounted
for?</li><li>What percentage of the population is active in nature or
outdoor clubs or organizations? How many of such organizations exist
in the city?</li></ul><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px;"><strong>Attitudes
and Knowledge</strong></p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px;">The metabolism of a sustainable city relies on residents both
knowing and caring about its unique nature, natural history, and
restoration opportunities. Beatley points to<a shape="rect" href="http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?llr=hdosiabab&et=1105071823172&s=12359&e=001Q03reR6DymZVTnSYOcaJfo_IEMN4zfKydTqYj12VCCbLVxoPiG8lLvPwghJgcBd5dEzDYJdzGtKRbHoEVSaNbOqojv5axa4I-n_HbmDNEvXOj5ccXdmW1PjV1okOxxN2IAqOqOy77feafCPFqATsMw==" target="_blank"> Tadao Ando's "Sea Forest" plan</a> for an 88-hectare
parcel in the Tokyo Bay where trees will be planted on landfill,
educating all who visit about the benefits of nature. In this area,
there are some questions to evaluate how actively residents participate
in the natural city:</p><ul><li>What percentage of the population can
recognize common species of native flora and fauna?</li><li>To what
extent are residents curious about the natural work around them?</li></ul><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px;"><strong>Institutions and
Government</strong></p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px;">To
facilitate the growth of biophilic connections, many players must
become involved. Most important: there should be education programs to
foster connectedness to nature- locally, regionally, and
globally. Institutions that could have particularly strong roles include
botanical gardens, municipal zoos, natural history museums, and
conservation groups. <br> Beatley writes about <a shape="rect" href="http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?llr=hdosiabab&et=1105071823172&s=12359&e=001Q03reR6DymYigvzitpGxjV5FY-WCLKYNOArNThz0QQ0VQPwf2YP5bncLlwB8xGKEHvkgSEP3zhp23IF-2OQfUMIjiWdCLs0dcskB-yKcLY4BkwFkHr5mXg==" target="_blank">Lewis Ginter Botanical Garden</a> of Richmond,
Virginia, which grows food for its community. It has five "learning
farms" for urban youth to work at and earn an income. To determine
whether governments and instutions are doing enough, questions are
directed at how well cities are protecting and building
their biodiversity and investing in education:</p><ul><li>Has the
government adopted a local biodiversity action plan or strategy?</li><li>Has priority
been given to environmental education?</li><li>Has the government
adopted green building and planning codes, grant programs, density
bonuses, green space initiatives, dark-sky lighting standards, etc?</li></ul><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px;">Overall, the city should
be a place that is deeply connected to nature; it breaks the average
urban resident's feeling of alienation from nature. Planners
and landscape architects need to mediate and facilitate this
process, Beatley argues, so that we envision our cities as a living
environment. With many case studies and best practices, the book offers
exemplary ideas for professionals to consider as they re-naturalize
the urban world.</p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px;"> </p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px;"><a shape="rect" href="http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?llr=hdosiabab&et=1105071823172&s=12359&e=001Q03reR6DymbsCFHUg8TF4hDtenrhlSUXY-IglJwEIQmnWzXDaREdXLHgF8DarRwcaHZrFgs3p1K0HWf8TsjLORpkZ6gLJItAXI0_0FBDsWsOe518kijWlAC5ed4lcjU82BktxmOd3uPu6rtF8vlhyfKrVD5P835gIJoUWBQ47BpZ_avePW9Dn7b2llX_GoTwT_CxXMYNtZWNsyRzj31HwgURA5iPHSK558Izkb5vfwXbPsDyhDFK2okFApwSA5wDl_DZ3wwp1-XGP_wUIxZNTIv0nDHP9Fxk" target="_blank">Read the book</a> and <a shape="rect" href="http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?llr=hdosiabab&et=1105071823172&s=12359&e=001Q03reR6DymZNznvOsvr9cUdADQfqh8PEJ9KxZ9EIDzAQCcaKkqFDANm9O9avpiuuwvRRXMm446riqJcNI5OtKU4fO3vvlTeAja7QdQrH0stzIifOh7haB9z65w70jrR7YBFKFkfxRxmq-vuGEo6lWixx78lD2ZxtdVS8cYHe_SsZwm28Ix_WmL3utsQiPfG102pTurUV_Mw1r_SOinC62Q==" target="_blank">learn more about biophilic landscape design</a>.</p>
<p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px;"> </p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px;"><em>This article first appeared as a guest
post on Sustainable Cities Collective by Amanda Rosenberg, 2010 ASLA
advocacy and communications intern. </em></p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px;"><em>Image credit: Timothy Beatley / Island Press</em></p><br clear="all"><br>-- <br>P2P Foundation: <a href="http://p2pfoundation.net" target="_blank">http://p2pfoundation.net</a> - <a href="http://blog.p2pfoundation.net" target="_blank">http://blog.p2pfoundation.net</a> <br>
<br>Connect: <a href="http://p2pfoundation.ning.com" target="_blank">http://p2pfoundation.ning.com</a>; Discuss: <a href="http://lists.ourproject.org/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/p2p-foundation" target="_blank">http://lists.ourproject.org/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/p2p-foundation</a><br>
<br>Updates: <a href="http://del.icio.us/mbauwens" target="_blank">http://del.icio.us/mbauwens</a>; <a href="http://friendfeed.com/mbauwens" target="_blank">http://friendfeed.com/mbauwens</a>; <a href="http://twitter.com/mbauwens" target="_blank">http://twitter.com/mbauwens</a>; <a href="http://www.facebook.com/mbauwens" target="_blank">http://www.facebook.com/mbauwens</a><br>
<br><br><br><br><br>