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Ecosystem Services, Green Infrastructure and Spatial Planning

A special issue of Sustainability (ISSN 2071-1050). This special issue belongs to the section "Tourism, Culture, and Heritage".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (31 December 2019) | Viewed by 57421

Printed Edition Available!
A printed edition of this Special Issue is available here.

Special Issue Editor

Prof. Dr. Corrado Zoppi

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Dipartimento di Ingegneria Civile, Ambientale e Architettura (DICAAR), University of Cagliari, 09123 Cagliari, Italy
Interests: ecosystem services; green infrastructure; ecological networks; environmental planning; landscape planning; strategic environmental assessment
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

As regards the United Nations Convention on Biological Diversity, ratified by Italy by Law no. 1994/124, an ecosystem is “a dynamic complex of plant, animal and micro-organism communities and their nonliving environment interacting as a functional unit”. Ecosystem goods and services, univocally defined as “ecosystem services”, represent the benefits human populations derive, directly or indirectly, from ecosystem functions (Costanza et al., 1997).

When trying to assess the ecosystem services of natural resources, the usual vision is always based on qualitative approaches. We all know how important the environmental services are and that they are worth protecting and restoring. But it is really difficult to compare the costs, which can be easily revealed in monetary terms, to the benefits, which are always in the abstract world of ideas. Actually, it is impossible to compare apples to oranges. It would be of huge utility for planning and managing to have tools that bridge this gap.

It has to be emphasized that the Strategic environmental assessment (SEA) of Management plans (MPs) for Natura 2000 sites has to be regarded as an assessment exercise concerning not merely a single node of the ecological network (that is, a single Natura 2000 site), but rather the network as a whole.

SEA is intrinsically connected to sustainability because it establishes environmental protection-related objectives, and therefore it acts as a sustainability-oriented plan which becomes part of the planning process itself. This is of particular importance with reference to the definition of conservation measures, including the preparation of MPs, as SEA can help integrate sustainability within MPs objectives and can be regarded as a real and effective learning path for administrations in charge of Natura 2000 sites. Within SEA, a fundamental issue is the assessment of the restoration of ecosystem services.

In the Communication from the Commission to the European Parliament, the Council, the European Economic and Social Committee and the Committee of the Regions, a working definition of Green Infrastructure (GI) (COM (2013) 249 final), the Commission puts in evidence how and how much the issue of GI relates to the Network of SCIs and SPAs: “The work done over the last 25 years to establish and consolidate the network means that the backbone of the EU’s GI is already in place. It is a reservoir of biodiversity that can be drawn upon to repopulate and revitalize degraded environments and catalyze the development of GI. This will also help reduce the fragmentation of the ecosystem, improving the connectivity between sites in the Natura 2000 network and thus achieving the objectives of Article 10 of the Habitats Directive”.

Hence, it is evident that the definition of GI is strictly connected to the category of ecosystem services. Moreover, it has to be a planned network. Spatial planning, at the regional and urban levels, is an important and effective perspective to address the complex issue of defining, implementing and managing networks of ecosystem services and GI.

As a consequence, GI has a decisive role in promoting restoration of biodiversity and in reducing the fragmentation of ecosystems, and, eventually, in their capability of delivery ecosystem services. So, a general goal of SEA of MPs of Sites of Natura 2000 Network can be defined in order to address the issue of the role of GI in promoting and enhancing habitats restoration and delivery of ecosystem services.

This Special Issue focuses on ecosystem services and green infrastructure as important points of reference for spatial planning, related to urban and rural contexts, with particular reference to the definition and implementation of planning policies aimed at protecting nature and natural resources.

Theoretical and methodological contributions as well as critical discussion on policy implementation are welcome, with reference to the following issues:

  • use of ecosystem services as points of reference for the definition and implementation of spatial planning policies;
  • definition and implementation of green infrastructure;
  • ecological networks: sites and corridors;
  • landscape connectivity and fragmentation;
  • strategic environmental assessment as an important framework for the definition and implementation of spatial policies related to protection of nature and natural resources;
  • integration of nature-based solutions into spatial planning policies;
  • Natura 2000 Network: conservation measures and management plans.

Prof. Dr. Corrado Zoppi
Guest Editor

Manuscript Submission Information

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Keywords

  • Conservation measures
  • Ecological corridors
  • Ecosystem services
  • Green infrastructure
  • Landscape connectivity
  • Landscape fragmentation
  • Natura 2000 Network
  • Nature-based solutions
  • Protected areas’ spatial planning
  • Strategic environmental assessment

Published Papers (17 papers)

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Editorial

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4 pages, 186 KiB  
Editorial
Ecosystem Services, Green Infrastructure and Spatial Planning
by Corrado Zoppi
Sustainability 2020, 12(11), 4396; https://doi.org/10.3390/su12114396 - 27 May 2020
Cited by 15 | Viewed by 2718
Abstract
Ecosystem services and green infrastructure do not appear to inform spatial policies and plans. National governments hardly identify their ecological networks or make an effort to integrate them into their spatial policies and plans. Under this perspective, an important scientific and technical issue [...] Read more.
Ecosystem services and green infrastructure do not appear to inform spatial policies and plans. National governments hardly identify their ecological networks or make an effort to integrate them into their spatial policies and plans. Under this perspective, an important scientific and technical issue is to focus on preserving corridors for enabling species mobility and on achieving connectivity between natural protected areas. In this respect, this Special Issue takes a step forward insofar as it aims at proposing a theoretical and methodological discussion on the definition and implementation of ecological networks that, besides guaranteeing wildlife movements, also provide a wide range of ecosystem services. The social and economic profile of this question is also relevant since in the long run, savings in public spending (e.g., due to the reduced need for grey infrastructures aiming at contrasting soil erosion or at managing flood risk), savings in private spending (e.g., on water treatment costs) and the potential creation of green jobs are foreseeable. Moreover, indirect and less easily quantifiable social and health benefits (e.g., due to improved natural pollution abatement) are likely to occur as well. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Ecosystem Services, Green Infrastructure and Spatial Planning)

Research

Jump to: Editorial

23 pages, 7112 KiB  
Article
A Dashboard for Supporting Slow Tourism in Green Infrastructures. A Methodological Proposal in Sardinia (Italy)
by Ginevra Balletto, Alessandra Milesi, Mara Ladu and Giuseppe Borruso
Sustainability 2020, 12(9), 3579; https://doi.org/10.3390/su12093579 - 28 Apr 2020
Cited by 35 | Viewed by 5117
Abstract
Spatial planning and territorial promotion can benefit largely from the application of the Information Communication Technology (ICT) at different scales. From knowledge acquisition to management and planning, their role in building an image of the territory, and constantly updating it to the benefit [...] Read more.
Spatial planning and territorial promotion can benefit largely from the application of the Information Communication Technology (ICT) at different scales. From knowledge acquisition to management and planning, their role in building an image of the territory, and constantly updating it to the benefit of users and planners, is of paramount importance. Institutional channels, together with social networks, are the means by which both a local community and a wider community of users share experiences and perceptions. ICTs are therefore strategic in supporting and promoting a sustainable tourism development of territories. Data and information aggregators as dashboards represent examples of decision support systems where digital data are organized and processed to produce an information output. The present paper is part of a wider research, related to the valorization of a former mining area in the Sulcis-Iglesiente area (Sardinia, Italy), where the extraction activity has left the place to abandonment, and only recently to tourism, stressing the concept of slow tourism. Such new opportunity has been launched with the Santa Barbara Walk (SBW), an ancient mining route currently trying to consolidate as a tourism attraction area. Such a territory is in constant transition with unique characters of anthropic and naturalistic characterization, setting itself as a green infrastructure, capable also of attracting a wide community of regional and extra-regional users. However, its digital network—consisting of intangible infrastructure and flows—is fragmented in terms of policies and contents. Additionally, a state of disorganization in slow tourism promotion activities can be observed. To implement the SBW capabilities, the present paper aims to develop a proposal for the framework of a circular dashboard applied to the SBW. In particular, we implement a set of indicators of performance of the SBW for the organization of information on the walk’s main characters, to facilitate a shared governance and an effective tourism promotion. The SBW is recognized as a network connecting the main points of interest preferred by the slow tourism (This paper is based on the Research project TSULKI—Tourism and Sustainability in the Sulcis (Sardinia-Italy)—and on the agreement protocol between DICAAR Department of Cagliari University and Foundation of the Santa Barbara Walk, signed in December 2018). Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Ecosystem Services, Green Infrastructure and Spatial Planning)
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16 pages, 3564 KiB  
Article
Natura 2000 Areas and Sites of National Interest (SNI): Measuring (un)Integration between Naturalness Preservation and Environmental Remediation Policies
by Francesco Scorza, Angela Pilogallo, Lucia Saganeiti and Beniamino Murgante
Sustainability 2020, 12(7), 2928; https://doi.org/10.3390/su12072928 - 07 Apr 2020
Cited by 36 | Viewed by 2657
Abstract
The Natura 2000 network was established as a tool to preserve the biological diversity of the European territory with particular regard to vulnerable habitats and species. According to recent studies, a relevant percentage of Natura 2000 sites are expected to be lost by [...] Read more.
The Natura 2000 network was established as a tool to preserve the biological diversity of the European territory with particular regard to vulnerable habitats and species. According to recent studies, a relevant percentage of Natura 2000 sites are expected to be lost by the end of this century and there is widespread evidence that biodiversity conservation policies are not fully effective in relation to the management plans of the protected areas. This paper addresses the issue by analyzing a specific case in which there is a problem of integration between different competences and sectoral policies that leads to the lack of a monitoring system of territorial management performances. The study area, located in the Basilicata Region (Southern Italy), includes a Site of National Interest (SNI), for which several reclamation projects are still in the submission/approval phase, and a partially overlapping Natura 2000 network site. The tool used to monitor biodiversity in the study area is the degradation map obtained through the “habitat quality and degradation” InVEST tool which is used to assess the current trend and thus define a baseline for comparison with two medium and long-term scenarios applicable to the SNI’s procedure of partial and total remediation. The proposed methodology is intended to be a part of a larger and more complex monitoring system that, developed within the framework of ecosystem services, allows for the overcoming of the limits related to fragmentation and contradictions that are present in land management by offering a valuable support to decision makers and the competent authorities in biodiversity conservation policy design. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Ecosystem Services, Green Infrastructure and Spatial Planning)
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20 pages, 1016 KiB  
Article
Urban Standards and Ecosystem Services: The Evolution of the Services Planning in Italy from Theory to Practice
by Anna Maria Colavitti, Alessio Floris and Sergio Serra
Sustainability 2020, 12(6), 2434; https://doi.org/10.3390/su12062434 - 20 Mar 2020
Cited by 13 | Viewed by 3074
Abstract
Human well-being is determined by multiple factors related to health, social relations, safety, environment, landscape, cultural heritage, and quality of services. The Italian planning system provided a set of “urban standards”, in terms of threshold values of areas per inhabitant destined for public [...] Read more.
Human well-being is determined by multiple factors related to health, social relations, safety, environment, landscape, cultural heritage, and quality of services. The Italian planning system provided a set of “urban standards”, in terms of threshold values of areas per inhabitant destined for public services and facilities. The application of urban standards, for a period of more than fifty years, did not result in a broad improvement of life quality in the urban areas. This paper discusses the issue of urban facilities in Italy in order to evaluate the opportunity to innovate traditional standards according to the environmental and ecological paradigm, focusing on the benefits provided to humans by natural ecosystems, the so-called ecosystem services (ESs). The paper investigates the evolution of the Italian planning practice through the introduction of quality standards and innovative tools able to meet the ever-changing social demand. The research aims to verify if the ES concept is really implemented in the Italian planning practice and if the ecosystem approach has a real impact on political decision-making. Using a comparative method, four case-studies of urban municipal plans are selected and analyzed in order to identify different approaches and possible fields of innovation. The research highlighted a lack of integration of ecosystem services approach in the land use decisions, although there is an in-depth survey on the state of conservation of ecological and environmental resources. The local experiments of qualitative standards represent an attempt to deal with specific ecological emergencies, namely flood risk, air, water, and soil pollution, and loss of biodiversity. Conclusions discuss, from an international perspective, the need to revise the traditional planning approach in the field of public services and facilities, taking into account the influence of ecosystem services on human well-being. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Ecosystem Services, Green Infrastructure and Spatial Planning)
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22 pages, 2324 KiB  
Article
Landscape Features of Costal Waterfronts: Historical Aspects and Planning Issues
by Donatella Cialdea
Sustainability 2020, 12(6), 2378; https://doi.org/10.3390/su12062378 - 18 Mar 2020
Cited by 5 | Viewed by 2844
Abstract
This paper investigates the relationship between different factors that impose on the productive and settlement structures on coastal areas through an analysis carried out on the Italian Adriatic Sea coast. In the panorama of medium- and small-size cities, the relationship between the city, [...] Read more.
This paper investigates the relationship between different factors that impose on the productive and settlement structures on coastal areas through an analysis carried out on the Italian Adriatic Sea coast. In the panorama of medium- and small-size cities, the relationship between the city, the territory, and the sea very often plays an important role. The main issue of this article is to expose a methodology developed for the definition of landscape quality objectives in the planning of the coast of a region in Southern Italy, Molise. Effort was concentrated on the creation of a territorial survey matrix that could be exploited by local authorities. In drawing up the criteria on which to base the New Regional Landscape Plan, this study provided for the recognition of the identifying matrices for landscape interpretation, creating a database organized in five resource systems. For each resource system, three basic grids were created: each of them collects and processes different information series. These three grids were useful for defining the new protection that is proposed for the sample area. Different conditions emerge in this area, in which two coastal strips have been identified, to the east and to the west of the historical centre. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Ecosystem Services, Green Infrastructure and Spatial Planning)
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18 pages, 4579 KiB  
Article
Hindrances to Effective Implementation of the Habitats Directive in Italy: Regional Differences in Designating Special Areas of Conservation
by Sabrina Lai
Sustainability 2020, 12(6), 2335; https://doi.org/10.3390/su12062335 - 17 Mar 2020
Cited by 8 | Viewed by 3269
Abstract
“Natura 2000” is a coordinated network of protected areas that stretches across the European Union in compliance with two directives (the so-called “Habitats Directive” and the “Birds Directive”) that underpin the Union’s policies on biodiversity conservation. This study is aimed at assessing the [...] Read more.
“Natura 2000” is a coordinated network of protected areas that stretches across the European Union in compliance with two directives (the so-called “Habitats Directive” and the “Birds Directive”) that underpin the Union’s policies on biodiversity conservation. This study is aimed at assessing the implementation of the network by qualitatively analyzing how Special Areas of Conservation are being designated. Such designation process, which is being implemented, although with great delay, in a number of member states, entails the establishment of site-specific conservation measures that may be included within appropriate management plans or other development plans. A systematic documental analysis of official acts establishing Special Areas of Conservation and approving conservation measures and management plans was performed by taking Italy as a case study. The analysis focuses on four key topics, as follows: use of conservation measures and appropriate management plans; multi-level governance of the Natura 2000 sites, in terms of involved institutions and tiers of government; stakeholders’ inclusion in the designation process; and the relationship between conservation measures and the wider spatial planning system. The results show significant differences regarding the implementation of the Natura 2000 network and highlight potential general hindrances to completing the designation process in the European Union. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Ecosystem Services, Green Infrastructure and Spatial Planning)
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22 pages, 2650 KiB  
Article
‘Greening’ Green Infrastructure. Good Italian Practices for Enhancing Green Infrastructure through the Common Agricultural Policy
by Stefano Magaudda, Romina D’Ascanio, Serena Muccitelli and Anna Laura Palazzo
Sustainability 2020, 12(6), 2301; https://doi.org/10.3390/su12062301 - 16 Mar 2020
Cited by 18 | Viewed by 3359
Abstract
The Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) was established by the European Community in the 1950s to provide financial support to farmers in member states, increase agricultural productivity by promoting technical progress, and ensure a fair standard of living for farmers. Over time; awareness about [...] Read more.
The Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) was established by the European Community in the 1950s to provide financial support to farmers in member states, increase agricultural productivity by promoting technical progress, and ensure a fair standard of living for farmers. Over time; awareness about the externalities of intensive farming would prompt environmentally friendly practices. These include, in the current programming period 2014–2020, the so-called “greening”, which consists of: (i) crop diversification; (ii) the maintenance of permanent grassland surfaces; and (iii) the availability of 5% of arable land for ecological focus areas devoted to agricultural practices beneficial for the climate and the environment. These provisions, spurred by a decades-long debate that also stresses the importance of creating/restoring ecological connectivity on different scales to counter land fragmentation, are in tune with spatial planning initiatives throughout Europe. Here the point is how to combine these directions with either “ecological networks” (EN), designed as physical corridors to be preserved and enhanced for plants and animals’ mobility needs; or “green infrastructure” (GI), defined on the European level as a “strategically planned network of natural and semi-natural areas with other environmental features designed and managed to deliver a wide range of ecosystem services” (European Commission; 2013). While in several European countries environmental measures targeting farmers and ecological networks directed at specific areas have been merged in a place-based approach, Italy is lagging behind. In general, no guidelines have been provided on the national level to support regional paths, while regions and municipalities lack the resources to implement GI. Conversely, while greening policies in the framework of the CAP are properly funded, they lack directions to be efficiently allocated. Against the backdrop of such concerns, this paper frames and reflects upon ongoing practices in three pilot areas in different Italian regions, selected based on desk analysis, in-depth interviews, and direct knowledge. Here, despite or thanks to the legislative framework, experimental approaches have been adopted to harness performance issues in targeted areas through broad participation by public and private stakeholders and multilevel governance schemes, opening possible pathways in view of the forthcoming programming period. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Ecosystem Services, Green Infrastructure and Spatial Planning)
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22 pages, 6246 KiB  
Article
ESDA (Exploratory Spatial Data Analysis) of Vegetation Cover in Urban Areas—Recognition of Vulnerabilities for the Management of Resources in Urban Green Infrastructure
by Ana Clara M. Moura and Bráulio M. Fonseca
Sustainability 2020, 12(5), 1933; https://doi.org/10.3390/su12051933 - 03 Mar 2020
Cited by 13 | Viewed by 4058
Abstract
From the mapping of urban vegetation cover by high-resolution orthoimages, using IR band and NDVI classification (Normalized Difference Vegetation Index), added to three-dimensional representation obtained by LiDAR capture (Light Detection and Ranging), the volumetric values of vegetal cover are obtained as a base [...] Read more.
From the mapping of urban vegetation cover by high-resolution orthoimages, using IR band and NDVI classification (Normalized Difference Vegetation Index), added to three-dimensional representation obtained by LiDAR capture (Light Detection and Ranging), the volumetric values of vegetal cover are obtained as a base to construct spatial analysis in the district of Pampulha, in Belo Horizonte, investigating the role it plays in the neighborhood. The article aims to analyze the relationship between vegetation cover, income distribution and population density, as a support to urban environmental quality management. It applies Exploratory Spatial Data Analysis (ESDA) to identify the presence of clusters and patterns of spatial distribution and to examine spatial autocorrelation. The results confirm the concentration of vegetation cover in areas of high income and lower population density but the main contribution of the study is the use of a method to analyze the spatial behavior of this distribution. Calculating Moran global index and local index (LISA), these spatial combinations are mainly used to identify transformation pressures, which may result in the definition of priorities for public actions and the construction of proposals for parameterization of vegetation cover to support plans related to green infrastructure in urban areas. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Ecosystem Services, Green Infrastructure and Spatial Planning)
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22 pages, 6876 KiB  
Article
Integrating Green-Infrastructures Design in Strategic Spatial Planning with Geodesign
by Michele Campagna, Elisabetta Anna Di Cesare and Chiara Cocco
Sustainability 2020, 12(5), 1820; https://doi.org/10.3390/su12051820 - 28 Feb 2020
Cited by 18 | Viewed by 3877
Abstract
In the last decades green infrastructure planning, design, and management have been widely recognized as a way to contribute to reach higher levels of sustainability of development. However, often green infrastructures are considered in a sectoral way, while their design should be more [...] Read more.
In the last decades green infrastructure planning, design, and management have been widely recognized as a way to contribute to reach higher levels of sustainability of development. However, often green infrastructures are considered in a sectoral way, while their design should be more integrated within comprehensive planning and design. The paper proposes the use of geodesign methods and technology to support the early phases of integrated strategic territorial planning, in order to enrich the relationships between the design of green infrastructure and of the other relevant systems via more comprehensive planning and design, and by applying systems thinking. A case study developed with architecture and engineering students under the umbrella of the International Geodesign Collaboration is used, to demonstrate how with intensive geodesign workshops it is possible to create spatially explicit design scenarios which take into account the relationships between green infrastructure and other territorial systems and dynamics. A set of analyses on the case study results of the two scales is used to demonstrate the assumption. It is also argued that geodesign intensive workshops can, in a very short time, contribute to raising the awareness among the participants of collaborative design to the importance of green infrastructure in strategic territorial planning. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Ecosystem Services, Green Infrastructure and Spatial Planning)
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18 pages, 8514 KiB  
Article
Knowledge Models for Spatial Planning: Ecosystem Services Awareness in the New Plan of Bari (Italy)
by Stefania Santoro, Pasquale Balena and Domenico Camarda
Sustainability 2020, 12(4), 1516; https://doi.org/10.3390/su12041516 - 18 Feb 2020
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 2213
Abstract
The concept of ecosystem services (ES) arises as a formal outcome of historical processes of understanding and interpreting settlements as complex ecological systems. Because of a straightforward, bottom-up demand for environment enhancement, this concept increasingly occurs in discourses, in narratives, in the demands [...] Read more.
The concept of ecosystem services (ES) arises as a formal outcome of historical processes of understanding and interpreting settlements as complex ecological systems. Because of a straightforward, bottom-up demand for environment enhancement, this concept increasingly occurs in discourses, in narratives, in the demands of common people, triggering a new urban environmental awareness. This is now often arising spontaneously in the protocols of participatory plan processes, especially when planning for the future of complex environments such as city areas. The present study tries to elicit reflections around the significance of ES issues awareness in the case study of Bari (Italy), which is experiencing an inclusive and participatory process of construction of shared knowledge for the new master plan. Starting from an initial campaign of civic walks (CWs) along the urban neighborhoods and a subsequent semi-structured interview to the community, the paper carries out comparative analyses using problem-structuring methods (PMs), in order to evaluate and reflect on community behaviors and expectations about ES. Then the paper ends by emphasizing the role of structured knowledge-raising approaches, as critical activities to enhance ecosystem awareness in planning settlements as complex ecological systems. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Ecosystem Services, Green Infrastructure and Spatial Planning)
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14 pages, 3553 KiB  
Article
Territorial Energy Decentralisation and Ecosystem Services in Italy: Limits and Potential
by Paolo De Pascali, Saverio Santangelo, Francesca Perrone and Annamaria Bagaini
Sustainability 2020, 12(4), 1424; https://doi.org/10.3390/su12041424 - 14 Feb 2020
Cited by 9 | Viewed by 2038
Abstract
This article focuses on the complex relationships between energy processes and ecosystem services. It highlights the conflicts between them due to the anthropocentric value that characterizes their interrelationship. The article reports the initial results of ongoing research on energy decentralization processes in Italy, [...] Read more.
This article focuses on the complex relationships between energy processes and ecosystem services. It highlights the conflicts between them due to the anthropocentric value that characterizes their interrelationship. The article reports the initial results of ongoing research on energy decentralization processes in Italy, examining the Italian districts heating performance, concerning ecosystem provisioning and regulating services. The analysis is based on a sample of more than 150 Italian district-heating systems. Contrary to studies that positively evaluate processes of energy decentralization, the results of the research show some critical factors and impacts. An efficiency gap between districts heating and traditional energy systems emerged. The data processed show a critical situation in the development of local networks, highlighting that the decentralized energy model is not deeply rooted in the local area and is poorly characterized by shared governance, which instead would benefit from the integration of ecosystem services. The significant presence of large energy groups and the considerable use of fossil sources in Italy reduces the effectiveness of the decentralization of energy systems. The article presents some conclusive considerations, which outline some general guidelines for proceeding towards a more correct relationship with ecosystem services and greater integration with the territories. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Ecosystem Services, Green Infrastructure and Spatial Planning)
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32 pages, 5217 KiB  
Article
The Contribution of Ecosystem Services in Developing Effective and Sustainable Management Practices in Marine Protected Areas. The Case Study of “Isola dell’Asinara”
by Maddalena Floris, Vittorio Gazale, Federica Isola, Francesca Leccis, Salvatore Pinna and Cheti Pira
Sustainability 2020, 12(3), 1108; https://doi.org/10.3390/su12031108 - 04 Feb 2020
Cited by 7 | Viewed by 3632
Abstract
Ecosystem Services (ESs) are assuming a constantly increasing importance in management practices due to their key role in ensuring a sustainable future to fauna and flora on Earth. In addition, ES degradation and quality loss jeopardize current human activities. For this reason, it [...] Read more.
Ecosystem Services (ESs) are assuming a constantly increasing importance in management practices due to their key role in ensuring a sustainable future to fauna and flora on Earth. In addition, ES degradation and quality loss jeopardize current human activities. For this reason, it is essential to develop methodologies and practices able to efficiently assess environmental and socio-economic impacts in terms of ES deterioration, especially within protected areas. Norms and regulations have to be able to identify habitat and species categories to be preserved, and to determine the cost of their destruction and decline, according to a holistic vision, which includes social and economic impacts, besides the environmental ones. The paper illustrates the case study of the “Isola dell’Asinara” Marine Protected Area (MPA) in Sardinia, where an experimental methodology was developed with the aim to draw new regulations that integrate conservation measures of Natura 2000 sites included in its territory, provisions determined by the integrated coastal zone management (ICZM) protocol and the Standardized Actions for Effective Management of MPAs (ISEA) project. Subsequently, in order to assess the status of ESs and impacts on ESs located within the MPA territory, an ecosystem-based approach was implemented and applied to the actions defined for the new regulation proposal. Results show that regulations are in this way valuably enriched by environmental aspects of the MPA that would otherwise be overlooked. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Ecosystem Services, Green Infrastructure and Spatial Planning)
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20 pages, 7841 KiB  
Article
Military Training Areas as Semicommons: The Territorial Valorization of Quirra (Sardinia) from Easements to Ecosystem Services
by Ginevra Balletto, Alessandra Milesi, Nicolò Fenu, Giuseppe Borruso and Luigi Mundula
Sustainability 2020, 12(2), 622; https://doi.org/10.3390/su12020622 - 15 Jan 2020
Cited by 16 | Viewed by 3821
Abstract
The paper addresses the issue of the concurrent use of coastal areas for military training and civil activities, namely tourism. In the paper, starting from the consideration of publicly owned assets as ‘semi-commons’, we propose a method based on the comparison of planning [...] Read more.
The paper addresses the issue of the concurrent use of coastal areas for military training and civil activities, namely tourism. In the paper, starting from the consideration of publicly owned assets as ‘semi-commons’, we propose a method based on the comparison of planning instruments related to the different uses, and try to model them in a grid, where different weights and degrees of evaluation can be considered, in order to promote, rather than blocking, possible activities, compatible with concurrent use. The military areas in Sardinia (region and island, Italy) are around 234 km2, which constitutes 60% of the national surface affected by military easements. This situation is due to its geographic position, considered centrality in the Mediterranean for strategic reasons. This contribution evaluates the performance of the Local Coastline Plan (LCP) and the Site management plan of Community Interest (SCI) in conditions of military constraint. The case study is the municipality of Villaputzu South Sardinia, Italy), where an important coastal military easement and the use of the coast for recreational tourism purposes coexist together through specific planning, a consequence of institutional agreements between the Municipal Administration of Villaputzu and the Ministry of Defense. The idea is considering the concurrent possible land uses guaranteed by the different planning instruments, instead of focusing, as it is generally the rule, on the sum of constraints provided by the laws. The local coastline plan has been identified as the ideal planning tool, which addresses the co-existence of apparently opposite land uses and interests, as those expressed by the local municipal planning and those expressed by the military. An evaluation of the congruence of the specific objectives of the LCP and SCI shows how their combined action favors the environmental enhancement of Sardinia, contributing to the formation of ecosystem services, even in particular conditions arising from military easements. These are sites that evolve from ‘anticommons’ to ‘semicommons’. In fact, the military release process in Sardinia, together with the promiscuous military and civil use, activates unique governance policies of their kind that find a significant field of application in Sardinia to guarantee sustainable renewal of economic development of the ‘semi-commons’ awaiting to become ‘commons’. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Ecosystem Services, Green Infrastructure and Spatial Planning)
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16 pages, 2234 KiB  
Article
From Degradation to the Regeneration of Territorial Heritage. An Eco-Systemic Vision for the Promotion of the Natural, Urban and Landscape Capital of the Metropolitan City of Reggio Calabria
by Concetta Fallanca, Antonio Taccone and Chiara Corazziere
Sustainability 2019, 11(23), 6768; https://doi.org/10.3390/su11236768 - 28 Nov 2019
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 2468
Abstract
The results of the research conducted on the subject of regeneration of areas of land suffering degradation were presented, studied and analyzed to establish “families” of causes and effects, to forecast lines of action commensurate with the reversibility of the damage. The area [...] Read more.
The results of the research conducted on the subject of regeneration of areas of land suffering degradation were presented, studied and analyzed to establish “families” of causes and effects, to forecast lines of action commensurate with the reversibility of the damage. The area in question is the Metropolitan City of Reggio Calabria covering the entire territory of the former province and including the Aspromonte National Park. The methods of direct observation and critical interpretation of the phenomena, in terms of extension and incidence, are aimed at advancing a protocol of interventions for the definition, evaluation and implementation of regeneration prospects through experimental pilot laboratories for University-Region coordination. Of particular interest was the role of prevention for areas that are used improperly with the consequent loss of habitat quality, limitations of the effectiveness of ecosystem services, for those environments that express values integrated from a cultural, naturalistic point of view, identity and are subject to risks of fragmentation that endanger ecological connectivity. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Ecosystem Services, Green Infrastructure and Spatial Planning)
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21 pages, 2136 KiB  
Article
Local Development and Protection of Nature in Coastal Zones: A Planning Study for the Sulcis Area (Sardinia, Italy)
by Federica Leone and Corrado Zoppi
Sustainability 2019, 11(18), 5095; https://doi.org/10.3390/su11185095 - 18 Sep 2019
Cited by 8 | Viewed by 2307
Abstract
In 2008, the Council of the European Union adopted the “Protocol on Integrated Coastal Zone Management” (ICZM Protocol), then ratified by Decision No. 2010/631/EU. The ICZM Protocol defines integrated coastal zone management as a dynamic and flexible process that accounts for the relations [...] Read more.
In 2008, the Council of the European Union adopted the “Protocol on Integrated Coastal Zone Management” (ICZM Protocol), then ratified by Decision No. 2010/631/EU. The ICZM Protocol defines integrated coastal zone management as a dynamic and flexible process that accounts for the relations between coastal ecosystems and landscape as well as the activities and the uses that characterize coastal areas. Integrated management of coastal zones is still a critical process in terms of translating theory into practice. In this theoretical framework, strategic environmental assessment (SEA) helps to improve decision-making processes related to coastal spatial planning by integrating development goals and sustainability criteria. This study proposes a methodological approach concerning ICZM-based decision-making processes at the local level. The methodology is implemented in relation to three case studies concerning three towns located in southwest Sardinia. The results show a general consistency between the analyzed plans in terms of objectives and themes. Three specific issues are particularly relevant in terms of integration of economic and social objectives and sustainability goals, that is, relations between beach services and coastal ecosystems, protection of coastal ecosystems, and accessibility to the coastal zones. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Ecosystem Services, Green Infrastructure and Spatial Planning)
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24 pages, 6887 KiB  
Article
Smart City Governance and Children’s Agency: An Assessment of the Green Infrastructure Impact on Children’s Activities in Cagliari (Italy) with the Tool “Opportunities for Children in Urban Spaces (OCUS)”
by Chiara Garau and Alfonso Annunziata
Sustainability 2019, 11(18), 4848; https://doi.org/10.3390/su11184848 - 05 Sep 2019
Cited by 18 | Viewed by 4910
Abstract
The increases in urbanization, pollution, resource depletion, and climate change underline the need for urban planning policies that incorporate blue–green infrastructure (BGI) and ecosystem services. This paper proposes a framework for assessing BGI’s effect on children’s outdoor activities. This effect, called meaningful usefulness, [...] Read more.
The increases in urbanization, pollution, resource depletion, and climate change underline the need for urban planning policies that incorporate blue–green infrastructure (BGI) and ecosystem services. This paper proposes a framework for assessing BGI’s effect on children’s outdoor activities. This effect, called meaningful usefulness, is a central issue due to the influence of experiences with nature on children’s development and the global trend of concentration of children in urban areas. Based on the concept of affordance, the methodology formalizes meaningful usefulness in terms of an index of usefulness of individual settings (IUIS) and a synthetic index of usefulness of BGI in a specific area (ISGI). These are determined via an audit protocol, Opportunities for Children in Urban Spaces (OCUS), which incorporates a set of indicators measuring micro-scale properties of individual places and contextual macro-scale factors. The methodology is applied to BGI components in Cagliari, Sardinia, Italy, which was selected for its superior density of urban green spaces. The application of the OCUS tool confirms its usefulness for investigating functional affordances incorporated into the trans-scalar structures of BGIs. The analytic protocol further contributes to the implementation of urban planning strategies within the smart city paradigm. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Ecosystem Services, Green Infrastructure and Spatial Planning)
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17 pages, 1630 KiB  
Article
Assessment of Municipal Masterplans Aimed at Identifying and Fostering Green Infrastructure: A Study Concerning Three Towns of the Metropolitan Area of Cagliari, Italy
by Sabrina Lai, Federica Leone and Corrado Zoppi
Sustainability 2019, 11(5), 1470; https://doi.org/10.3390/su11051470 - 10 Mar 2019
Cited by 16 | Viewed by 3910
Abstract
Building upon a recent piece of research that maps a regional green infrastructure (RGI) in relation to four components (natural value, conservation value, landscape value, and recreational value), this study aims at identifying planning policies that can foster the enhancement of the RGI [...] Read more.
Building upon a recent piece of research that maps a regional green infrastructure (RGI) in relation to four components (natural value, conservation value, landscape value, and recreational value), this study aims at identifying planning policies that can foster the enhancement of the RGI by increasing one or more of its components at the sub-regional scale. To this end, the RGI suitability map is overlaid with the planning schemes of the municipal masterplans (MMPs) of three towns belonging to the Metropolitan City of Cagliari (Italy), and multiple linear regressions are performed. The outcomes of the study imply that the eligibility of a land parcel to be part of the RGI depends on several factors related to planning policies entailed by the zoning schemes of the MMPs, such as presence and spreading of conservation and safeguard areas within urban fabrics, improved accessibility of historic and natural landmarks, planned use of nature-based solutions within the regulating codes of MMPs, improvement of habitat quality in the spatial context of rural areas. Main limitations of the proposed methodology concern the fragile theoretical foundations concerning the assessment of the recreational value, and the need for structured integration of nature-based solutions into the proposed methodology. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Ecosystem Services, Green Infrastructure and Spatial Planning)
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