Ecosystem Services Approach in practice EIA, Mari Ariluoma, 27.11.2016
Overview - Ecosystem services approach - Ecosystem services classifications - Review of ES assessment projects Indicators - Basic indicators and data available for ES assessment
Ecosystem services are the benefits people obtain from ecosystems. (Millenium Ecosystem Assessment 2005)
Background The concept has emerged at the core of environmental research at the beginning of 21st century. International attention with The Millenium Ecosystem Assessment in 2005 Urban ecosystem services were addressed in The Cities and Biodiversity Outlook, 2012 http://cbobook.org/?r=1&width=1280
Classifications Millennium Ecosystem Assessment, 2005 Common international classification of ecosystem services CICES v.4.3, 2013 www.cices.eu http://www.biodiversity.fi/ecosystemser vices/ 5
ENERGY (based on CICES Version 4.3. 2013. Adapted to urban context and symbols by M. Ariluoma 2016) 6
Ecosystem services cascade model Ecosystem and biodiversity Biophysical structures and process (f.e. vegetation cover) Function (f.e. water and carbon cycle) ECOSYSTEM SERVICES Human well-being Benefit The used share of the potential of ecosystem services Value (f.e. economic, social, health) Groot ym. 2010, Haines-Young & Potschin 2010, SYKE 7
Ecosystem services cascade model ECOSYSTEM SERVICES Human well-being Benefit The used share of the potential of ecosystem services Value (f.e. economic, social, health) (Based on Groot ym. 2010, Haines-Young & Potschin 2010) 8
Ecosystem services Green infrastructure consists of a network of natural and semi-natural features, green spaces, rivers and other water elements Green infrastructure provides ecosystem services 9
Application of ecosystem services approach is becoming more common in spatial planning practices and different methods and approaches have been developed both in research and in practice in many countries. (Albert et al. 2014a, Mooney 2014).
Projects 11
Ecosystem services approach Approaches based on protection ENVIRONMENT DEVELOPMENT Ecosystem services approach ENVIRONMENT DEVELOPMENT 12
Projects Project / year Finnish name Project type Oulu green area network and biodiversity, VILMOplan, 2014 (City of Oulu, Ramboll) Ecosystem services and green structure in Tampere, EVITA-project, 2014, (SYKE) Ecosystem services in the Joensuu green space master plan area, 2013 (Sito Oy) Ecosystem services survey of the Tesoma area in Tampere, 2013 (City of Tampere, Ramboll) Holma-Haapajärvi nature and landscape report and ecosystem services survey, 2013 (City of Oulu, Sito Oy) Oulun viheralueverkosto ja luonnon monimuotoisuus, VILMO-suunnitelma Ekosysteemipalvelut ja viherrakenne Tampereella, EVITA-hanke Joensuun viherkaava-alueen ekosysteemipalvelut kaupunkiekologinen tarkastelu Tampereen Tesoman ekosysteemipalveluselvitys Holma-Haapajärvi (Niittyholma) luonto- ja maisemaselvitys ja ekosysteemipalvelutarkastelu Urban-rural, strategic, accepted by the city council Urban-rural, informative, informal Urban-rural, strategic, informal urban, infill development, informal, impact assessment new development, informal, informative Lahden viheralueohjelma, 2013 Strategic Lahti green space strategy, 2013 (City of Lahti, Sito Oy) Impact assessment of the Lahti Master Plan, 2011 Lahden yleiskaavan vaikutusten arviointi Strategic, impact assessment 13
Methods Case: Joensuu Mikkeli Tampere (EVITA-project) Vanhakaupunki Birmingham Methods: 1. ES mapping, each service analyzed separately 2. Indicators that address several ecosystem services 3. ES identified based on the green infrastructure elements 4. Monetary valuation, supply and demand mapping 14
Joensuu Ecosystem Services Assessment, 2013 Provided bagkground information for the local green space master plan Indicators chosen for each ecosystem services separetely Some of the chosen indicators based on SeutuKEKE and other formerly used tools, some were developed during the project together with the project team Areas providing multiple ES identified (hotspots) 15
Joensuu Provisioning services 16
Joensuu Cultural services 17
Joensuu Ecosystem services hotspots 18
Mikkeli Green structure and Ecosystem Services Assessment, 2015-2016 Regulating and maintenance services, Mikkeli Prepared parallel with the new Mikkeli inner city master plan Each group of ecosystem services analyzed separetely Two methods: ES data mapping and ananalyzes of green stucture elements -> results combined in the table that provides useful information for further planning Sito Oy 19
Tampere EVITA, 2014, Ecosystem Services and green structure In Tampere, 2014 Urban area Municipal area Region 20
Tampere, EVITA project Indicators that addres several ecosystem services: Core nature areas and their connectivity Urban forests larger than 3 hectares in size Access to recreational areas... 21
Tampere, EVITA project Urban forests over 3 hectares in size. By a finnish study urban forests must in average be more than 3 hectares in size to provide habitats for typical forest species. 22
Tampere, EVITA project Areas suitable for recreation, minimum size 1,5 hectars Buffer zone 300 metres 23
Vanhakaupunki, Helsinki A method for integrating the planning for ecosystem services in the current planning practicess. 24
VANHAKAUPUNKI Natura 2000 Vanhakaupunki bay 25
forest street trees special areas private gardens and coutryards parks water 26
Green areas Green infrastructure 27
Vanhakaupunki forest network - Forest network - Valuable forest biotypes (METSO and mapel and oak forests) - Tree canopy cover 28
forest 29
Vanhakaupunki, Helsinki 30
Type of green Element Description infrastructure Values Criteria 31
Birmingham Ecosystem Services Evaluation for Birmingham s Green Infrastructure, 2013 The report focuses on how green infrastructure benefits human wellbeing. As far as possible these benefits have been expressed in monetary terms. Its aim was to calculate the Total Economic Value of as many ecosystem services provided by as many broad habitats as possible within the City of Birmingham. The first city-wide Ecosystem Assessment of this kind 32
Birmingham Ecosystem Services Evaluation for Birmingham s Green Infrastructure, 2013 33
Birmingham Ecosystem Services Supply and demand mapping, 2013 The purpose of the project was to evaluate the supply of; and demand for important ecosystem services at the city scale. For the purpose of this investigation, only those ecosystem services have been mapped where the potential impact of local planning is considered to be the greatest. Ecosystem Services evaluated within this investigation include biodiversity, recreation, aesthetic values & sense of place, education, local climate regulation and flood risk regulation. 34
Birmingham Ecosystem Services Supply and demand mapping, 2013 Recreational services 35
Birmingham Ecosystem Services Supply and demand mapping, 2013 Educational services 36
Birmingham Ecosystem Services Supply and demand mapping, 2013 the maps provided in this report should be considered as starting point for future investigation not as comprehensive delivery or protection plan. It is of crucial importance to state that the provided maps in this report can t substitute any other monitoring and evaluation methods such as for example an Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) etc. The level of detail and accuracy of the maps explicitly don t allow such applications. 37
Previous lessons (i) Site specific information need (ii) Large variability in approaches (iii) Importance of defining the project goals (iv) Potential for co-production of knowledge Albert et al (2014)
Indicators 39
http://biodiversity.fi/ecosystemservices/ 40
Basic indicators used in ES assessment Regional studies / Areal studies Open GIS data available: CORINE Land Cover data Helsinki, Espoo, Vantaa: HSY Land Cover Data http://kartta.hsy.fi/ 41
CORINE Land Cover Data 2012 http://paikkatieto.ymparisto.fi/lapio/lapio_flex.html# 42
Basic indicators used in ES assessment Tree canopy cover Impervious surfaces 43
Land cover data by HSY http://kartta.hsy.fi/ 44
Impervious surfaces All constructed surfaces such as buildings, roads, parking lots, brick, asphalt, concrete. Partly impervious surfaces include areas of man-made compacted soil or material such as unpaved parking lots Opposite is vegetated areas. HSY Land Cover Data 45
Impervious surfaces Studies show that the more impervious surfaces there are, the larger the amount of surface run-off and the risk for flooding. Also the quality of stromwaters is related to the amount of impervious surfaces. In addition the amount of vegetation and species diversity correlates with the amount of impervious surfaces. Can be used as an indicator for several different ecosystem services. 46
Vanhakaupunki: impervious surfaces Percentage of watersheds covered by impervious surfaces 47
Tree canopy cover Proportion of land area (percentage) covered by tree crowns, as viewed from the air. Can be assessed relatively easy using aerial imagery. -> easy to assess long term changes HSY Land Cover Data 48
Tree canopy cover https://www.opentreemap.org/ Canopy cover is tied to many of the benefits provided by the urban trees/forests. - Water regulation - Air quality regulation - Habitats - Cultural/ visual benefits However, does not tell much about the amount of biomass. 49
mari.ariluoma@aalto.fi twitter: @maaluoma blogs.aalto.fi/virma 50