Enhancing ecosystem services at urban brownfield sites - What value does contaminated soil have in the built environment?
Paper in proceeding, 2020

Urban environments are challenged with a plethora of wicked problems in the face of rapid urbanization and land use change, not least natural capital degradation and widespread land and water contamination. Brownfields, under-used sites with real or perceived contamination, are significant urban and peri-urban land resources which, with well-designed remediation and management strategies can address these concerns. Gentle remediation options (GRO) are scalable nature-based techniques which provide significant opportunities for multi-functionality: managing risks posed by contaminants and at the same time enhance ecosystem services (ES) by improving the soil ecosystem in a low-impact, cost-effective manner. GRO align with an increasing interest in taking a holistic view on soil and land management to protect and improve the soil ecosystem for direct human benefit in the form of ES as well as for its indirect, intrinsic value as a haven for biodiversity. This short review aims to present a synthesis of ideas to raise awareness for urban planners about GRO techniques as nature-based solutions which can promote green infrastructure in the urban environment.

Author

Paul David Drenning

Chalmers, Architecture and Civil Engineering, Geology and Geotechnics

COWI A/S

Jenny Norrman

Chalmers, Architecture and Civil Engineering, Geology and Geotechnics

Shaswati Chowdhury

Chalmers, Architecture and Civil Engineering, Geology and Geotechnics

Lars Rosen

Chalmers, Architecture and Civil Engineering, Geology and Geotechnics

Yevheniya Volchko

Chalmers, Architecture and Civil Engineering, Geology and Geotechnics

Yvonne Andersson-Sköld

Chalmers, Architecture and Civil Engineering

The Swedish National Road and Transport Research Institute (VTI)

IOP Conference Series: Earth and Environmental Science

17551307 (ISSN) 17551315 (eISSN)

Vol. 588 5 052008

World Sustainable Built Environment - Beyond 2020, WSBE 2020
Gothenburg, Sweden,

Enhancing ecosystem services by innovative remediation using gentle remediation options (ECO-GRO)

Formas (2018-01467), 2019-01-01 -- 2021-12-31.

COWI A/S, 2021-01-01 -- 2024-08-31.

Subject Categories

Environmental Sciences related to Agriculture and Land-use

Landscape Architecture

Environmental Sciences

DOI

10.1088/1755-1315/588/5/052008

More information

Latest update

9/25/2023