BSUD: Design Framework and Proposal

BSUD: Design Framework and Proposal
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BSUD: Design Framework and Proposal
Introduction
Urbanization, defined as the congregation of people in cities, is one form of anthropogenic land-use alteration that negatively impacts biodiversity. It leads to environmental degradation, habitat fragmentation, and increased pollution. Such negative impacts can directly affect species' tenacity, influence evolutionary change, and alter competition and predation dynamics (Theodorou et al., 2020). They call for biodiversity conservation in urban areas, which presents a distinctive prospect to reconnect city residents with nature and its related benefits. According to Cengiz (2013), the rising urban population necessitates the study of the interaction between living organisms and natural systems in cities.
Studies show that urban ecosystems are increasing as humans migrate to cities and the population continues to grow. The United Nations has projected that by 2030, upwards of two billion people, or 60% of the world's population, will live in urban environments. In addition to space, these individuals need drinkable water, breathable air, and food (Cengiz, 2013). However, the increasing urbanization has a profound effect on the environment, depleting the quality of air, water, and food needed by humans, animals, and plants to survive. With the expansion of urban ecosystems, what happens to other species and how these species live and interact in cities is the focal point of urban ecology (Müller, 2010).
Over the last twenty years, urban ecology has experienced a rapid expansion from simple investigations assessing the existing types of species in urban ecosystems to complex studies of the features that enable species to survive in urban environments (Kirk et al., 2021). Today, urban ecology covers numerous topics and questions that strengthen understanding of people and human society. For example, several studies have focused on the impact of urbanization on basic patterns of urban wildlife in space and time. In this context, Theodorou et al. (2020) demonstrated how urban fragmentation lowers floral diversity with knock-on effects on bee diversity. They argued that urbanization results in habitat loss and fragmentation, threatening bees and flowering plants. Such effects on species necessitate Biodiversity Sensitive Urban Design (BSUD).
BSUD is a protocol that aims to improve the lives of living organisms in the urban ecosystem by providing essential habitat and food resources. It represents a new approach to biodiversity conservation and restoration during urban development, seeking on-site biodiversity benefits (Kirk et al., 2021). Promoting biodiversity through urban design has several advantages. First, it protects the health of natural ecosystems. Protected green areas and bodies provide quality services to the ecosystem. Second, it improves air quality, minimizing respiratory problems like asthma (Kirk et al., 2021). Third, it protects the city from landslides and reduces erosion risks. Furthermore, the urban design supports sustainable urban food systems, promotes thermal comfort, reduces the risk of extreme events, and promotes quality of life and wellness. In this this proposal, we will identify and describe the site and species around the chosen habitat. We will then design and framework and a BUSD proposal for the species identified.
The site and Species Description
Site Description
Location
The site range includes Camperdown Park, O’Dea Reserve, and Derby Street, which lies between the two parks. It is located at Camperdown, which is in the inner western suburbs of Sydney. The region has a humid subtropical climate with rainfall throughout the year. Summer is hot and rainy. Winter is mild and humid. The local climate is sustainable for winter and summer, with rain and heat in the same season and light and temperature synchronizing. This warm environmental condition is sustainable for the survival and subsistence requirements of various organisms.
Figure 1: Location Map of the site in Camperdown, Source Google Earth
Livability
Camperdown Park is the largest public park in Dundee. It covers an area of about 400acres and is home to more than 190 species of trees. With splendid neo-classical Camperdown House as its center-piece, the park offers a fantastic range of activities and events throughout the year. Currently, Camperdown Park is the National Tree collections of Scotland. (NTCS) that acknowledges the highest quality specimen tree collections in the country. In addition to numerous activities on offer, the park hosts annual public events, attracting visitors from across the country. Camperdown also has a play complex located near the Wildlife Centre
Figure 3: Camperdown Park, source: Google
O’Dea reserve is one of the better parks around Camperdown. The reserve has a large and well-equipped playground surrounded by many soft and tactile plants, allowing children to explore nature. The park also has an incredibly healthy and good-looking fig tree that has been protected from soil impaction. O’Dea reserve has vast areas of lawn, divided into portions divided into areas of significant landscaping. The landscaping includes usual grasses, plants and small trees such as various grevillea, small bottle brush, and banksias as well as all bird-feeding Australian native plants. Small birds are well protected and have lots of food. Quite a number of larger growing trees have been planted around the park, adding more visual beauty and shade to the park.
Figure 2: O’Dea Reserve looking across to the Playground, Source: Google
Future projects in the site will present various opportunities. They will improve the design and function of the facilities. New squares and parks will function as multi-use destinations (Greater Sydney Commission, 2019). Derby Street will work as a public place, connecting public health to public space agendas. Connecting and establishing adjacent institutions will increase equity. This will increase permeability and meeting places, create opportunities for social interactions, and improve access to open spaces that were formerly less welcoming (Greater Sydney Commission, 2019).
Biodiversity Values
The selected site has a variety of plants and trees that add value to the ecosystem. The Moreton bay fig (Ficus macrophylla) which is believed to have existed since late nineteenth century, makes a wonderful habitat and provides the best food resources for a large variety of birds and insects in the region. The site also has numerous established eucalyptus not planted long ago. Once they mature, the tree species will create a natural shade for visitors and other animal species in the parks.
Species Description
Sidney’s rich biodiversity includes native plant and animal species. The region's high species diversity and abundance contribute to Sidney's ecological and educational values. Target species that the BSUD proposal will aim to protect and promote include Blue-banded Bee (Amegilla cingulata) and the superb fairy-wren (Malurus cyaneus). Blue-banded bees are regular visitors to Sidney gardens. They have long-flexible tongues for feeding (Sandeep & Muthuraman, 2019). It allows them to forage on deeper flowers to access nectar and pollen that other bee species cannot access (ElQadi et al., 2017). These species require soft sandstones to burrow in, meaning that areas with this habitat need can become perforated with bee tunnels.
Blue-banded Bees dig burrows using their jaws and create oval-shaped cells inside the burrows. They also like mud-brick houses and dried up river banks and often burrow into the mortar in dilapidated buildings (Sandeep & Muthuraman, 2019). These species are solitary, meaning that each female bee constructs a solitary nest by herself after mating. Females are attracted to areas nested by other females, whereas males roost together in small groups at night. The major threat to A. cingulata is that many animals, including frogs, birds, and cane toads, prey upon them (ElQadi et al., 2017). Human activity like clearing river banks also threatens their existence by destroying their habitat.
The other species is the superb fairy-wren, one of the popular species of Sidney birds. Adult male species are brightly colored with striking black and blue plumage above and on the throat (Peñalba et al., 2020). They only grow their bright blue feathers during the breeding season Females, and young birds are mostly brown. These birds feed on insects and other small arthropods. They have short sharp beaks, ideal for picking and crushing insects (Harrisson et al., 2013). They also have active and restless feeding behavior, always hopping and bouncing (Peñalba et al., 2020). Their large tails help them to balance while feeding. These species are highly social. They live in family groups where they rest, eat and shelter together. Superb fairy wren occupies various habits, including rainforest, woodland, and coastal regions (Harrisson et al., 2013). They are also adapted to urban parks and exotic weeds like lantana. All fairy-wren species are vulnerable to population disruption caused by wildfires and livestock feeding on their environment. The heat damage and habitat loss due to global heating may endanger the purple-crowned species.
Design Framework
Design Principles
Urban design needs a new approach to mitigate urbanization's detrimental effects while encouraging the community's biodiversity stewardship through positive human-nature interactions. This would perceive biodiversity as a valued resource and opportunity to be maximized and preserved at all planning and design stages. Contrary to traditional methods of urban biodiversity conservation, BSUD aims to establish an urban environment that benefits biodiversity. This entails adequate planning and innovation design. BSUD seeks to connect urban planning and design to the survival needs of flora and fauna to build nature into the city fabric. It applies five significant principles to urban design.
1. Protect and create a habitat
BSUD seeks to enhance and create habitat. New development can be arranged to prevent habitat loss by emphasizing development in low-ecological value areas. Restoring and conserving existing vegetation during urbanization can also impact biodiversity positively (Garrard et al., 2018). It is possible to enhance or create habitat in existing cities by using native plant species and strengthening the complexity of vegetation, enhancing green infrastructure, and initiating critical habitat dialogues and resources (Kirk et al., 2021). City parks and residential gardens can be momentous habitats. Therefore resident-led wildlife gardening programs can contribute to biodiversity restoration, conservation, and sustainability.
2. Facilitate dispersal of species
Dispersal involves the movement of a species from the population in which they were born to a different locality, where it will adapt and reproduce. Adding animal movement infrastructure or building habitat connectivity corridors through public and private land can facilitate dispersal (Garrard et al., 2018). However, this process needs the care to prevent the inadvertent spread of invasive pests and weeds. BSUD aims to distort boundaries between habitat and non-habitat to prevent barriers to dispersal. However, urban environments will remain hostile to some species (Baldock, 2020). Present studies revealed that the provision of corridors between habitat patches is the primary factor affecting species richness in urban greenspaces. This stresses the benefit of BSUD in revitalizing the urban environment to improve biodiversity.
3. Minimize anthropogenic threats
Anthropogenic threats are human activities such as industrial pollution, deforestation, and mining that cause environmental degradation, depletion, and destruction, impairing biodiversity and natural processes (Garrard et al., 2018). These activities pose significant threats to the health of many plant and animal species. They reduce the environment's ability to sustain life due to the depletion of natural resources.
4. Promote Ecological Processes
A common approach to nature conservation is identifying and protecting ecosystems and endangered species. Ecological processes are sustainable through biological, chemical, and physical processes, including primary production, carbon and nutrient cycling, and environmental elements (Bennett et al., 2019). Collectively, these processes produce organic matter, drive soil formation, transfer carbon and nutrients, and improve the organisms’ reproduction (Bennett et al., 2019). Urbanization’s disruptive effects on ecological processes, natural cycles, and disturbance regimes can be handled ...