A CITY AS AN ECOSYSTEM AND ITS GREEN INFRASTRUCTURE
Abstract
What do Stockholm, Hamburg, Nantes, Copenhagen, and Tallinn have in common? All these cities have been awarded the title of European Green Capital by the European Commission. However, for a city to be considered truly ecological, a few green roofs or walls are not enough. A city is an ecosystem that slightly differs from the natural ones in terms of environmental processes. Concrete market squares, plazas, and housing estates disrupt the water management of the city's ecosystem. This can be seen in the increasingly frequent inundations and floods, when the water does not reach an outlet after large and sudden rainfall and floods the streets. On hot days, the same concrete plaza resembles a hot frying pan. Trees in the city center can help reduce the temperature by providing soothing shade or shelter from gusty winds. Fortunately, we are gradually starting to understand urban errors.
Keywords
town; city; green roofs; ecosystem; green infrastructure
University of Silesia Poland
University of Silesia Poland
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