Biophilia beyond the Building: Applying the Tools of Urban Biodiversity Planning to Create Biophilic Cities

Stephanie Panlasigui, Erica Spotswood, Erin Beller and Robin Grossinger
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Stephanie Panlasigui: San Francisco Estuary Institute, 4911 Central Avenue, Richmond, CA 94804, USA
Erica Spotswood: San Francisco Estuary Institute, 4911 Central Avenue, Richmond, CA 94804, USA
Erin Beller: Google Inc., 1600 Amphitheater Parkway, Mountain View, CA 94043, USA
Robin Grossinger: San Francisco Estuary Institute, 4911 Central Avenue, Richmond, CA 94804, USA

Sustainability, 2021, vol. 13, issue 5, 1-15

Abstract: In response to the widely recognized negative impacts of urbanization on biodiversity, many cities are reimagining urban design to provide better biodiversity support. Some cities have developed urban biodiversity plans, primarily focused on improving biodiversity support and ecosystem function within the built environment through habitat restoration and other types of urban greening projects. The biophilic cities movement seeks to reframe nature as essential infrastructure for cities, seamlessly integrating city and nature to provide abundant, accessible nature for all residents and corresponding health and well-being outcomes. Urban biodiversity planning and biophilic cities have significant synergies in their goals and the means necessary to achieve them. In this paper, we identify three key ways by which the urban biodiversity planning process can support biophilic cities objectives: engaging the local community; identifying science-based, quantitative goals; and setting priorities for action. Urban biodiversity planning provides evidence-based guidance, tools, and techniques needed to design locally appropriate, pragmatic habitat enhancements that support biodiversity, ecological health, and human health and well-being. Developing these multi-functional, multi-benefit strategies that increase the abundance of biodiverse nature in cities has the potential at the same time to deepen and enrich our biophilic experience in daily life.

Keywords: biophilic cities; urban biodiversity; urban biodiversity planning; human health; well-being; green infrastructure (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2021
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (1)

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