Soil management and engineering for blue-green infrastructure

Mark A Goddard, Helen C Glanville, Carla Comadran-Casas, M Ehsan Jorat, David AC Manning, Miranda T Prendergast-Miller, Kevin D Stott

Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceedingChapterpeer-review

Abstract

As urban areas continue to expand, the value of urban blue-green infrastructure (BGI) for increasing the social, environmental and economic sustainability of cities is increasingly recognised. However, there remains an inherent lack of knowledge and awareness around the fundamental contribution that soils make to the functioning of ecosystems within urban BGI. Urban landscapes are a nexus of environmental, engineered and socio-economic factors, which combine to create multifunctional spaces for people to live and work, all underpinned by the soil beneath us. In this chapter, we first outline the characteristics of urban soils and their importance for providing a range of beneficial ecosystem services, such as food production, flood mitigation, carbon storage and opportunities for recreation. We then highlight the key challenges and opportunities around the management and creation of soils within urban BGI. We conclude by emphasising the urgent need for better recognition of urban soils within planning policy and setting out a series of land-use specific management recommendations that will better enable urban soils to support the delivery of ecosystem services and, ultimately, enhance human health and wellbeing.
Original languageEnglish
Title of host publicationICE Manual of Blue-Green Infrastructure
Editors Carla-Leanne Washbourne , Claire Wansbury
PublisherICE Publishing
Chapter11
Pages187-205
Number of pages19
ISBN (Electronic)9780727765437
ISBN (Print)9780727765420
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 6 Jan 2023

Publication series

NameICE Manuals

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