1. Greening practices in Swedish municipal planning : A comprehensive analysis of Upplands Väsby’s Detailed Development Plans
- Author
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Laterrade, Mariana and Laterrade, Mariana
- Abstract
Increasing urbanization is pressing and degrading our ecosystems and compromising future generations. This scenario is expected to worsen unless significant action is scaled up. At the same time, the urban areas have the opportunity to be part of the solution, leading to a more resilient and sustainable future. Bringing nature back to cities is a powerful instrument that provides the opportunity to address sustainability challenges and benefit people and the environment. Hence, the aim of this study, framed on the REPLAN project, was to explore the integration of greening practices in the planning process in Upplands Väsby municipality during the last decade. Through a systematic literature mapping, this study investigated the integration of greening concepts in the municipality’s Detailed Development Plans. Furthermore, in-depth analysis and interpretation of the relevant Detailed Development Plans were conducted to explore which green and blue elements and structures were integrated, the drivers and instruments that foster its implementation and the actors involved in their planning process. The results show that the integration of greening concepts in the Detailed Development Plans presents a turning point in 2016, coincident with the introduction of Upplands Väsby’s Development plan for Ecosystem Services, revealing that political support at the municipal level enables the integration of greening concepts. Likewise, ecosystem services was the most integrated greening concept, pointing out a strong focus of the planning practice on ecosystem services. The most planned green and blue elements and structures are yards, courtyards and street trees and plants, whilst parks are generally integrated from the nearby environment. Moreover, the most protected green and blue elements and structures are street trees and plants. Water management, public health and well-being and biodiversity conservation are the main drivers for planning and protecting green and blue element
- Published
- 2022