What Ideal Green Spaces for the City of Tomorrow, Providing Ecosystem Services?

Abstract

The present study comes within the scope of a research program, which was funded by the French Region Centre-Val de Loire and questioned the fallout of urban green spaces (UGS) for city dwellers and municipalities. Here, the purpose is to identify the ideal UGS for a better urban future. We base our proposal on our knowledge of cultural and supporting ecosystem services (ES) provided by these spaces.The six medium cities of the Region Centre-Val de Loire were chosen to study these cultural and supporting ES provided by urban nature. Public UGS, higher than 1ha, were inventoried then classified into five categories. Six of these UGS were selected and subject of a more in-depth study. Their biodiversity (based on the arthropods frequency) and their soils quality (pedology, agronomy and microbiology) were analyzed. In the same time, 321 users and 12 managers of UGS were interviewed.According to the interviewees, UGS contribute to the urban life quality, the well-being of city dwellers and even the city identity. They are thus approved by all. Users come first in these spaces for the quiet and to feel closer to nature. And indeed, these spaces are biodiversity spaces and they have quite good soils indicators. They provide a diversity of ES, especially cultural services.All UGS are approved – except for those where traffics are suspected. The reasons and the time of their frequenting differ according to their facilities and their localization. However, the functions can be more numerous than the assigned ones – example of allotment gardens, which are places to cultivate but also to relax, meet and learn. Belonging to the five identified categories, the UGS are complementary. It is also valid for biodiversity because this one varies according to the land use, to the plant species. The ideal UGS could be a multifunctional UGS.