Urbanization: This is what WE can do to SAVE Green Space in Cities

Urban expansion, agriculture, and logging are some of the major drivers of this decline. The loss of green space is particularly concerning for biodiversity, carbon sequestration, and the overall health of urban populations, making this issue an important focal point for sustainable development efforts worldwide.

Over the past decade, global urbanization and deforestation have contributed to significant losses in green spaces. According to research published by the Nature Communications journal in 2020, it is estimated that around 1.6 million hectares of green space were lost annually from 2000 to 2019, totaling a loss of about 16 million hectares of green space globally over the past 10 years. This includes forests, grasslands, wetlands, and other natural ecosystems that provide essential environmental, social, and health benefits.

Urban green areas are underperforming, contributing to the increasing frequency of environmental disasters. A well-maintained green city is not only healthy and climate-adaptive but also appealing to both people and wildlife. Green spaces help mitigate flooding by absorbing rainwater during downpours and provide cooling effects during hotter summers, enhancing the urban environment’s resilience to climate change.

Research indicates that a greener living environment leads to lower healthcare costs. For every additional hectare of green space, the number of long-term care patients decreases by an average of 8.6, resulting in significant annual savings. This demonstrates the financial benefits of investing in green spaces. Below are examples of actions municipalities and residents can take to promote this initiative.

Bush Robbers

Bush Robbing is not what you think it is. Bush robbing refers to the act of rescuing plants, shrubs, and trees from neighborhoods that are being demolished. These plants are relocated to other public spaces or temporarily stored until the area is renovated. Initially driven by citizen initiatives, shrub robbing has grown into a national movement in many countries. These initiatives are now partnering with construction companies to expand the scale of plant-saving efforts, which ultimately benefits the health of urban residents by preserving green spaces.

National Tile Flipping Championship

Governments play a key role in the green transition, alongside citizen initiatives. One example is the growing popularity of "Tile Flipping Championships," where municipalities compete to replace paved surfaces like stones and tiles with greenery. The municipality that flips the most tiles wins, and what began as a local initiative has evolved into a national competition. The race to be the winner of the 2025 championship is now on!

Who Does Not Honor Small Things.....

National campaigns and large-scale initiatives often capture attention, but smaller solutions can also make a significant impact. Australian scientists found that even small patches of urban greenery can support a diverse range of insect species. In Melbourne’s busy business district, a 195-square-meter strip of greenery with twelve species of native plants attracted seven times more insect species after three years, despite being located near a busy road and construction site. This finding highlights the substantial positive effect that even small green spaces can have on biodiversity.

A Forest On Tour

The Moving Forest is a unique project featuring 1,500 trees in pots with wheels, allowing the forest to travel from neighborhood to neighborhood. Its creators aim to spark discussions about increasing greenery in cities. By moving the trees, they hope the absence of greenery will encourage neighborhoods to initiate new green projects, fostering a greater appreciation for urban nature.

That's it for now. We'll be back soon with more interesting sustainable news. Did you like this post? Interested in more? Feel free to like and/or share with your network.