Work Package 2
Green Infrastructure Functionality Assessment
What are the functional values of green infrastructure? What service does green infrastructure provide us with? The objective of work package 2 is to develop and demonstrate green infrastructure assessment methods that gauge connectivity, landscape ecological functions and functioning ecosystem services of certain green infrastructure elements. The communication and facilitating the adoption of those assessment methods by institutions through participatory approaches and training is a major aim of the project, because previous assessment methodologies for functionality have not brought together landscape ecological functions and ecosystem services.
Understanding how the management of areas high in biodiversity affects the surrounding productive/cultural landscapes and vice-versa is vital in prescribing landscape management guidelines. Transnational cooperation between partners working in tandem on specific themes such as fragmentation, land-use pressure, human activities (user pressure) and invasive species explores and demonstrates the use of green infrastructure as a landscape planning concept.
The green infrastructure functionality assessment is carried out at regional/local level in each of the nine case study areas. Associated partners are involved throughout the development and testing phases.
Work Package Duration: 06/2018-12/2019
Coordination: University of Vienna, Thomas Wrbka
OUTPUTS:
Manual of Green Infrastructure Functionality Assessment - Decision-Support Tool (pdf 4 MB)
The Manual of Green Infrastructure Functionality Assessment demonstrates the procedure of and practical examples to conduct such an assessment and mapping at transnational, regional and local level. After a short introduction the available spatial data for assessing Green and Blue Infrastructure (GI/BI) are presented and discussed. Subsequently, the main methodologies employed to perform the GI functionality assessment are reported, e.g. the connectivity anaysis, the field mapping methodology and the functionality analysis. Each step of the functionality assessment is explained by maps from the project's case study areas.
The benefit of assessing and analysing these data is the acquisition of knowledge about spatial distribution and quality of GI at regional and local level. The findings of this manual help to identify hot spots of GI networks as well as GI with a high functional value or areas with a lack of such elements. The regional GI functionality maps are the basis for planning further actions for the development of GI networks. Using these results, concrete regional measures for GI enhancement can be developed. The sustainable management of GI ensures many landscape services from which humans benefit or actually depend on.
The Manual of Green Infrastructure Functionality Assement provides decision support to regional and local stakeholders who would like to implement and invest into GI.
In each case study area a pilot action is undertaken testing the assessment methodology developed. The action comprises the location, categorization and evaluation of core areas, stepping stones, nodes, recreation/wildlife corridors, landscape matrix and functionality and ecosystem services.
The following sections are extractions from the Manual and show the results of the several analyses carried out using the example of the case study area "Eastern Waldviertel & Western Weinviertel" in Lower Austria. For more detailed information please have a look into the Manual.
DATA ACQUISITION AT REGIONAL AND LOCAL LEVEL
Maps and data illustrating functionality for each of the partner case study areas
Multi-layered digital maps are created illustrating the functionality of green infrastructure in the nine case study areas in terms of landscape ecological functions (core areas, stepping stones, nodes, wildlife corridors and ecosystem services, land use). The maps identify areas in need of action i.e. those where functions could be in need of enhancement to deliver greater benefit. They are further used for the green infrastructure strategy development in Work Package 3 and are available to all stakeholders.
Functionality Maps Kyjovsko (South Moravia/Czech Republic)
Functionality Maps Dübener Heide Nature Park (Saxony and Saxony-Anhalt/Germany)
Functionality Maps Karkonosze National Park (Lower Silesia/Poland)
Functionality Maps Tri-border area Czech Republic-Germany-Poland
Functionality Maps Krkonoše National Park (Liberec and Hradec Králové Regions, Czech Republic)
Functionality Maps Po Hills around Chieri (Turin, Piedmont/Italy)
Functionality Maps Upper Po Plain (Piedmont/Italy)
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Work Package-related presentations held on the IALE World Conference 2019 in Milan:
FLORIAN DANZINGER (University of Vienna):
Green Infrastructure at regional and local scale - Assessing connectivity and functionality through stakeholder involvement (pdf 3.6 MB)
HANA SKOKANOVÁ, TOMAŠ SLACH (Silva Tarouca Research Institute)
Territorial System of Ecological Stablility as regional example for Green Infrastructure Planning in the Czech Republic (pdf 2.9 MB)
Read on WORK PACKAGE 3
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