What is a Green Infrastructure?
Green Infrastructure (GI) — is an interconnected network of green space that conserve natural ecosystem values and functions and provide associated benefits to human populations (Paul Cawood Hellmund & Daniel Somers Smith, 2006).
Waterways, wetlands, woodlands, wildlife habitats, greenways, parks, pocket parks, urban meadows, rain gardens and other open spaces that support native species, maintain natural ecological processes, sustain air and water resources and contribute to the health and quality of life for people.
GI is characterized by connectivity. Connectivity can be achieved through the provision of linking landscape features such a river corridors or footpaths, and uses the conceptual understanding of networks and systems to support green infrastructure functionality (Austin, 2014).
GI should also fundamentally be accessible to wildlife and local people. Barriers to accessibility can be fences, locked gates, transport infrastructure, or the distance a resource is from its user population. Multi-functionality is also one of the GI features. It's a co-location of social, economic and ecological benefits in a single location or across a green infrastructure network (Benedict & McMahon, 2006; Mell, 2016).
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Ecologically effective green spaces can provide tangible economic, ecological, and social benefits: restore back natural ecosystems to cities, support people’s mental and physical health, encourage active travel, cool urban areas during heat waves, attract investment, increase nearby property values, which can be of benefit to businesses and homeowners, reduce water run-off during flash flooding, carbon storage, provide sustainable drainage, etc.
Author: Oleh Bykh