Green infrastructure advice
Browse our advice about green infrastructure planning and management.
Preparing a green infrastructure strategyGreen infrastructure strategies should provide an over-arching vision for managing all green and blue spaces in an area.
Tags: green infrastructure, regions and subregions, cities and towns
Developing an urban heat island strategyCities like London, Tokyo and Stuttgart have strategies to reduce summer temperatures and cope with hot weather.
Tags: green infrastructure, cities and towns
Integrating green space into existing urban areasIn built-up urban areas it is often difficult to create significant new green spaces. This makes thinking creatively and making the best of use of existing green areas especially important.
Tags: green infrastructure, public space, neighbourhoods
Creating green spaces in new developmentA well-designed park or green space can be the making of a new development.
Tags: green infrastructure, public space, neighbourhoods
Preparing a tree strategyTrees are an indispensable component of green infrastructure, providing key environmental services such as improving air quality and reducing the urban heat island effect. Yet many are uprooted each year.
Tags: green infrastructure, national level, cities and towns
Using green infrastructure to alleviate flood riskGreen infrastructure networks can be used to reduce surface water run-off and store flood water.
Tags: green infrastructure, public space, water, regions and subregions, cities and towns, neighbourhoods
Making spaces more comfortableDesigners, planners and managers should make public spaces more comfortable in a changing climate, for example by increasing shade and shelter.
Tags: green infrastructure, public space, neighbourhoods, buildings and spaces
Managing urban treesTrees are an essential part of our towns and cities. We must plan for their long term management.
Tags: green infrastructure, public space, neighbourhoods
Protecting established wildlife habitatsRelict patches of wildlife habitat are vital for plants and animals in urban areas.
Tags: green infrastructure, cities and towns
Integrating sustainable drainage systems into planning and designSustainable drainage systems (SuDS) should form an integral part of neighbourhood and site planning.
Tags: green infrastructure, public space, water, neighbourhoods
Setting local area agreement targetsLocal area agreement targets can help secure government funding for green space projects.
Tags: green infrastructure, cities and towns
Protecting floodplainsCatchment flood management plans and strategic flood risk assessments should protect floodplains.
Tags: green infrastructure, water, regions and subregions
Growing food in towns and citiesFood production, processing and transportation is responsible for 8% of the average person's carbon (and 23% of their ecological) footprint. We can reduce this by using green space in towns and cities to grow our own fruit and veg.
Tags: green infrastructure, regions and subregions, cities and towns
Using green spaces as wildlife habitatGreen spaces can provide great wildlife habitat and enhance biodiversity.
Tags: green infrastructure, neighbourhoods, buildings and spaces
Creating new habitatsNew developments should seek to design in biodiversity from the outset and this should fit into the existing green infrastructure.
Tags: green infrastructure, buildings and spaces
Establishing wildlife corridorsNatural corridors (such as rivers and disused railway lines) should be protected from development.
Tags: green infrastructure, neighbourhoods
Developing green roofsGreen roofs and building facades can be built on new buildings and retrofitted on existing ones, especially in urban areas where there are few other opportunities for adding green infrastructure.
Tags: green infrastructure, buildings and spaces
Using green infrastructure to combat climate changeGreen infrastructure – plants, green spaces and water – can help to reduce emissions of greenhouse gases and help places adapt to the effects of climate change.
Tags: green infrastructure, regions and subregions, cities and towns, neighbourhoods
Using green roofs for wildlife adaptationGreen roofs and building facades can encourage wildlife in the built environment.
Tags: green infrastructure, buildings and spaces
Being aware of brownfield habitatsAreas with previous human use, such as former industrial sites, can be great for wildlife, especially when they have been left undisturbed by people.
Tags: green infrastructure, cities and towns
Choosing the right tree for the siteAt the site level it is important to choose the right tree and plant species for the location.
Tags: green infrastructure, buildings and spaces
Collecting wood fuelIf managed properly, English forestry could provide the heat requirements for approximately 500,000 homes and electricity for 1,000,000 homes.
Tags: energy, green infrastructure, cities and towns, neighbourhoods
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