Urban Ecology.

During the masterplanning process of our landscape and urban design projects we highlight the importance of urban ecology, as it’s a key component to achieve a balance between human culture and the natural environment.  Our aim is to bring back and recreate mosaics of natural habitat in urban and rural settings, providing a healthier environment by establishing green corridors, increasing the amount of native planting and trees, upgrading existing reserves and preserving our waterways.

An increasing amount of the world’s and New Zealand’s population lives in urbanised areas, so the research and establishment of urban ecosystems become more and more relevant. Urban and rural environments are heavily modified, and human settlements have been stripped of their original land cover for centuries. The ecosystem which was once present in an area is the most resilient under the natural circumstances, and recreating mosaics of natural habitat characteristic to each site would require the least amount of active management and potentially resource-heavy maintenance to boost biodiversity in the long term.

Our team at LandSpekt has the skillset and expertise to deliver long-term sustainable outcomes for your project. The theoretical background behind our plant selection, one of the main spatial organization components in a landscape project, is guided by the current principles on sustainable green spaces and urban ecology. The carefully designed planting beds and the selection of native plant species once or still present in an area make a significant contribution to increasing biodiversity. Large biologically active areas are an important part of the green infrastructure, since they provide habitat and food source for pollinators, birds and other urban species. Naturalised waterways, wetlands, and forested areas have substantial positive impact on the urban climate by reducing the urban heat island effect, helping create climate resilient neighbourhoods and increase the wellbeing of communities.