Utilizing new technologies and nature-based solutions for sustainable urban riparian area management

Abstract

Citizens in urban areas face many pressures and the goal should be to develop plans and implement actions to improve their living environment by providing clean air, clean water but also recreation and relaxation areas. Urban riparian areas can support such services for its citizens; thus, efforts should be made to either establish new ones or conserve the already existing ones. The aim of this study was to utilize new technologies that should enhance the assessment of the current conditions of urban riparian areas. Such datasets should help land and water managers develop better plans to mitigate the anthropogenic pressures that these areas face. In addition, these datasets can showcase the main anthropogenic pressures of the study area and allow to recommend proper nature-based solutions and their optimal placement. The case study was the Agia Varvara Park of Drama city in Greece. The Park is a unique riparian area with litter one of the main problems in its water bodies. The innovative tools used were unmanned aerial vehicles with high resolution regular and thermal cameras, unmanned underwater vehicles. In addition, a GPS tracker, was also used to record the potential movement route of litter and a sonar device to develop cross-sections of Agia Varvara’s stream. The produced orthomosaics, digital surface models, cross-section and litter route showcased that litter traps could be a suitable nature-based solution. In addition, the optimal location for litter trap placement was determined. This simple measure could sustainably minimize litter pollution in the Park.