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Toward livable and healthy urban streets: Roadside vegetation provides ecosystem services where people live and move

Author

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  • Säumel, Ina
  • Weber, Frauke
  • Kowarik, Ingo

Abstract

Fostering ecosystem services in urban road corridors is an important challenge for urban planning and governance because residents are often exposed to environmental pressures in these ubiquitous open spaces. We here aim at illustrating multiple ecosystem services that may be underpinned by roadside vegetation. Previous work is broadly scattered in papers from the natural and social sciences and biased by a focus both on regulating services (temperature regulation, air filtration, carbon sequestration) and also on trees. We provide a first synthesis that illustrates (i) the multi-functional capacity of green elements in streetscapes to deliver various ecosystem services; (ii) the relevance of planted and wild-grown herbaceous vegetation as well as trees; and (iii) trade-offs between certain ecosystem services as well as risks related to disservices. Trees and herbaceous road vegetation can mitigate adverse environmental conditions in road corridors, which is particularly important in vulnerable neighborhoods that are undersupplied with green spaces. Enhancing the amenity value of streetscapes might also positively influence public health by promoting physical activity. However, significant knowledge gaps exist, e.g. on the contribution of biodiversity to ecosystem services and on the valuation of green street components by different sociocultural groups. Our synthesis illustrates management options that can support planning and governance approaches toward more livable streetscapes by fostering ecosystem services and counteracting disservices.

Suggested Citation

  • Säumel, Ina & Weber, Frauke & Kowarik, Ingo, 2016. "Toward livable and healthy urban streets: Roadside vegetation provides ecosystem services where people live and move," Environmental Science & Policy, Elsevier, vol. 62(C), pages 24-33.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:enscpo:v:62:y:2016:i:c:p:24-33
    DOI: 10.1016/j.envsci.2015.11.012
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    Citations

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    Cited by:

    1. Gabriel Kuczman & Denis Bechera & Zdenka Rózová & Attila Tóth, 2024. "Roadside Vegetation Functions, Woody Plant Values, and Ecosystem Services in Rural Streetscapes: A Qualitative Study on Rural Settlements in Western Slovakia," Land, MDPI, vol. 13(3), pages 1-27, February.
    2. von Döhren, Peer & Haase, Dagmar, 2019. "Risk assessment concerning urban ecosystem disservices: The example of street trees in Berlin, Germany," Ecosystem Services, Elsevier, vol. 40(C).
    3. Walter Leal Filho & Franziska Wolf & Ricardo Castro-Díaz & Chunlan Li & Vincent N. Ojeh & Nestor Gutiérrez & Gustavo J. Nagy & Stevan Savić & Claudia E. Natenzon & Abul Quasem Al-Amin & Marija Maruna , 2021. "Addressing the Urban Heat Islands Effect: A Cross-Country Assessment of the Role of Green Infrastructure," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(2), pages 1-20, January.
    4. Teodoro Semeraro & Aurelia Scarano & Riccardo Buccolieri & Angelo Santino & Eeva Aarrevaara, 2021. "Planning of Urban Green Spaces: An Ecological Perspective on Human Benefits," Land, MDPI, vol. 10(2), pages 1-26, January.
    5. Jan Petzold & Lukas Mose, 2023. "Urban Greening as a Response to Climate-Related Heat Risk: A Social–Geographical Review," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(6), pages 1-16, March.
    6. Selim Z. Heneidy & Yassin M. Al-Sodany & Laila M. Bidak & Amal M. Fakhry & Sania K. Hamouda & Marwa W. A. Halmy & Sulaiman A. Alrumman & Dhafer A. Al-Bakre & Ebrahem M. Eid & Soliman M. Toto, 2022. "Archeological Sites and Relict Landscapes as Refuge for Biodiversity: Case Study of Alexandria City, Egypt," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(4), pages 1-21, February.
    7. Eggimann, Sven, 2022. "Expanding urban green space with superblocks," Land Use Policy, Elsevier, vol. 117(C).
    8. Zhi Yue & Ying Zhong & Zhouxiao Cui, 2022. "Respondent Dynamic Attention to Streetscape Composition in Nanjing, China," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(22), pages 1-16, November.
    9. Cimburova, Zofie & Berghauser Pont, Meta, 2021. "Location matters. A systematic review of spatial contextual factors mediating ecosystem services of urban trees," Ecosystem Services, Elsevier, vol. 50(C).
    10. Elias Naber & Rebekka Volk & Kai Mörmann & Denise Boehnke & Thomas Lützkendorf & Frank Schultmann, 2022. "Namares—A Surface Inventory and Intervention Assessment Model for Urban Resource Management," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(14), pages 1-34, July.
    11. Pia Wackler & Sonja Bauer, 2024. "Potentials for Optimizing Roadside Greenery to Improve the Quality of Life in Cities," Land, MDPI, vol. 13(3), pages 1-22, March.

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