Mediterranean Urban Green Spaces with an Eclogical and Economic Sustainability-study cases

Abstract

Mediterranean urban green spaces with an ecological and economic sustainability – study cases. Maria da Conceição Castro Dep. Planeamento Biofísico e Paisagístico, Universidade de Évora, Apartado 94, 7002-554 Évora, Portugal (mccastro@uevora.pt) Instituto de Ciências Agrárias Mediterrânicas, ICAM

The dynamic of urban development and the public take away from the daily contact with nature, produce in landscape architects a great responsibility on the design of green spaces. These areas must be ecological, economic and social sustainable and must contribute to the improvement of human well-being. It is important to emphasize the positive characteristics of the local and preserve or reintroduce indigenous plants as a way of contributing to the biodiversity preservation and provide attractive complements to the design areas. It is urgent to reduce the outputs related with water, fertilizers and pesticides which have a negative impact in landscape. The plants are able to exercise a positive influence on climate and air in the surroundings. They reduce the amplitude of air temperature and air pollution. At the same time they are responsible for the seasonal changes (blooming, flowering) that are very important for the physical and psychological balance of the public. The most distinctive feature of Mediterranean climate involves the seasonality of air temperature and precipitation, which leads to a hot drought period in summer and wet period in winter. Dry summer conditions limit water availability and thus growth while cool winter conditions limit growth during the season when water availability is generally high. The preservation or reintroduction of native plants, well adapted to local soil and climatic conditions, reduce the cost of establishing and maintaining, as providing attractive complements to a sustainable landscape design. The approach towards the preservation and establishing of Mediterranean native plants are the most important learning in planting design. The paper analyses the recent research about wild flowers to be used in meadows as an alternative to the traditional lawns. It will also presented two examples of urban green spaces with an ecological and economic sustainability.