ADAS develop a National Green infrastructure database
ADAS was commissioned by Defra and Natural England to develop a comprehensive map database of Green Infrastructure projects in the UK.
This project was part of a wider Green Infrastructure Standards Project that aims to fulfil a part of the Government’s 25 Year Environment Plan in which they have committed to developing a “National Framework of Green Infrastructure Standards”.
These maps will:
- Help local authorities and other stakeholders to assess Green Infrastructure provision
- Help stakeholders to set out appropriate policies for their protection and enhancement, and focus on areas where there is not enough Green Infrastructure
- Provide an evidence base and consideration of the quality of current GI and gaps in provision
- Eventually lead to an increase in the provision of ecosystem goods and services
What is green infrastructure?
Green infrastructure is a network of multi-functional green space, which supports natural and ecological processes and is integral to the health and quality of life of sustainable communities. Green infrastructure includes spaces like parks and gardens, amenity spaces such as recreation areas or village greens, natural urban green spaces such as woodlands or wetlands, green corridors such as waterways or cycle routes, and many other types of spaces including allotments, community gardens, city farms, cemeteries and churchyards.
The provision of green infrastructure in or near urban areas is now known to be an important factor in creating places where people want to live and work. High-quality green infrastructure is a key part of urban and rural planning and is particularly important in responding to the effects of climate change in urban areas.
The project
The project involved the development of open data maps of Green Infrastructure plus analyses based on these maps, supported by other socio-economic data.
To explore an example of some of the maps created in this project and to understand the methodology used to create them, please view the embedded story map, which focuses on the Birmingham Local Authority.
Story map