Biophilic Cities, Sustainable Cities... the stake of the 21st century
As the world continues to urbanize, the conciliation between urban growth and preservation of functional ecosystems in cities appears to be one of the main challenges of the 21st century accorg to United Nations (2018 Report). That is why the preservation and restoration of ecological connectivity inside cities is crucial to ensure sustainable habitats for wildlife for foraging, resting and reproduction as well as corridors enabling dispersal .
Nature-based solutions inside cities are vital for city-dwellers’ well-being and health, and for adaptation to climate change. Recent works showed that besides the numerous ecosystem services they provide, such as reduction of urban heat island effect or flood control , accessibility to urban green spaces also brings benefits to physical health.
Daily contact with nature where people live and work may improve mental health. Following the works initiated by Kaplan (1995) describing the restorative effects of nature, numerous studies showed that access to green spaces and contact with nature were associated with a decrease in stress or anxiety mood and a better emotional well-being.
Designing a Sustainable Urban Planning Strategy
Creating a city where green spaces are better connected with each other to preserve biodiversity and favor city-dwellers mobility
On the left: Seoul, South Korea. Hotspots for pollinators habitats (from orange to red) and most multi-fonctionnal corridors (in green) to connect habitats with each others (c) Hortense Serret. On the right, Gardens by the Bay, Singapore, picture credit A. Daliot
Our approach is based on scientific tools and methodogy to identify, thanks to appropriate data, the habitats that need to be protected and the corridors allowing species displacement along Green and Blue Belts.
Based on several years of experience, we are using Geographic Information System (GIS) tools, Species Distribution Modeling (SDM, Maxent Software) and a graph-modeling approach with the Graphab software : https://sourcesup.renater.fr/www/graphab/en/home.html
We are seeking for the best nature-based solutions to respond to cities issues while maintaining fonctional ecosystems.
Urban Permaculture Design and circular economy
Making cities fertile
We assist our clients design and manage permaculture vegetable gardens
Ecological Management of Urban Green Spaces
Solutions for pesticides free and low maintenance green spaces in urban areas
Assistance to get the label EcoJardin
Fondation Cartier, Paris (c) Hortense Serret
We assist our client to find solutions for a pesticide free management of green spaces. We are also proposing actions in order to reduce green wastes and yo preserve and attract local biodiversity.
A first ecological diagnostic is realised in order to understand the ecological stakes of the place. We take into account the costs and other constraints to implement the most suitable actions.
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