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INTEGRATING GEOLOGICAL ELEMENTS INTO URBAN LANDSCAPES
Abstract
Urbanization is an ongoing trend. It causes various negative issues, including strain on human health and biodiversity. Cities are often subject to negative effects of climate change. Currently green and blue infrastructure are often seen as potential solutions for these problems. However, integration of topographically diverse sites and geological elements into urban landscapes is rarely considered as an important measure for addressing societal and environmental issues in cities. This can lead to lost opportunities. Poor protection of geo-heritage and low awareness of the geological values among city dwellers is also likely. The geological elements can be integrated into urban landscapes in a variety of ways. Here we discuss these opportunities and present the potential approaches to practical implementation of the integration. We explore opportunities to harness both existing geological elements and topography engineering to enhance effectiveness of Nature-based Solutions. We also highlight the values and costs associated with the approach and provide suggestions to policymakers and practitioners. In addition to well-known cultural, educational, scientific, and economic benefits of the proposed approach, we discuss less straightforward ones that are often overlooked by relevant stakeholders but still hold significant importance for the well-being of city dwellers. Given the fact that this is a novel research area, conceptual research methodology is applied here.
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