Biodiversity
“Activities such as burning of forests, draining of wetlands and growth of urban areas and road networks have led to loss or near extinction of many species of plant or animal life, resulting in the loss of sources of food, medicine and industrial materials” (Ratcliffe, 2009).
In the last decade in Britain the main strength is the urban growth. With London Olympics in 2012 and need for more housing and demand for new or expanding infrastructure has grown. For example expanding of A406 (North Circular Road) in London will create less traffic; however that can come with disadvantages. Many green areas and plants can be destroyed. Hopefully local governments will have a plan for bringing back to life the roadsides with planting that eventually will attract the wildlife again. A new bridge expansion on this road in North Ealing section is nearly completed. The road side next to the bridge is planted with silver birch trees (Betula pendula) and the surrounding is planted with meadow type grasses. But problematic Haringey council it seems that is busy with other concerns. The section in Palmers Green it seems that it has lost its identity with lots of planting and a little green areas turned to a yard for the roadside workers. All work will be completed before the 2012 and everyone hopes that this area will be turned back to normality. Let’s hope that Haringey councils will take the biodiversity seriously as it says in their web-site. “Haringey Council is seeking to protect and enhance biodiversity value across the borough for the benefit of all those that live and work within it, and in doing so support regional, national and global efforts to halt the decline in biodiversity”(www.haringey.gov.uk).
Introducing a diverse plant species can be greater than simple systems. With the climate change and other factors such as manmade stress there is easier for diverse planting to be more stable and resistant when comparing to simple planting systems. Also a greater number of species can support a greater amount of wildlife. Both native and non-native species can be a great way on supporting biodiversity. (Dunnett 2008)
Natural habitats such as woodlands, planting around railway lines, marshes and wastelands can act as carbon sink and provide corridors for mobile species to move in response to climate change (www.haringey.gov.uk). Also natural species need less maintenance, fertilisers and herbicide and pest control. All these facts lead in reducing carbon footprint.
Climate change
“Climate change is recognized as one of the greatest environmental threats facing the world today” (Ratcliffe 2009).
It is widely recognised that our climate is changing dramatically and human activity has a major role on that. A number of scenarios for the upcoming century have established that sea levels are rising, summers are getting warmer/drier and winters colder/wetter and an increase in other weather events such as flooding (www.landscapeinstitute.org).
Biodiversity and ecology are both strongly related in regulating climate change. We know that suitable vegetation it has a great role in climate change. Landscape architects know the importance of specification, and site conditions when using plants.
Changing of climate makes this job difficult when designing. Plants should be adapted to the site conditions and be resistant to severe unexpected changes. Also management acts as a “saver” when it comes to the conditions. Keeping an urban area to a high standard or make sure that planting is doing its job towards climate change certain maintenance it might be required. For example removing invasive species such as Japanese knotweed is becoming a common problem in UK. The role of planting towards climate is related also with roof gardens and sustainable urban drainage systems (SUDs). This works by reducing the risk of floods and run of and creating habitats for biodiversity and general improvements to local communities. (www.landscapeinstitute.org)
Ecological planting approach can promote biodiversity and provide partial solutions to the effects of climate change. According to Dunnett 2008, a diverse ecological planting species can resist the climate change and be more stable and resistant to change than simple systems. And native species can be better for the ecological approach to planting.
“Sustainable planning policies can contain urban growth (e.g. by green belt policies) and ensure that derelict urban land is developed while existing land is recycled through redevelopment” (Ratcliffe 2009).
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