Green Infrastructure

Green infrastructure is a strategically planned and managed network of natural, semi-natural and cultural areas. This network aims to enhance biodiversity and improve human quality of life by providing ecosystem services. According to the European Commission, green infrastructure delivers various services such as water purification, improvement of air quality, provision of recreational spaces and adaptation to climate change.

Relationship with Ecosystem Services

Green infrastructure plays a significant role in delivering ecosystem services. These services are classified into four categories: provisioning (food, water), regulating (climate, water cycle), cultural (recreation, aesthetics) and supporting (soil formation, nutrient cycling). Green infrastructure ensures the sustainable provision of these services.

A Poster Explaining Green Infrastructure (Generated by Artificial Intelligence.)

Planning and Implementation

Green infrastructure planning can be carried out at different scales. At the parcel scale, it involves designing green spaces around residential and commercial buildings. At the district scale, it means creating green corridors that connect existing parks. At the provincial or regional scale, it includes preserving extensive landscape connections between forests, highlands and other natural areas, as well as creating habitats for wildlife.

Policies and Strategies

The European Union has developed various strategies to support green infrastructure. These include policies aimed at conserving, restoring and enhancing green infrastructure. These strategies encourage investment in green and blue infrastructure and seek to systematically integrate healthy ecosystems, green infrastructure and nature-based solutions into urban planning.

Applications in Türkiye

In Türkiye, green infrastructure is gaining importance particularly in the fields of urban planning and landscape architecture. Green infrastructure systems are being integrated into local and regional plans through urban planning initiatives and policies that emphasize the conservation and sustainability of natural and cultural landscapes.