ARVO – Viherrakenteen arviointi ja vahvistaminen kaupunkien maankäytön suunnittelussa , VALUE – Valuation and strengthening of urban green spaces in landscape planning in cities

Aim of the project

The main aim of the project is to strengthen urban green spaces (including urban green
structures) in densely built cities in Finland to increase climate change anticipation and
adaptation. The unique feature of urban green spaces is to produce several environmental,
social and economic benefits while at the same time improving the ability to tolerate impacts of climate change. The project will increase understanding of the effectiveness of multi-beneficial urban green spaces within the city organization among branches from experts to the decision makers and differing societal sectors. The project will also develop skills and tools for urban green spaces planning. In the very core of the project is to include a systemic socio-ecological approach in landscape planning to strengthen the position of urban green spaces in relation to other even conflicting aims and practical implementations in cities.

Main measures

1. The project will strengthen climate change anticipation and adaptation in general and detailed planning by identifying, preserving and increasing urban green spaces. The project will develop an urban green spaces planning tool, which is calibrated for densely built cities to evaluate, implement and measure the effectivity of urban green spaces in climate change anticipation and adaptation. The project will also investigate the suitability of the tool to evaluate ecological no net loss and ecological compensation. The partner cities will compile piloting environments to support the development of the tool and needed change in the landscape planning process in cities. The target group for the work consider the landscape planners and ecologists in the cities as well as consulting company planners.

2. The project will compile a status report on landscape planning of urban green spaces and an impact assessment on the urban green spaces planning tool. Based on these surveys, possible bottlenecks and the impact of using the urban green spaces tool are identified. The project will also compile national recommendations for planning of city urban green spaces. The national recommendations will consider the optimal phase of using the urban green spaces tool in the city landscape planning process and also suggest ownership models for the tool. The main target group for the work include the leaders and decision-makers of cities as well as national authorities, expertise organizations and research institutes.

3. The project engages, educates and commits stakeholders broadly to understand the
significance and impact of urban green spaces for climate change anticipation and adaptation. The main target groups are the city planners as users of the tool (stakeholder events, excursions and educational trainings) as well as city leaders and decision-makers who decide on the priorities of landscape planning (morning school occasions).

Project consortia and timetable

The basis for the project work is the cooperation of densely built cities and universities in the
Metropolitan area of Finland. City of Helsinki is the lead partner of the project and cities of
Vantaa and Espoo as well as Aalto University and Green Building Council Finland (FIGBC)
participate as partners. Through the network of FIGBC also company and consultants are
engaged to project results. The cities of Lahti, Turku, Tampere and Jyväskylä are participating
as associated partners to the project. Organizations responsible for compiling data as well as
leading and coordinating national and regional climate change adaptation work are engaged in the project steering group namely the Ministry of the Environment and Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry, Association of Finnish Municipalities, Helsinki-Uusimaa Regional Council, FinnishEnvironmental Institute and University of Helsinki.

The project is planned to start in the beginning of year 2023 and will run for two years.

Coordinator: City of Helsinki (Yhteishakija) (johto) / (Joint applicant) (lead)
Partner: Aalto University (Yhteishakija) / (Joint applicant)
Partner: City of Vantaa (Yhteishakija) / (Joint applicant)
Partner: City of Espoo (Yhteishakija) / (Joint applicant)
Partner: Green Building Council Finland ry (Yhteishakija) / (Joint applicant)