The integration of Urban Planning and Urban Ecology : investigating multi-functionality and ecosystem services

Abstract

This research departs from the understanding that ecological considerations should be an integral part of the thinking and decision-making processes of urban planners. These considerations emanate from the certainty that urban planners are responsible for the spatial arrangements of cities and that through land-use changes influence and often unknowingly undermine biodiversity, habitats, and ecosystem services (ESs). This research argues that environmental considerations could be enhanced if urban planners were adequately informed through a foundation of urban ecological aspects and if they understand the association between such ecological considerations and urban planning related practices. This research investigates the integration of urban planning and urban ecology with a special focus on the nexus between multi-functionality and ESs from an urban planning perspective. A thematic literature investigation was conducted to explore ecological considerations from an urban planning point of view, including the themes of 1) urban planning and urban ecology, 2) green infrastructure (GI) elements 3) ESs and 4) multi-functionality. With a call for empirical evidence from a developing country perspective, the empirical investigation initiated with qualitatively exploring South African context case-studies, in attempt to assess the connection between the ecological considerations and the spatial reality. To further gain an understanding of South African urban planning practice complexities, the empirical investigation employed a quantitative investigation based on an electronically conducted survey amongst South African registered planners, to reflect on their knowledge of ecological considerations, and the current integration of such in urban planning practice. Ultimately, the research discovered that the multi-functionality principle has the potential to guide urban planning practice by integrating both urban planning practices (GI planning) and ecological considerations (ESs). The research concluded that the multi-functionality principle is considered the connector between the ecological considerations and guides spatial planning towards an ecological approach. South African urban planners are however not yet including these ecological considerations into mainstream planning sufficiently. The empirical evidence argued that a lack of adequate knowledge of ecological considerations is the main reason behind the difficulty of integrating it in urban planning practice. The research results contribute to the gathering valuable information and opportunities for further planning research on ESs and multi-functionality, that also enhances broader GI planning as part of mainstream urban planning approaches. The research calls for future planning research to utilise the benefits of ESs and multi-functionality as a foundation and inspiration to further

prioritising ecological approaches as part of mainstream urban planning practices of contextualised cities across the globe.