Biodiversity as a Key Relational Value for Cities

This chapter focuses on the social dimension of biodiversity in cities and on the importance of valuing and monitoring it through collaborative programs. The objective is to demonstrate that urban biodiversity is a key relational value for cities. The contribution starts by highlighting the social benefits and risks of biodiversity in urban areas. Then, it presents some issues related to the modes of valuing and monitoring urban biodiversity using participatory schemes. The concept of relational values is introduced and discussed to refer to values that do not directly emanate from nature but are derivative of our relationships with and our responsibilities towards it. Relational values can explain the community’s attitude and perception towards nature and, more importantly, can also have a role in shaping practices of urban biodiversity conservation and management. The chapter ends by recalling that one key challenge for acknowledging urban biodiversity in spatial plans is to adopt tools and approaches for mapping relational values linking nature and humans and effectively integrate biodiversity monitoring programs at different stages of the planning process.