Launch of Green Laneways online guide
07 March 2017
Arup: Today (01/03/2017) the Australian strategic
design agency Thick, in partnership with Arup and the City of
Melbourne,
are launching the Green Laneways online guide.
The guide has been developed following a first-of-its-kind research
project which explored funding models for community-led greening
initiatives. It outlines an innovative approach for governments to
enable local communities get green infrastructure into the places they
live and work.
Green spaces in urban
environments are becoming increasingly important
as our cities continue to expand. By introducing plants into urban
spaces green infrastructure encourages city dwellers to spend more time
outdoors, improving their health and wellbeing. It also address
environmental issues relating to urbanisation, such as air pollution,
carbon emissions, noise and wildlife displacement.
Despite the benefits of public greening (and its increasing popularity)
funding is still a major obstacle, as there is a lack of readily
available funding for green infrastructure projects. This means that
these projects are often reliant on community co-funding and
collaboration to get them off the ground.
This funding challenge required an innovative solution which engaged
communities in the whole process – not just when funding was needed. “We
found that involving people from the start of the program helps to build
trust, excitement and momentum,” says Thick’s Service Design Lead Angela
Bode. “Once they’re engaged, funding conversations will evolve naturally
and they will be more enthusiastic about making a contribution.”
The guide sets out an approach which helps communities ramp up
engagement in greening projects. “We created the guide to share our
understanding of what motivates people to come together and invest their
time, money and resources into ‘greening’ their laneway,” says Bode.
“Communities can use the guide to get started in setting up their own
independent and self-managed green infrastructure program."
While the guide is based on research conducted in Melbourne Australia,
the information is applicable anywhere in the world. “Communities can
take it, use it and adapt it according to their local needs and
circumstances,” says Bode. The intention is for the guide to be
continuously updated and refined, as communities from around the world
use it and provide feedback on their experience.
The evolution of the guide is already underway, with the City of
Melbourne likely to incorporate it in possible future rounds of their
Green Your Laneway program.
--ENDS--
Source: ARUP - www.arup.com
Contact: Therese Raft | T+61 (0) 2 9320 9320
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