Without soil, we cannot survive. Yet, we fail to take enough care of our living environment. The growing world population is moving to cities, annexing surrounding areas and literally squeezing the life out of the soil. The urban climate, urbanised environment and urban water balance are detrimental to healthy soil life. The (urban) soil is largely sealed off, and this results in extreme flooding, heat and drought exhaustion, soil compaction and habitat fragmentation.
In general, a lot of knowledge and experience about designing cities and their subsurface is spread among many parties. Unfortunately, there is still too little specific knowledge about biodiversity in urban soil. And what is known often fails to reach urban designers, let alone administrators and those responsible for procuring services. This makes the design of the city and its soil an organisational and shared issue: knowledge needs to be expanded and combined and then applied in policy and procurement to translate hidden soil life into design power. This publication is aimed at policymakers, designers and planners of cities to contribute to their shared knowledge for making future-resilient cities. However, it is also recommended for anyone with an interest in urban biodiversity.
ISBN 978-94-6208-656-2
Cover Echt deff Matter of soil 23x34.indd 1-5
9 789462 086562
nai010 publishers www.nai010.com Printed and bound in Belgium ISBN 978-94-6208-656-2
nai 010
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The design of the city includes many underground measures. Every change leads to soil exhaustion. We need to do things differently. BiodiverCITY. A Matter of Vital Soil! formulates biodiversity measures that will result in a healthy soil life.
B I O D I VE R C I T TY Y _ A MATT E R ( O F V I TA L SO I L !
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There is a world full of life beneath our feet. Hidden in the soil, up to 100 million species of microorganisms work together with fungi and plant roots to form networks that ensure a healthy living environment.
B I O D I V E R C I TY_ A MATT E R O F V ITA L SO I L !
BiodiverCITY. A Matter of Vital Soil! represents a quest for biodiversity in the city. Declining biodiversity in the countryside has been in the spotlight for years. Biodiversity in the city appears to be hidden, but a healthy soil life is vitally important. How do you design a public space that is anchored in healthy soil?
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Creating, implementing and upscaling biodiversity-based measures in public space
nai010 publishers
06-09-21 02:35