Assessing nature-based recreation to support urban green infrastructure planning in Trento (Italy)

Nature-based recreation is among the most relevant ecosystem services supplied by urban green infrastructure, affecting citizens’ physical and mental wellbeing. Providing adequate green spaces for nature-based recreation is among the main goals of urban planning, but commonly-used indicators offer a partial view on the issue. Adopting an ecosystem service perspective, considering the whole range of green spaces that support nature-based recreation and the locally-specific demand, appears a promising approach to increase the quality of information available for decision-making. The aim of this article is to investigate to what extent an ecosystem service perspective can improve how nature-based recreation is currently addressed by urban planning. The results of the assessment conducted in the city of Trento (Italy) through a locally-adapted version of the ESTIMAP-recreation model are compared with indicators based on the availability and accessibility to urban parks. The comparison shows significant differences in terms of priority of intervention across the city, with implications on planning decisions. The application demonstrates that the ecosystem service perspective can enhance the understanding of nature-based recreation in cities beyond the focus on urban parks, revealing a wide portfolio of actions that planners can put in place to promote nature-based recreation through a multifunctional green infrastructure.

CORTINOVIS Chiara;  ZULIAN Grazia;  GENELETTI Davide; 

2018-10-04

MDPI AG

JRC112867

2073-445X (online),   

https://www.mdpi.com/2073-445X/7/4/112,    https://publications.jrc.ec.europa.eu/repository/handle/JRC112867,   

10.3390/land7040112 (online),