The Ecological Sensitivity of Cities: Defining a System of Green Corridors
摘要
Population growth and increasing land demand in cities have led to the fragmentation and destruction of the landscape and of green and water-adjacent open spaces. Anthropic actions have systematically caused functional and ecosystemic degradation and loss of the landscape. As an aggravating factor, the master plans of Brazilian cities are, in general, ineffective and lacking in ecological planning, as they neglect the urban landscape and its green and water-adjacent open spaces. The lack of a systemic vision, combined with the scarcity of green and blue infrastructure, has worsened this scenario of negative impacts on landscape connectivity and multifunctionality. Ecological networks formed by green and blue corridors are gaining strength in the planning of urban landscapes, as they directly contribute to the ecosystemic development of human environments in an innovative and resilient way, thus mitigating anthropic impacts. Thus, this study aims to indicate the potential areas for the construction of a system of urban green corridors. It uses GIS and multi-criteria analyses for thematic map spatialization, wherevalues are assigned according to their importance within the study context considering the variables: water resources; land use and land cover; and quantitative landscape metrics. As a result, areas of potential and emerging ecological sensitivity were identified through the hierarchical analysis of green and blue corridors for the implementation of an integrated system of green corridors, interconnecting private and/or public spaces in Santa Maria/RS, Brazil.