Implementing Green Infrastructure for the Spatial Planning of Peri-Urban Areas in Geneva, Switzerland

Erica Honeck, Atte Moilanen, Benjamin Guinaudeau, Nicolas Wyler, Martin A. Schlaepfer, Pascal Martin, Arthur Sanguet, Loreto Urbina, Bertrand von Arx, Joëlle Massy, Claude Fischer and Anthony Lehmann
Additional contact information
Erica Honeck: University of Geneva, Institute for Environmental Sciences, Bd Carl-Vogt 66, CH-1211 Geneva, Switzerland
Atte Moilanen: Finnish Natural History Museum, P.O.Box 17, FI- 00014 University of Helsinki, 00100 Helsinki, Finland
Benjamin Guinaudeau: University of Geneva, Institute for Environmental Sciences, Bd Carl-Vogt 66, CH-1211 Geneva, Switzerland
Nicolas Wyler: Conservatory and Botanical Garden of the City of Geneva, Switzerland, 1 ch. de l’Impératrice, CH-1292 Chambésy, Switzerland
Martin A. Schlaepfer: University of Geneva, Institute for Environmental Sciences, Bd Carl-Vogt 66, CH-1211 Geneva, Switzerland
Pascal Martin: Conservatory and Botanical Garden of the City of Geneva, Switzerland, 1 ch. de l’Impératrice, CH-1292 Chambésy, Switzerland
Arthur Sanguet: University of Geneva, Institute for Environmental Sciences, Bd Carl-Vogt 66, CH-1211 Geneva, Switzerland
Loreto Urbina: HEPIA (Haute École du Paysage, d’Ingénierie et d’Architecture de Genève), rue de la Prairie 4, CH-1202 Geneva, Switzerland
Bertrand von Arx: OCAN (Office cantonal de l’agriculture et de la nature), rue des Battoirs 7, CH-1205, Geneva, Switzerland
Joëlle Massy: OCAN (Office cantonal de l’agriculture et de la nature), rue des Battoirs 7, CH-1205, Geneva, Switzerland
Claude Fischer: HEPIA (Haute École du Paysage, d’Ingénierie et d’Architecture de Genève), rue de la Prairie 4, CH-1202 Geneva, Switzerland
Anthony Lehmann: University of Geneva, Institute for Environmental Sciences, Bd Carl-Vogt 66, CH-1211 Geneva, Switzerland

Sustainability, 2020, vol. 12, issue 4, 1-20

Abstract: The concept of green infrastructure (GI) seeks to identify and prioritize areas of high ecological value for wildlife and people, to improve the integration of natural values in landscape planning decisions. In 2018, the canton of Geneva, Switzerland, established a roadmap for biodiversity conservation, which includes the operationalization of GI covering 30% of the territory by 2030. In this paper, we demonstrate a GI mapping framework in the canton of Geneva. Our approach is based on the combined assessment of three ‘pillars’, namely species’ distribution, landscape structure and connectivity, and ecosystem services, to optimize the allocation of conservation actions using the spatial prioritization software, Zonation. The identified priority conservation areas closely overlap existing natural reserves. Including the three pillars in the landscape prioritization should also improve adhesion to the GI idea, without undermining the protection of threatened species. With regards to land use planning, public and private land parcels with high values for GI may require specific incentives to maintain their desirable characteristics, as they are more likely to be degraded than areas with more building restrictions. Visualizing priority conservation areas in a spatially explicit manner will support decision-makers in Geneva to optimally allocate limited resources for ecosystem preservation.

Keywords: spatial conservation prioritization; systematic conservation planning; environmental policy; Zonation; Biodiversity Strategy; Geneva; Switzerland (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2020
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (10)

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