Building a green infrastructure concept and process in the Gauteng City Region, South Africa. Kerry Bobbins Researcher GCRO

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1 Building a green infrastructure concept and process in the Gauteng City Region, South Africa Kerry Bobbins Researcher GCRO kerry.bobbins@gcro.ac.za IGU Regional Conference Krakow, Poland August 2014

2 Introduction to the GCR Global plans and initiatives Cluster of cities, towns and urban nodes including cities of Johannesburg and Pretoria make up the economic heartland of South Africa (SA). At the core is Gauteng, which is the most densely populated province of SA, supporting an estimated individuals (Census 2011). 2

Green infrastructure What is green infrastructure?

and other landscapes that form an infrastructure network providing services and

Green assets: trees, protected areas, open spaces, public and private gardens, parks,

3 Green infrastructure What is green infrastructure? Green infrastructure is the set of natural and manmade ecological systems, green spaces and other landscapes that form an infrastructure network providing services and strategic functions in the same way as traditional hard infrastructure. Green assets: trees, protected areas, open spaces, public and private gardens, parks, food gardens, ridges, wetlands, green corridors, amongst others. Ecosystem Services: benefits to society provided by ecological systems or green assets 3

Green infrastructure Plans Global plans and initiatives The All London Green Grid vision is to create a well-designed green infrastructure network of interlinked, multi-purpose open and green spaces

4 Green infrastructure Plans Global plans and initiatives The All London Green Grid vision is to create a well-designed green infrastructure network of interlinked, multi-purpose open and green spaces with good connections to the places where people live and work, public transport Life: building Europe s green infrastructure Combating habitat fragmentation caused by grey infrastructure and the externalities of delivering energy and transport infrastructure The New York Green Infrastructure Plan an alternative approach to improving water quality that integrates green infrastructure, such as swales and green roofs, with investments to optimize the existing system. Plan saves taxpayers $1.5 billion over a 20 year period compared to an all grey approach Others focused on conservation, reducing inequality, improving human wellbeing and to combat biodiversity loss 4

Green infrastructure Plan Conceptual underpinnings Landscape Ecology Scale, pattern and process and connectivity Multi-functionality Natural systems perform a range of functions can assist with

5 Green infrastructure Plan Conceptual underpinnings Landscape Ecology Scale, pattern and process and connectivity Multi-functionality Natural systems perform a range of functions can assist with Climate Change adaptation and mitigation Urban ecosystems generating direct services (Bolund et al. 1999) Lawns/ parks Air filtering X X Urban forest Wetland Micro climate regulation X X X Noise reduction X X Rainwater drainage X X X Sewerage treatment Recreational/cultural values X X X X Appreciates in value over time Biophysical systems provide value that appreciates over time as productivity of green assets grows. 5

6 Transformed vs untransformed land Green assets in Gauteng 6

7 Tree coverage Green assets in Gauteng Bryanston Alexandria 7

8 Framework for a green design network Representing green networks and landscape connectivity Simple overlap each layer assigned a value of

9 Framework for a green design network Data interrogation and interpretation Ekhurhuleni Johannesburg Midvaal 9

10 Valuing green infrastructure Desktop evaluation de Wit (2013) 10

11 Valuing green infrastructure Desktop evaluation de Wit (2013) 11

12 Multi-functionality of green infrastructure Valuation of ecosystem services - Bolund et al AIR FILTERING RAINWATER DRAINAGE RECREATIONAL / CULTURAL VALUES SEWAGE TREATMENT MICRO CLIMATE REGULATION NOISE REDUCTION

13 Key Findings: Data Considerations for a final green infrastructure plan Role of sufficient and accurate spatial data critical to inform green network valuations and to develop an understanding of how the share of ecosystem services are spread across the cityregion. Existing green spatial data not geared towards appreciating green networks. Well-established departments typically provided good quality datasets, but comparisons with other were invalid due standards and quality of datasets. Division in the methods and actors used to collect data regional and local and for specific purposes. We cannot map everything, but if we really want to manage and extend green networks over alongside grey infrastructure, we need to know what we are working with. Shared information repository, with set standards and conventions. 13

14 Key Findings: Planning and Design Considerations for a final green infrastructure plan Parks in urban context are not a result of good town planning. Current a system in place that prioritises pockets of land for conservation and land that can be sacrificed. Concerns about the blind following of a GI approach and possible dis-services. Who owns and is responsible for green assets council, private owners, the state? Shifts need to take place to allow for green asset to be perceived and valued in the same way as grey infrastructure. Account for lifecycle costs design and construction, maintenance and savings over the long term. Address key barriers created by local by-laws that can prevent the implementation of GI design solutions and maintenance. GI requires engagement by all municipal stakeholders and not in silos Think big, but consider what is already going on in your own backyard. 14

Key Findings: Financing Considerations for a final green infrastructure plan If it is not in the spreadsheet it does not exist Large monetary values that create interest, but not transitions in the

15 Key Findings: Financing Considerations for a final green infrastructure plan If it is not in the spreadsheet it does not exist Large monetary values that create interest, but not transitions in the way budgets are spent. A systemic process should be induced through the collective value of GI and ES. Planning for worst case scenarios Capital versus operational expenditure Focus on maintenance structures Municipal services at lower costs and creating jobs 15

16 Thank You Kerry Bobbins Researcher GCRO

State of Green Infrastructure in the Gauteng City-Region

State of Green Infrastructure in the Gauteng City-Region Overview Structure of the presentation Situating the GCR Assessing the state of green infrastructure in the GCR Government plans and initiatives