This World Bank initiative presents the scientific basis for why and how incorporating biodiversity and nature into urban design is crucial for achieving sustainability and resilience in cities and beyond. The report defines key terms and concepts, explores what urban leaders can do to promote them, and offers practical tools and approaches for incorporating urban nature and biodiversity into decision-making.
Ecologically friendly gardening practices, or ‘eco-friendly gardening’ as they are affectionately known, are forward thinking methods of gardening that are responsive to the global threats of climate change. These innovative outdoor endeavours focus upon reducing the emissions of greenhouse gases that occur as a direct result of modern day gardening practices. Eco-friendly gardening also encourages the absorption of carbon dioxide by soils and plants in order to lessen the effects of global warming.
One thing that has inspired Ecospaces the most is the need for more young people, especially within cities to interact physically with the outside environment. Eco gardens are hugely beneficial to learning and physical development of children. Many of the national curriculum core subjects can be taught in Eco garden environments in a practical way which makes learning easy. Subjects such as science, Mathematics and Art can all be directly integrated into outside learning and discovery in a fun and interesting way.
Our Managing Director Paul is a trained Eco schools assessor and can design eco gardens specifically to lead to the prestigious Green Flag Award. We design eco gardens understanding that some students learn differently planning garden spaces that are multifunctional and interactive. Ecospaces won and Architectural Community award in 2014 for our school Eco garden. ‘The Welldon Park Nature Trail’.
The Urban Alliance is a diverse global coalition of international partners committed to bringing cities into balance with nature. Several resources are available including an IUCN briefing paper, the Urban Nature Indexes: methodological framework and key indicators, and the IUCN Urban Toolbox. This is a catalogue of IUCN knowledge products on urban biodiversity that provides guidance to subnational governments, municipalities, and urban professionals on nature-positive development in urban environments. The tools featured support assessment, planning, design, implementation, and monitoring.
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This IUCN–OIE publication provides a ‘how-to’ guide that will be useful to the growing and diverse range of professionals involved in assessment and management of wildlife-associated disease risk scenarios. The document has been co-written by 22 specialists in the fields of wildlife disease ecology, epidemiology, risk analysis, modelling, disease surveillance, diagnostics, wildlife management, research, teaching and conservation planning. These authors have pooled their knowledge and experience to make tools and processes at the cutting edge of wildlife disease risk analysis accessible to a broad global audience in an effort to ensure healthy ecosystems through better decision making. This is a companion volume to the Guidelines for Wildlife Disease Risk Analysis.
The Disease Risk Analysis (DRA) process has been adopted by IUCN and other organisations to analyse and manage the possible outcomes of situations involving disease. These guidelines were developed by IUCN and the World Organisation for Animal Health (WOAH, formerly OIE) to highlight the importance of DRA for wildlife. The guidelines promote the use of the more detailed Manual of Procedures for Wildlife Disease Risk Analysis. The IUCN CSSC Conservation Planning Specialist Group runs an online training course on Disease Risk Analysis.
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