Urban Landscaping – As Taught by Nature

This textbook uses habitats or biotopes as the basis for landscape construction projects. It is a result of NordGreen EQF, an EU cofounded Leonardo da Vinci program project in which all of the Nordic countries participated.

The book points out the benefits of identifying natural habitats, understanding them, and being inspired by them when green urban areas are designed, constructed and maintained. The aim is not to create nature, but to create a cultural landscape that can function as if in nature.  It is argued that if the choice of plants, is based on an understanding of habitats, urban green areas will reach an almost natural balance. Additionally, in terms of the possible return of investment, i.e. saved maintenance time, resources and costs, it becomes an even more obvious choice to consider habitats as an inspiration for urban design and construction. One chapter is devoted to the expanding use of green roofs in the urban context.

It is our hope that this book will make a meaningful contribution to literature and teaching materials of landscaping in urban areas and bring solutions to some of the challenges facing the landscape construction profession today – and, hopefully, tomorrow.

Ordering information: Horticum VET, Teigagerdi 14, IS 105 Reykjavik, Iceland. Email: horticum@horticum.is

Take a look inside the book: