Recognising wetland ecosystem services within urban case studies
Robert J. McInnes
+ Author Affiliations
- Author Affiliations
RM Wetlands & Environment Ltd, Littleworth, Oxfordshire, SN7 8EQ, UK. Email: rob@rmwe.co.uk
Marine and Freshwater Research 65(7) 575-588 https://doi.org/10.1071/MF13006
Submitted: 8 January 2012 Accepted: 17 June 2013 Published: 7 August 2013
Abstract
Ecosystems, and wetlands in particular, provide services that support and enhance human well being. In an increasingly urbanising world, the appropriate planning and management of ecosystem services can benefit a growing urban population. In 2011 UN-Habitat’s Governing Council adopted a Resolution that provided a mandate to promote biodiversity, wetlands and ecosystem services within the human settlement agenda. Subsequently, and developed in collaboration with UN-Habitat, in 2012 the Ramsar Convention also adopted a Resolution on the principles for the planning and management of urban and periurban wetlands and invited countries to raise awareness of the importance of wetlands to urban populations. This paper considered case studies drawn from cities across the globe in order to understand the level of awareness of ecosystem services from urban areas. The study demonstrated that ecosystem services were consistently under-recognised and that the failure to recognise the benefits is greatest for the ecosystem services provided by wetlands and in particular for supporting services. To ensure that the obligations under the two resolutions are implemented, and that urbanisation delivers high levels of societal well being, will require the development, dissemination and adoption of practical tools and a more robust integration of ecosystem services into urban planning and decision-making.
Additional keywords: green infrastructure, natural capital, urbanisation, urban planning.
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