Wood for the trees: Design and policymaking of urban forests in Berlin and Melbourne

Abstract

This article considers the potential of Fourth Nature urban forestry tactics at Birrarung Marr—the City of Melbourne’s largest open space contribution in over 100 years—as a speculative planting and maintenance strategy for adapting to excessive heat and drought. This paper is structured in three parts. The first section briefly discusses the theoretical and adaptation qualities of spontaneous planting practices, such as Kowarik’s Fourth Nature philosophy, and its impact on the design and maintenance of Natur-Park Schöneberger Südgelände (Berlin). The second part introduces the designed landscape of Birrarung Marr and provides an overview of its evolving planting strategies and urban forest since 2002. It analyses how climate change, municipal policy and recent planting designs such as the Woody Meadow insertion have impacted—and continue to impact—changes to the park’s forest. Lastly, part three utilizes Schöneberger Südgelände as a reference to speculate on future planting design approaches and climate adaptation tactics for Birrarung Marr as the City of Melbourne seeks new design responses to predicted urban heating.