The Urban Green Infrastructure of Vitoria-Gasteiz
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THE URBAN GREEN INFRASTRUCTURE OF VITORIA-GASTEIZ Proposal Document THE URBAN GREEN INFRASTRUCTURE OF VITORIA-GASTEIZ PROPOSAL DOCUMENT - FEBRUARY 2014 IMAGE ON COVER: Zabalgana Park (Vitoria-Gasteiz) QUINTAS Fotógrafos Environmental Studies Centre Vitoria-Gasteiz City Council Casa de la Dehesa de Olárizu 01006, Vitoria-Gasteiz www.vitoria-gasteiz.org/cea 0. PREFACE 3 1. INTRODUCTION 5 1.1 Ecosystem goods and services 5 1.2 The Green Infrastructure: concept, multifunctionality and scales 6 1.3 The Urban Green Infrastructure 8 2. THE URBAN GREEN INFRASTRUCTURE SYSTEM OF VITORIA-GASTEIZ 13 2.1 Strategic framework and objectives 13 2.2 Process for implementing an Urban Green Infrastructure System in Vitoria-Gasteiz 16 2.3 Territorial context 22 2.3.1 Regional and municipal environment 22 2.3.2 Urban and periurban environment 27 2.4 Components and elements of the Urban Green Infrastructure System of Vitoria-Gasteiz 43 3. ACTIONS TO ENHANCE ECOSYSTEM SERVICES IN VITORIA-GASTEIZ 61 3.1 General lines of action 61 3.2 Actions in progress 62 3.3 Pilot projects 66 ANNEX 163 The benefits of Green Infrastructure, por Janez Potočnik, Comisario Europeo de Medio Ambiente 163 OPINION of the Committee of the Regions – Green infrastructure: enhancing Europe’s natural capital 163 OPINION of the European Economic and Social Committeeon theCommunication from the Commission to the European Parliament, the Council, the European Economic and Social Committee and the Committee of the RegionsGreen Infrastructure (GI) — Enhancing Europe’s 163 REFERENCES 179 0. PREFACE In May, 2013, the European Commission published the and the social functions of urban green spaces. All The document presented here sets out in detail the European Green Infrastructure Strategy-Enhancing these aspects relate to the general habitability level definition, proposal and development of an Urban Europe’s Natural Capital (European Commission, of cities. Green Infrastructure System in Vitoria-Gasteiz, Brussels, 6.5.2013), with the aim of encouraging the which, in the form of a green grid, and through development of Green Infrastructures at all territorial The commitment to environmental issues shown by actions that enhance or transform certain spaces levels (national, regional and local) and to guarantee Vitoria-Gasteiz over recent decades in its urban and and urban and periurban elements, will strengthen their consideration in territorial planning. territorial management policies led to its recognition the multifunctional nature of the urban ecosystem, as European Green Capital 2012 by the European contributing to an improvement in the way it operates The European Strategy defines the GREEN Commission. This award has encouraged the city to and favouring in the long run the construction of a INFRASTRUCTURE as “a strategically planned continue working on the environmental enhancement more habitable, efficient and sustainable city. network of natural and semi-natural areas with of the municipality and on sustainable development other environmental features designed and managed policies, as it is mindful of the fact that the current to deliver a wide range of ecosystem services. scenario of Global Change (with the loss of biodiversity, It incorporates green spaces (or blue if aquatic Climate Change, the depletion of resources, the energy ecosystems are concerned) and other physical features crisis and the economic crisis as some of its main in terrestrial (including coastal) and marine areas. On manifestations) obliges cities to rethink their policies land, GI is present in rural and urban settings”. in order to seek an urgent reduction in their ecological footprints and environmental impact. Beyond constructing a network of interconnected green spaces, which is a fundamental requirement Being aware that it is necessary to develop new for conserving biodiversity, the Green Infrastructure strategies and projects to transform the city into a provides a large number of environmental, social and more resilient and biofriendly space, Vitoria-Gasteiz economic benefits deriving from multiple ecosystem City Council proposes to commence a new line of action functions and services provided by nature, such as based on the application of this Green Infrastructure water regulation, erosion control, water purification concept to the city of Vitoria-Gasteiz. or the prevention of climate change, among others. The great challenge set out in this document is to In the urban context, the benefits provided by Green introduce and foster nature in the city, guaranteeing Infrastructures are especially important due to their its coexistence with its normal urban flows and contribution to the health and well-being of the public. services. In this context, the intention is to conceive Their numerous benefits include improvements to and introduce a new system of urban infrastructure: an air quality, the tempering of the urban climate and URBAN GREEN INFRASTRUCTURE SYSTEM, based on consequent reduction of the “urban heat island” ecosystem functions that will allow the urban system effect, the reduction of atmospheric contamination to evolve towards higher levels of sustainability. The Urban Green Infrastructure of Vitoria-Gasteiz 3 HABITAT SERVICES PROVISIONING SERVICES Biodiversity/species protection: Water management: • Habitats for species. • Sustainable drainage systems - attenuating sur- • Permeability for migrating species. face water run-off. • Connecting habitats. • Fostering groundwater infiltration. • Removal of pollutants from water. Food production and security: • Direct food and fibre production on agricultural land, gardens and allotments. • Keeping potential for agricultural land. • Soil development and nutrient cycling. • Preventing soil erosion. REGULATION SERVICES CULTURAL SERVICES Climate change adaptation: Recreation, well-being and health: • Mitigating urban heat island effect . • Recreation. • Strengthening ecosystems’ resilience to climate • Sense of space and nature. change. • Clean air. • Storing floodwater and ameliorating surface wa- • Tourism/Ecotourism. ter run-off to reduce the risk of flooding . Land values: Climate change mitigation: • Positive impact on land and property. BENEFITS OF THE GREEN INFRASTRUCTURE IN ACCORD- • Carbon sequestration. Culture and communities: ANCE WITH THE CLASSIFICATION OF ECOSYSTEM GOODS • Encouraging sustainable travel. • Local distinctiveness. AND SERVICES. • Reducing energy use for heating and cooling • Opportunities for education, training and social (Source: Green infrastructure and territorial cohesion. The buildings. interactions. concept of green infrastructure and its integration into poli- • Providing space for renewable energy. cies using monitoring systems. Comisión Europea, 2011). 4 CEA. Vitoria-Gasteiz City Council 1. INTRODUCTION 1.1 Ecosystem goods and services Nature provides human beings with many benefits. ecosystems over the last 50 years, it being estimated provides highly efficient alternatives for replacing or In fact, our existence on Earth depends on the good that today more than 60% of their services are becom- complementing artificial solutions which are, gener- state of conservation of the ecosystems that supply ing degraded or used in an unsustainable manner. ally, more complex and costly. resources such as food, energy, oxygen, water and per- form essential functions for the adequate operation of The Millennium Ecosystem Assessment of Spain project As Janez Potocnik, Environment Commissioner, has the planet, such as climate regulation and the preven- (http://www.ecomilenio.es/sobre-eme), promoted by pointed out, “What we are seeing more and more tion of flooding or pollination. Ecosystems provide es- the Biodiversity Foundation of the Ministry of Agri- across Europe is that Green Infrastructure solutions sential, strategic goods and services for the economic culture, Foods and the Environment and which began are more cost effective, more resilient and bring more prosperity, safety, health and well-being of society. in 2009, is the first analysis made on the status and long-term benefits than artificial, heavy infrastruc- Ecosystem services are understood to be the benefits trends of terrestrial and aquatic ecosystem services tures”. (The Benefits of Green Infrastructure, Speech that people obtain from ecosystems. in Spain and their contribution to the well-being of its of the EESC-CoR on Green Infrastructure, held in Brus- inhabitants. Among the first results obtained until now sels in November 2013) (http://www.europa.eu/rapid/ In recent years, a large number of studies have been the project highlights that “today, between 40-60% of press-release_SPEECH-13-880_en.pdf). carried out that demonstrate the close relationship species are threatened, representing a major loss of that exists between the state of conservation of biodiversity, and 45% of the ecosystem services evalu- ecosystems and human well-being. Several different ated have become degraded or are being used in an approaches and methodologies have been applied to unsustainable manner. Regulation services have been quantify, even in economic terms, the value of eco- the most negatively affected. Biodiversity and the eco- system goods and services. In fact, some studies have system services supplied by it cannot remain in a state even estimated the monetary cost of losing biodiver- of invisibility any longer and the true value for society, sity, all this with the aim of highlighting natural values as well as the costs of their loss and degradation, need and